The Writing Life with Romance Author Anna del Mar
Anna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the
soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong
heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy,
kickass, military heroes who defy the limits of their broken bodies to protect
the women they love. She is the author of The Asset (Carina Press), the
first novel of her Wounded Warrior series and three other novels scheduled for release
during 2016.
A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling,
hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and
what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met
during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the
center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she
lives in Florida with her indulgent husband and two very opinionated cats.
What’s
inside the mind of a romance author?
The
short answer is simple: Two people, love, lust and sex, plus the nitty-gritty
of how it all comes about. The long answer is more complicated. People.
Relationships. The human mind. Our complex emotional needs. The longing for wholeness, companionship and affection. We are all so
different. We are all so alike. Where does love come from? How does it grow? How
does it change? How does it change us?
What
is so great about being an author?
Well,
I don’t know about you, but I love the fact that I get to wear my pajamas all
day if I want to. For me, the
great advantage comes from the joy I get from writing. I’m doing what I love.
I’m happy.
When
do you hate it?
When
I can’t write or when I have to devote so much time to doing all of those other
things that must be done in order to achieve your peripheral goals.
What
is a regular writing day like for you?
The
day goes quickly. There’s a lot to do. This is when the rest of the world is
awake you’ve got to reply, post, contribute, edit, talk to, hear from,
negotiate with, pay for and get paid by a whole bunch of people. Then comes the
night, the peaceful, quiet, blessedly uninterrupted night. That’s where the
real writing happens.
Do
you think authors have big egos? Do you?
I
don’t know too many authors who have big egos. We’re primarily a bunch of creative
folks living in our heads while glued to our laptops. In fact, I think the few
folks who may seem to have ego issues are coming from the opposite direction,
from having frail egos, thin skins and isolating experiences. But most of us
who are really committed to this business are simply too busy to have egos.
How
do you handle negative reviews?
I
suffer through them and then…I let them go.
How
do you handle positive reviews?
I
bask in them and then…I let them go.
What
is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance that you’re an author?
People
usually ask: “Are you a famous author?”
What
do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do you force it or take a
break?
I
can’t remember a day when I didn’t feel like writing. I’ll admit to days where
there’s so much going on that it’s hard to concentrate on the story. I’ll also
admit to days when sleep deprivation catches up and forces me to take a break.
I always feel like writing and I take every opportunity to do so.
Any
writing quirks?
Every
new story is titled “Chapter One.” I’ve got a lot of those in my files!
What
would you do if people around you didn’t take your writing seriously or see it
as a hobby?
I’d
think that they’re very rude and non-supportive and then I’d keep writing.
Some
authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to writing. Can you relate?
No.
Mine is a love-love relationship. Passionate. Intense. Addictive. I can’t
imagine writing if I hated the craft or the act of writing itself. It’s just
beyond my comprehension.
Do
you think success as an author must be linked to money?
Some
of civilization’s greatest writers never generated a penny from their work and
yet they’re still civilization’s greatest writers. Right? If an author is able
to touch a single person with his work, if he or she brings comfort, relief,
joy and/or meaning to a second of someone’s life, then an author has been
successful.
What
has writing taught you?
Patience,
perseverance, resilience and joy.
Leave
us with some words of wisdom.
Writing
is an act of love.
////////////////////////////////////
Title:
The Asset
Genre:
Romantic suspense, Contemporary romance, Military romance, SEAL romance.
Author:
Anna del Mar
Website:
http://www.annadelmar.com.
Publisher:
Carina Press, http://www.carinapress.com.
Amazon / Carina Press / B&N / Kobo / Google Play
About
the Book:
Anna del Mar’s explosive, sexy debut
novel in the Wounded Warrior series, perfect for fans of Lisa Marie Rice and
Lora Leigh—the story of a woman desperate to escape her dangerous past and the
navy SEAL who would lay down his life to save her.
Ash Hunter knows what it is to run. A SEAL gravely injured
in Afghanistan, he’s gone AWOL from the military hospital. Physically and
mentally scarred, he returns home to his grandmother’s isolated cottage—and
finds a beautiful, haunted stranger inside.
Like recognizes like.
Lia Stewart’s in hiding from the
cartel she barely escaped alive, holed up in this small Rocky Mountain town.
Surviving, but only just. Helping the wounded warrior on her doorstep is the
right thing to do…it’s loving him that might get them both killed.
Soon, Ash realizes he’s not the only
one tormented by the past. Pushing the limits of his broken body, testing the
boundaries of her shattered soul, he’ll protect Lia until his last breath.
Hello Mayra. I stopped by to say thanks for having me here at The Writers Life. What a wonderful blog. It's a writer's paradise. I love finding new writing communities like this one. Once again, thanks for the invite. I really enjoyed chatting with you.
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