Saturday, July 6, 2013

Talking with Anna Kristell today

Welcome to my Reading Nook, Anna Kristell. Please make yourself at home and let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink.

Comfortable? Wonderful. Now let’s get started.

Tell us about your favorite character from your books.
It would have to be David from Remember Our Promise…sweet, sexy, and even though Lily, the heroine doesn’t realize it, he would do anything for her.

Tell us about your current/upcoming release. What inspired this story?
Remember Our Promise will be released by Rebel Ink Press August 3rd. This story just came to me one day in the middle of writing one of my series books. I’ve often said it wrote itself and I was only along for the ride. I used it for my NaNoWriMo story, write 50K in 30 days. I began on November 1 and it was finished on November 17. My editor even loved it and there were hardly any changes suggested in edits.

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?
I work an 8-5 M-F day job, so my writing is done either in the evenings or on the weekends. Depending on what else is going on, I’ve been known to write for 16 hours on Saturday and again on Sunday, but I don’t always keep that kind of schedule. I write when I can, as often as I can.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?
I am always afraid of running out of ideas…so far that hasn’t happened. The hardest thing for me right now is the fact that I’ve ventured out into the unknown…I am writing an erotic romance under a different pen name for LazyDay. It will be released in November and right now I’m polishing it before it goes to edits. If you’ve read my Anna books, you’ll know they are mainstream. The series with LazyDay Publishing is a continuing dramatic romance which centers around the lives of five women and their families and friends. My books with Rebel Ink Press which aren’t part of the series and have been dubbed as sweet and sexy love stories. So a DD/spanking erotic romance is new ground for me. I was encouraged to do this by some writer friends of mine and LazyDay was all for it, so the reason for a different pen is to distinguish between the mainstream and the erotic for my readers. Some of them will read both but some prefer the sweet. I’ll release more information later on this. Originally it was going to be a secret that the other pen name and Anna are the same, but the readers I shared it with were so supportive I decided to come out of the closet and make it known. If you prefer the sweet and sexy, read Anna’s books and if you prefer something a little spicier, read the other ones…

What does your family think of your writing career?
My family thinks it is awesome as they know this has been a long time dream of mine. Although my two granddaughters, when told I was going to meet some of my readers, said “That’s so overrated. You’re just Nana.”

What do you think makes a good story?
You have to create your characters, the attraction, the conflict, and the result…with a lot of things happening in between.

Plotter or Pantser? Why?
Plotter usually, I come up with the general plot, then add things along the way as they come to me.

How do you develop your plots and your characters? Do you use any set formula?
Normally the ideas just come to me, from something someone has said, from a song I’ve heard, or a couple I’ve seen.

What book are you reading now? Any favorite authors/books you want to do a shout out for?
Right now I’m involved in getting caught up with Sable Hunter’s books. She and I have recently become friends, she’s helped me a lot and I love her work. She has read some of mine as well.

What do you do to unwind and relax?
Is there such a thing? I love to sleep in on Saturday mornings. I like to go out to dinner, or a movie, I read, occasionally like to play the penny slots. I love to travel when time allows, road trips are the best.

Morning Person or Night Person? 
Night person for sure, always have been.

Coffee, tea or other drink to get you moving in the morning? 
Coffee, ask anyone who knows me…

What is coming up from you in 2013? Anything you want to tease us with?
There are more series books coming out, as well as some novellas with Rebel Ink Press. If You Love Me, and a sequel to that one, A Woman Like Her. I also have a Christmas novella coming called A Holiday Hideaway. And then there’s that one under the new pen name which I’ll talk about another time…

Next on the agenda will be finishing my Fab Five series, and possibly a few other things in between…

I had my first book signing recently and more are in the works. I have a new street team, Anna’s Fab Friends, who are working on promoting for me. So lots of exciting things on the horizon for Anna.


Anything else you want to add? 


Remember Our Promise by Anna Kristell

Lily Wells has been in love with David Black since she was fifteen years old. When she was eighteen, he broke her heart, leaving her with a promise that the year they turned thirty, if neither was married, they would find a way to reconnect. As fate would have it, twelve years later, while she is in her hometown for her grandmother’s funeral, she runs into David.

Still as breathtakingly handsome as ever, now a prominent Texas attorney, he makes it clear he’s a confirmed bachelor. After one perfect, romantic weekend together, Lily returns to her job as the acquisitions editor for a New York City publishing house, knowing that a life with David is still her heart’s desire.

Believing that to him she’s only one of his many female companions and that he has no recollection of the promise she’s clung to for the past twelve years, she goes on with her life in the Big Apple. She and David remain in contact with each other, however, seemingly growing closer. Will he break her heart a second time or is it possible that she’s misreading the signs?

Teaser Excerpt:
 “We’re young and we have our whole lives ahead of us. We should take a break from each other, at least for a while.”
She looked at him in disbelief. “What exactly are you trying to tell me, David?”
“We have four years of college ahead of us in different states. How are we going to see each other?  We’ll be thousands of miles away from each other. Neither of us needs to be tied down right now.”
“Are you breaking up with me?” she asked, not believing the words she was hearing.
“Don’t you think it makes sense?” He looked at her with a serious look on his face and gently removed her hand from his thigh. He lifted her hand to his lips and planted a tender kiss on her palm.
“No, I don’t. I will always find a way to be with you. We can email and call and get together on holidays,” she argued vehemently.
“Lily Beth, think about it. You’ll be in Chicago and I’ll be in Dallas. We may not even be home at the same times. Yes, we can still email and call, but what kind of life would either of us have if we have to be apart for all important school functions. We won’t be able to attend any of those together. I think it’s for the best that we stay in touch but agree to see other people.”
As tears welled up in her amethyst-gray eyes, she replied, “If that’s the way you want it, then fine. Don’t feel obligated to stay in touch.”
“Babe, don’t talk like that.” He leaned over to kiss her.
She tried to pull away but he pulled her to him. She gave in to the kiss, losing herself in it as she always did. When he released her she said, “I love you, David, and I always will.”
“You think that now but you don’t know that once you get to Illinois you won’t meet someone else.”
“I won’t ever love anyone as much as I love you,” she answered softly.
“Then let’s make a promise.”
“What kind of promise?” she asked, looking at him warily.
“In twelve years, when we both turn thirty, we’ll find a way to reconnect.” He caressed her cheek and went on. “If we’re both unattached then we’ll find out if this is the real thing or not. And if it is, I’ll buy you the prettiest diamond engagement ring I can find and we’ll get married, just like you want.”
“Twelve years?” She looked at him as if she thought he had lost his mind.
“Yes, Lily Beth, that gives us plenty of time to finish school, establish our careers, and experiment with dating other people, maybe even see the world a little,” he stated seriously.
“Shall we shake on it?” she proposed sarcastically.
“How about we kiss on it?” he asked as he took her in his strong arms again.

1 comment:

Anne W. said...

Great Interview!!!

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