What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
Anne
Browning Walker. I was born in Palo Alto, California, grew up in North
Carolina, and now live in Washington, DC.
What
can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre?
Books of a different genre?
Currently,
I’m working on another contemporary romance novel, tentatively titled The Getaway Car. But I restarted my interest in
writing with a historical fiction set during World War II. It’s still
languishing on my computer, but who knows if it might be resurrected one of
these days?
What
genre would you place your books into?
I
would call them contemporary romance. Some of my family members who have
read The Booby Trap call it “romantic comedy,” but I keep insisting that it’s
not a movie! I think they have some hesitation in placing it in the romance
genre because of their preconceptions, but I celebrate it!
What
made you decide to write that genre of book?
Like
I said before, I’d gotten back into writing with a historical fiction
novel. I was in the middle of muddling through that when I decided to
take a break and try my hand at contemporary romance. I’d been reading
several of them. Once I started writing, I was hooked. It felt kind
of like coming home. I thought to myself, “Oh, I’ve never been here
before, but I know it’s where I belong.”
Where
do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
I
gather plot ideas from everywhere and everything. The idea for The Booby
Trap came on a road trip through the American South, thinking about all those
funny place names like Toad Suck and Salt Lick. People from the South are
often misperceived because of their accents, That idea eventually evolved into The Booby Trap, which is about a woman who is misjudged
based on her name and appearance. The new book I’m writing now is based
on stories of road trips I’ve cobbled together from friends. The recent
election season also gave me another idea for a novel that I can’t wait to
start. So, thankfully, inspiration (like love) is all around.
Do
you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially
release them? ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
Oh,
of course! My husband reads every single book I write. He’s a
lawyer, so he’s pretty picky about the details and he’s a great line
editor. My grandmother also helps me read through my novels and makes
suggestions. She’s wonderful at adding details that I sometimes forget
because I can see everything so vividly in my head.
Do
you read all the reviews of your book/books?
I
try very hard to read all of them, but sometimes I just can’t. It ties my
stomach up in knots to read reviews, even though sometimes it can be a very
rewarding or enlightening experience.
Would
you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about
your book/books?
Absolutely
not! As an author and a reader, I value honest feedback from
reviewers. And not everybody has the same taste I do. Of course,
this assumes a culture of respect between reviewers and authors, which
(thankfully) is all I’ve experienced.
How
do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who
designed the Cover of your books?
I
was thrilled because I got to have a major hand in designing the cover of my
book. I worked with some artists/photographers who have had experience
with that kind of thing, but ultimately, I got to make the decisions. It
was so much fun, although I never knew how much work cover artists did until we
got working on the cover ofThe Booby Trap. Everything had to be
right: the type of heel, how it was positioned on the books, the books
themselves, the amount of money in the wad, how the bowtie was draped…the list
of little details just went on and on.
Do
you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or
do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
I
actually do a little of both. I get an idea for the basic structure of a
book, and then I start writing, hoping that I can work out the details along
the way. When it comes to writing, I would label myself as much more of a
pantser—flying by the seat of my pants--than a plotter. Sometimes it’s
fun to see where the story and the characters take you.
What
are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook,
hardback or paperback)
I’m
just about to start A Crimson Warning by Tasha Alexander. It’s the sixth
book in her Lady Emily series, which I love. But I’ve fallen sorely
behind. I think I got this book (which is a hardback, by the way) for
Christmas 2011. Hardback is my least favorite format to read – it’s just
so heavy for me to drag around in my purse everywhere (I’m almost always
packing).
Did
you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer
something newer in your life?
I’ve
been a voracious reader for as long as I can remember. When I learned how
to drive, I didn’t know how to get anywhere because I’d spent all my time in
the car reading. I wrote short stories and poems as a child and young
adult, but it didn’t feel like it could be a real career for me until relatively
recently. I think I hit that tipping point because I came across a story
that I thought would be so much fun to tell.
Did
you have a favourite author as a child?
Yes.
I loved LM Montgomery. Most people know her through the Anne of Green
Gables series, which I read and loved. But I also read many of her other
books. I loved her spunky heroines. And even though I’m not a
re-reader at all, I always have a copy of Anne of the Island and The Blue
Castle in my house. I read one or the other whenever I’m feeling down.
Where
can readers follow you?
Your
blog details?
Annebrowningwalker.com
Your
web site ?
Same place!
Annebrowningwalker.com
Your
facebook page?
Facebook.com/AnneBrowningWalker
Your
Goodreads author page?
Goodreads.com/AnneBrowningWalker
Your
Twitter details?
@AnneBWalker
And
any other information you wish to supply?
Pinterest.com/AnneBWalker
Instagram:
annebwalker
No comments:
Post a Comment