What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
Anita
Grace Howard. Born in Chelsea, MA, and now I live in Texas.
Did you always
want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
No.
I used to dream of being a veterinarian until I realized there was blood
involved. ;)
When did you
first consider yourself as a "writer"?
The
moment I finished writing my first book back in 2005.
Did it take a
long time to get your first book published?
Yes.
Seven long years and seven books later. I’m also on my second agent.
Do you work
another job as well as your writing work?
I
used to work in a middle school library, but now I’m a full time writer. And I
LOVE it.
What is the name
of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what
would you say?
SPLINTERED.
A spinoff of Alice in Wonderland, in which Alice Liddell’s granddaughter has to
face the darker side of Wonderland’s whimsy.
Who is your
publisher?
Abram’s Amulet imprint,
best known for publishing the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series.
How long does it
usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing
it?
Usually
about six months.
What can we
expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a
different genre?
The
book that won my second agent is a YA, and I plan to write that genre for a
while. But I’ve written several adult fantasies and would like to get them out
there. My goal is to have both an adult and YA audience that crosses over. I’ve
always been drawn to fantasy/paranormal, but that is my one and only constant.
Other than that, I like to spread my wings, and having books in both the YA and
adult markets will allow me that freedom. And this time around, I have an
incredible agent (Jenny
Bent) who is rather eclectic herself, so the odds are in my favour.
;)
Do you have a
favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
Hmm.
Morpheus from SPLINTERED, and Elias from TOMORROW’S SHADOW. I love
the wounded anti-hero. They’re so flawed, and so real.
If you had to
choose to be one of your characters in your book/books which would you be? and
why?
Alyssa
from SPLINTERED. Because she’s everything I’m not: brave in the face of
insanity, morbidly artistic, and a fashion rebel. If you’d like to learn more
about her, I did a post here a while back about why my MC is way
cooler than me.
Do you have a
certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain
chair?
I
love to listen to playlists. In fact, I make new ones for each book. And my
favourite place to write is in my office w/my computer and keyboard. Not a huge
fan of notebook paper or laptops. There’s something about my fingers tapping on
the traditional keyboard that lights my muse’s fuse.
Do you have
anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release
them? ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
My
four crit partners and three other betas. So seven sets of eyeballs look at
every MS before it goes anywhere.
Do you read all
the reviews of your book/books?
I
don’t plan to read all of them. Especially the Amazon ones. They can be
vicious, and I’m very sensitive. I plan to have my beta readers and crit
partners filter out the bad ones and send me the good ones. Yes, I’m a wimp.
Would you ever
ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your
book/books?
No.
Absolutely not. Everyone has a right to their opinion. Writing and reading are
so very subjective. The querying process has taught me that. And what is it
they say anyway? Any publicity is good publicity.
Do you choose a
title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I
usually write the first chapter or so, then a title comes to me.
How do you
market/promote your books?
Twitter,
blog interviews, FB, and my own personal blog.
What do you do
to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
Family,
friends, rollerblading, mountain-biking, snow skiing, gardening, and vacations
that at any given time might include an impromptu side trip to an 18th century
graveyard or a condemned schoolhouse for photo ops.
Is there a
certain Author that influenced you in writing?
The
Bible very early on … I think I have Psalms to blame for my descriptive and
poetic writing style. Heh; Charlotte Bronte, Ann Rice, Neil Gaiman, and Alice
Hoffman are some of my favourite writers. Oh, and I would be remiss if I failed to mention
Christina Rossetti's influence on my writing. She ignited my passion for
imagery and sensory through the power of her beautiful and seductive prose.
Goblin Market is one of my favourite poems of all time.
Is there a book
you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't
finish?
I
don’t think there’s a book I’d ever say I wouldn’t read. But, I’ve had some
trouble reading THE GLASS BOOKS OF THE DREAM EATERS. I just
can’t seem to get into it. But I bought it and I’m determined to keep trying.
Are there any
New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we
watch out for them?
I
have a few friends for you to watch for; some are 2012 and 2013 debut authors
who have walked the same path many of your readers are on now; others are
already published but switching genres which is a big risk for a writer:
Jennifer
Archer
Claire
Merle
Gennifer
Albin
Mindy
Mcginnis
Ryan
Graudin
Sarah
Skilton
Cat
Winters
Shelley
Coriell
Elisabeth
Dahl
Where can
readers follow you?
Links where I can be found online:
Official Website (under construction)
Thankyou for
taking part in this Interview , I will be taking a look at the Authors you
mentioned!
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