Meet Author Anna Durand

Instead of my usual Monday Morning Musing, I'm happy to introduce you to a terrific author, Anna Durand. Last month, Anna invited me to her blog. Today, it's my turn to return the favor. When I checked her Pinterest site, I discovered she's a fellow Michigander. She's a hearty soul who lives in the U.P., where they get much more snow than we do in West Michigan.
 

Welcome, Anna.Tell us about yourself.

I’m a writer and a librarian, which means I’m always torn between reading or writing – and I keep trying to assign Dewey decimal numbers to my characters. My dual personality also means I actually enjoy doing research! Until recently, I’d stuck to paranormal romance as my subgenre of choice, but this year I decided to step out of my comfort zone to write contemporary erotic romance, and I’m also working on a historical Highland time travel romance. Wow, that’s a mouthful!

Even though I'm not a librarian, I'm torn, too, between reading and writing. How long does it take you to write a book?

I used to spend months writing one book, but I’ve trained myself to write much faster now. Editing takes a bit longer, as I don’t want to rush it. Like many writers, I used to think a first draft needed to be perfect, or almost perfect. These days, I allow myself to screw up in the first draft so I can just get it done. You can’t fix what you haven’t written. A few months ago, I set myself a challenge to write a complete 20,000-word story in five days – and I achieved it, even exceeding my word count goal by a couple thousand words. I wrote my award-winning upcoming book Fired Up in about a month, and that one came in at around 55,000 words.

Wow. You are a fast writer. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I’d love to say I have a set schedule for when I write, but as a self-employed business owner, I squeeze writing in wherever and whenever I can. Some days, I’m lucky to fit in five minutes here and there. If I plan it right and nothing unexpected pops up, I write for several hours in a day. Once I sit down to write, I shut off my email and crank up my favorite writing music – then I dive in and don’t come up for air until I run out caffeine or chocolate.

What’s your favorite movie?

I love Knight & Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. As a reader and writer of romances, I get sucked in by the developing bond between the hero and heroine. I also adore heroes who can take out the bad guys, then turn around and be tender with the heroine. But another thing I enjoy about this movie is that the heroine starts out freaked out by the crazy situation of rogue spies hunting her down, yet she finds her strength and becomes just as heroic as her hero. Comedy, action, romance, a strong heroine, and Tom Cruise – what’s not to love?

I love Knight & Day for the same reasons. We must be kindred spirits. LOL Are your stories driven by plot or character?

I strive for a balance between the two, but the romantic relationship is the core of the story. This means I’ll sacrifice a bit of plot to make sure the hero and heroine have plenty of time to develop their relationship. In Intuition, I also worked to flesh out the secondary characters and I was gratified to receive reviews praising this aspect of the story. I also love complex plots, so with all my books (even my short stories) I weave in in as much plot as I can without weakening the fabric of the romance.

Achieving a balance is hard work. What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work?

I hope when they close the book, they’re smiling and exhilarated. I also hope readers come away with an appreciation for the overriding theme of many of my stories – redemption. But my number-one goal is always to provide a satisfying ending that leaves the reader feeling good and [fingers crossed] craving more.

Tell us about your latest book.

My latest release is the short story Tempted by a Kiss, a contemporary erotic romance. I set out to write a contemporary romance and it organically evolved into an erotic story – my first erotic romance. I loved the characters, Mel and Adam, so much that I expanded their story into a novel, Fired Up, which has won several awards.

Tempted by a Kiss blurb

Mel Thompson just dumped her cheating ex after two years together. Now she's determined to understand the allure of casual sex by having a steamy fling of her own at a notoriously raunchy underground club. When her best friend, Adam Caras, catches on to her plan, he makes a surprising offer to derail her. If she wants a hot fling, he'll give it to her.

Who better than Adam, renowned lady-killer, to demonstrate the erotic pleasures of a one night stand? Sex could ruin their friendship, but after a soul-searing kiss, Mel fears one night may never be enough.

Excerpt

This time, he offered me his hand, palm up. I stared at it. My stomach fluttered, though I had no clue why. I'd danced with Adam a number of times, at weddings and parties.

A strange warmth rushed through me, but evaporated in an instant. The hand, the one attached to the arm of my best friend, waited patiently. I settled my palm in his. He curled his fingers around my hand. I hopped off the stool and let him guide me toward the dance floor. The music had segued from an up-tempo number to a slow, seductive beat with an enticing melody, played on exotic instruments. The song conjured visions of a Middle Eastern palace, belly dancers, and hot, dark men with lascivious intentions.

We sidled between the other dancers, wending our way across the dance floor on the hunt for a vacant slot. At last, we broke out of the masses into a cramped space just wide enough for the two of us, forcing me to move closer to Adam. He pivoted on his heels to face me and, keeping my hand in his, lifted it in a ballroom dancing position. His other hand lightly rested on my hip. This was what I expected from a dance with Adam. Then he dragged me into him, my body suddenly crushed against his heat. My heart skipped. The strobes had given way to soft, pulsing, golden lights. In the twilight of the floor, I couldn't make out his expression. Entwined with Adam, aware of every hard line of his muscles, I was paralyzed.

Buy Links

Amazon.com ~ The Wild Rose Press ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ All Romance

One last question, Anna. Where can readers find you?

I’m everywhere. You can’t escape from me. [evil cackle] Seriously, I’m on most of the major social networks, though I still can’t figure out what Instagram is – probably because I’m over forty. Egads! Yes, I admitted that in public. If you show up at my house, I’ll sic my attack cat on you, but I’d love for you to join me in these spots online:

My website & blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ Google+

Thanks for visiting, Anna. I'm so glad I got to know you better. Best wishes.

#SFRBrigade Showcase: The Protector

The SFR Brigade Showcase is the chance for Science Fiction Romance authors to showcase excerpts from their latest releases, snippets from a work-in-progress, a new cover for their book or just have fun! Be sure to check out all the great posts this month.

Last month, you got a glimpse into Rissa Dix, the main character in THE PROTECTOR. Now you get to see Dillan via an interview.

Please introduce yourself for those who haven’t met you in your author’s other books.

I’m Dillan Rusteran. I barely got a mention in my author’s last book The Chameleon. I live in Eleganza, capital city for the Coalition of Planets.

Tell us about your family.

My father is an iron-fisted tyrant, and my mother took off when I was 15. Before that, she was too busy helping what she called “the unfortunate.” Basically, I was raised by the family cook and mechanic.

How did your upbringing influence who you are today?

If I ever have kids, I won’t let work or volunteering keep me from being with them. They wouldn’t be raised by someone else because I was too busy.

What was your first thought when you met the hero/heroine?

I fell hard. I was sixteen and she was 24. (She reminds me constantly of the age difference. Even though I’m 32 now, she still thinks of me as a kid.) My buddies and I had come to Astron Colony to climb the mountains. The first time I saw her she was behind the bar chatting up one of the miners from my father’s company.

Hang on. You were sixteen and in a bar? Wasn’t that illegal?

[scoffs] Out on the frontier (the Outer Rim), not much is illegal. Besides, my buddies brought me to Rissa’s tavern and they were all older. I didn’t drink the hard stuff, just some ale made by a local farmer. To get back to Rissa. She was the most beautiful fem I’d ever seen. Big exotic eyes, dark hair that hung in a single braid almost to her waist, and the greatest laugh.

Why did you fall for her?

Besides being gorgeous, she was genuine. Not like the fakes in the Central District. Each time my buddies and I came back, she seemed glad to see us—and not just because we ate and drank at her place. I made sure we came back often, and, boy, did my best friend ever tease me about her. On my latest visit, I saw more of her compassion than ever before. She rescued a girl from a slave ship, rallied the colony to prevent traffickers from taking children, and even took on a galactic villain. I’m in awe of her bravery, even though the lengths she’ll go to protect children thoroughly frightens me. What a fem!

Why did you choose your occupation?

I didn’t. I never wanted to be a corporate lawyer. To escape my arrogant father (who assumed I’d follow his dictates), I went out to the frontier with my buddies where we led a reckless, thrill-seeking life for 10 years. When my best friend died in a rock slide, I vowed to change my ways. To prove to my father I’d changed, I became the lawyer he wanted me to be and joined his company. But when he sent me on an impossible mission, I knew I had to be my own man, not his clone.

Do you have any hobbies?

I’ve always played around with starship designs, what my father calls a waste of time. I learned to tinker with engines and figure out how to make them more efficient. I should have chosen this for my occupation. Rissa is making me see the light.

How would you spend a free day?

With Rissa. She is my hope, my joy, my salvation, and my love.

THE PROTECTOR blurb:

After tavern owner Rissa Dix rescues two girls from a slave ship, she must rally the townsfolk to prevent traffickers from raiding the frontier colony. She’s met with apathy and disbelief. Because she lost her own baby to traffickers, she’s determined that no other mother will suffer the same heartache. Industrialist heir Dillan Rusteran aids her in rescuing more children. Little do they know they’re about to tangle with a trafficking ring that puts Rissa in danger. Dillan’s loved her for years despite her claim she’s too old for him. As they fight the traffickers, will she finally see him in a new light?

THE PROTECTOR is available at: Amazon ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords ~ B&N ~ iTunes

Stop by the Showcase page to visit all the other Showcase authors! You’re sure to find some interesting reads.

 

#IWSG: Holiday Frenzy

Once again it's time for the Insecure Writers Support Group, whose mission is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. And thanks to this month's awesome hosts: Sandra Hoover, Mark Koopmans, Doreen McGettigan, Megan Morgan, and Melodie Campbell!

Have you recovered from Thanksgiving? Black Friday? Cyber Monday? Did you brave the elements to capture the bargains? Or did you (like me) stay home and enjoy that second cup of coffee and visit with company?

Thanksgiving at our house was laid back and enjoyable. I didn’t rush around, as I’ve done in years past, making sure everything was “perfect.” Half of my family came along with my sister. (We’ll see the other half at Christmas.) As we settled down at a table loaded with more food than we could eat, we thanked God for our many blessings. That we live in a (mostly) safe place, have a home and plenty of food, and loved ones to share it with.

Something else we’re thankful for—we live in a place where we can choose our profession. We can write on any topic without censorship. Most of us don’t even give that a thought. We take for granted what others in the world crave. Freedom.

As an indie author (self-published), I’m responsible for all aspects of releasing a book. Since I have zero artistic ability, I hire a cover artist. And since, despite my degree in English, I can’t see my own mistakes, I hire an editor. Everything else is up to me. One thing I’ve learned is to be flexible. The book that (in my plan) was supposed to be released in October is still with my editor for a final proofing. I used to get upset. Now I force myself to remember that some things are out of my control and I have to go with the flow. I can tell you that The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé (An Alex O’Hara Novel) will come out before Christmas.

One deadline I did make this year is a writing short story for The Roses of Prose blog. Each year, we give back to our readers by offering a collection of free short stories, and I was given the privilege of going first. My story is in three parts. Part 1 came out yesterday, Part 2 today, and the conclusion will come tomorrow. If you get a chance, pop over and read “The Christmas Jailbirds.” http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-christmas-jailbirds-by-diane-burton.html

Despite the frenzy of the next four weeks, I hope you take time to enjoy the season. Wishing you all peace and joy and writing success.

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.