Thursday, August 1, 2013

Author Spotlight - Annie Seaton

We're delighted to have Annie Seaton here today in the author spotlight, and as usual, she's answering our questions. Take it away Annie!

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Hi Minxes. Thanks for having me visit! I live with my husband, and ‘Bob’ the dog and two white cats in a house next to the beach on the east coast of Australia. I sit in my writing chair, gaze at the ocean and write stories. Our two children are grown and married and I love spending time gardening, walking on the beach, and spoiling our two grandchildren. I have always been fascinated by all things romantic and have found my niche in life writing romance novels, ranging from contemporary to paranormal with a foray into steampunk! My debut full length novel, Holiday Affair, a contemporary romance set in the South Pacific was released as part of Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence line in March 2012 and has been a best seller on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The sequel Italian Affair was released in June 2013, and will be followed shortly after by Outback Affair. I have more books being released in 2013 with Entangled Publishing in the Bliss, Entangled Suspense and Covet imprints. This keeps me very busy and out of the garden and away from the beach!

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th? (Nora only!)
Hmm. I’ve lost count. It has been a very busy two years...let me see. It is book number six with another three currently in edits with Entangled Publishing, and another two contracted as I type!

Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?
As my poor, dear husband will confirm I am totally focused 24/7. He can attest to that fact at this very minute. We are on holidays in the outback, and I am sitting outside our camper trailer on my laptop while he cooks my dinner. You can see where I get my heroes from!

What is your top promo tip for other authors?
Promote every day. Answer every email. Spend time on the evil social networking sites. Get your name known. I was very good at doing that and so many people asked me how I established my brand, I have actually written and self published a ‘how to’ book on promoting yourself and establishing your brand!

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
My day is all writing. A quick whip around, dishes, bed making and washing at 8 a.m. and then head down till 4 p.m. Then a cup of tea with DH when he comes home from work, then dinner and off I go again until about 10 p.m...or later. Seven days a week until I get a ‘Nora’ back list up! I even do the grocery shopping on line. On a very rare day of self indulgent luxury I meet with some local writers for lunch. (Told you I was focused.) No need for shoe shopping when you write all day. I can walk the beach in bare feet when I need inspiration. Gosh, I sound boring, don’t I? But I love the freedom of being a full time writer after years of career work away from home.

Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?
I have a history degree and I adore anything historical! So I am dying to write a true historical. Recently I have linked up with some other authors and we are this close ...holds fingers close together...to hearing about a contract for a proposal we have put forward. All I can say at this stage is that I kick the series off in 1794 with a pirate!

Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?
Tom and Brianna actually do go on a real holiday to Australia in the third book in the Affairs series which is Outback Affair and they take with them delightful, curly-headed twins called Allegra and Luca.

Do you write to music, or with the tv on in the background, or do you need complete silence?
I need absolute and complete silence. I am fortunate to be home alone all day and I do so enjoy the peace and quiet! Although I must admit when I was writing my most recent book, Hot Rock, I did listen to lots and lots of Peter Frampton very loud! (This book is a time slip novel set at Glastonbury at a rock festival and will be out next February.)

Writing snacks – what are your favourites?
Coffee, coffee, and coffee.

Do you have any tips, tricks or sacrificial rituals you do when you hit a story roadblock?
I collect my large dog, Bob, who loves long walks and doesn’t get anywhere near enough, and I take him to the beach for a long walk. The sound of the waves breaking on the sand, a fluffy cloud scudding across the sky on a windy day, a spectacular sunrise or sunset has formed the idea for many a scene or setting as well as helping me get past a place I may be stuck!

Thank you again for being our guest on the minxes today, Annie. I'm in awe of your productivity!

Now here's more about Annie's book, Italian Affair.
Free-spirited sex therapist Brianna Ballantine has four days to find a fiancĂ© so she can inherit her birth mother’s Italian villa. Commitment is not on the agenda. Writing her sex therapy book and signing legal papers are. And once all is said and done, she’ll return home to Scotland.
For finance guru Tomas Richards, relationships have been a bad investment—give him stocks and shares any day. When Tomas offers a marriage of convenience to help Brianna secure her inheritance, the sizzle between the sheets promises an affair to remember, despite family complications at every turn.
But Tom must convince Brianna to stay, and make this Italian affair a lifelong commitment.

Annie loves to hear from readers at: annieseaton26@gmail.com
Check out her website and her blog
You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AnnieSeatonAuthor and https://www.facebook.com/annieseaton26
and Twitter

Italian Affair is available at Amazon - .com and .co.uk :
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
iTunes:

4 comments:

Caryn Caldwell said...

Wow! Six books in two years? Impressive! Looks like you'll have that Nora-sized back list up soon. :-)

Sara Hantz said...

Fab interview!! Love to read about someone as focused as you.

Romy Sommer said...

Thanks for joining us in the spotlight, Annie. I do envy you your beach house! I grew up by the sea and hardly ever went, but these days I'm a full day's drive from the ocean and I miss it!

The Smiths said...

Romy...I love the beach. I feel disconnected when I am away from the water!