Today, I'm very pleased to welcome author Anne Patrick.Anne is the author of ‘Sweet’ Edge of Your Seat Romantic Suspense and has penned more than a dozen novels. She’s a confessed suspense junkie with a bad habit of mixing chocolate and diet colas when writing, which can, and often does, lead to mayhem. Her heroines are usually strong willed, witty, and often very opinionated…combinations that usually land them in situations where death seems imminent. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas. When she’s not fulfilling her passion for writing she enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures.
Now, let's get to know Anne and her writing a little better.
What inspired you to write your first novel?
My mother. As a kid I was always dreaming up crazy adventures which often landed me into trouble, so she suggested I start writing them down. It kept me out of the dog house and saved her a lot of gray hairs I suspect.
How long did it take to get published? What was that experience like when you got the first contract?
After I got really serious about my writing, about two years I think. Most of that time was spent polishing a couple of manuscripts I had with a pro editor. To be honest I owe my first two sales to her. She was brutally honest with me in the areas I needed to improve, but was also very encouraging.
What is your writing routine and the setting in which you usually write?
Since I still have a day job, which I love, I write in the evenings and on weekends. And as most of my readers already know, I’m a rocking writer. You’ll find me in my favorite rocking chair with my laptop, with a good supply of diet soda and sunflower seeds (and chocolate) until the wee hours of the morning.
Do you belong to any writing groups or critique groups?
I belong to a few writing groups, but I’m mostly active in The Sweetest Romance Authors group & Romance and More Promotions group at Yahoo.
Has any of your work received an award?
My second novel, Journey to Redemption was a Top Ten Finalist at P&E Readers Choice for Best Mystery last year.
Tell us a bit about your most recently published book.
Out of the Darkness, coming in May, is my latest release. It’s about former FBI profiler Alex Michaels, who is on the run from the serial killer who murdered her sister and left her with a career ending injury. She meets up with a ex-pro football player turned truck driver and relying on her instinct, which has been honed through the years, she seeks refuge with him and his failing business. What she doesn’t realize is the killer is hot on her trail and will stop at nothing until he finds her.
What are you working on presently?
I have another romantic suspense in the works, as well as an inspirational romance.
I know you also write as Kinzie Monroe. Please tell us a bit about Kinzie and her work. How did you come up with that pseudonym?
Kinzie writes inspirational romance. Her debut novel, Reservations for Two was released in February. Her second will hopefully be released this summer. The name Kinzie Monroe just sort of popped out at me from a list of possible pseudonyms and so I ran with it.
Who are the authors you enjoy reading? Who inspires you with their writing?
I have a long list of favorite authors, but the one that inspires me the most is Dee Henderson. If you haven’t read her O’Malley series or Uncommon Heroes series, you’re really missing out. She is a fantastic Christian Fiction author who writes spell binding tales of adventure and intrigue laced with inspirational messages.
How do you balance writing with promotion and the rest of life?
That’s a tough one. Since I’ve only been at this a couple of years now, I haven’t quite mastered the balancing thing. But that could be because I’m not a very organized person. If I’m in the middle of a story, it’s going to come first. I’ll spend the necessary hour or so promoting each day but after that it’s me and my characters. Thankfully, my family understands this obsession of mine and still loves me :-).
Where can you be found on the web?
You can find at my website: http://www.annepatrick.weebly.com/; my blog: http://www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com/; on Facebook and MySpace. You can also find me on Twitter under the user name suspensebyanne. I warn you though I’m not a very prolific twitter. If I get up to fix dinner or I’m going to go grab a diet coke I won’t be twittering about it :-).
Where can readers purchase your books?
Out of the Darkness can be purchased from the publisher at http://www.champagnebooks.com/. You can find buy links for all my books on my website and blog, you can also find my books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Fictionwise. My print books can also be ordered from your favorite bookstore.
What else would you like to share with our readers?
I would just like to thank you, Linda, for having me on your blog today. It’s been a real treat!
And thank you, Anne, for being here today. Out of the Darkness sounds intriguing, and I've added it to my TBR list, for sure. I look forward to joining you on your blog on May 21.
Linda
