Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Welcome Anne Kane

A special welcome this week to Anne Kane. She's an inspiration. Read on and you'll understand why I think so.


1. How long have you been writing? What inspired you to pick the pen up one day and create characters that capture the imagination?
I’ve been telling stories so long, I don’t really remember when I first started. I remember writing “ books as a small child – in crayon in a scribbler. I really wish I had saved some of those early efforts. I do have one – an autobiography I wrote when I was about eight. My parents found it in their basement when they moved and sent it to me. I’d even illustrated it! The grammar and structure isn’t all that bad considering my age, and the content reminds me of all the dreams I had back then.

2.  What influenced you to get published? How long did it take? Can you tell us the name of your first published work?
Getting published was one of those overnight wonders that took me decades. I submitted a story about a dog to a children’s magazine when I was twelve – and I was crushed when they rejected it. It took me until my thirties to work up my courage (and find some time!) and try again. I bought a typewriter and pounded out a story that I submitted to Harlequin. It met with a very quick rejection, and in hindsight it deserved it. It suffered from a sagging middle and a definite lack of originality.

I’m not sure what prompted me to give writing another try in 2008 – maybe just the fact that I had the time to put into a serious effort. I read some very good books on plotting and structure, joined an on-line critique group run by a successful author, and listened to all the advice I could get. The result – I sold my first novella after only one rejection and by a fluke of the publishing business it has yet to see the light of day. The publisher who bought it Red Sage Publishing underwent a great deal of restructuring, including adding an e-book division. The result is that story is scheduled to release in print on July 30th of this year. Yeah!!  I’ve since sold over 20 novelllas to Changeling Press, and all of them are available at www.ChangelingPress.com , Fictionwise.com and AllRomanceebooks.com.

3. What genre would you like to try that you haven’t yet?
I’d love to write a straight science fiction epic. I’ve always loved sci – fi  but I’ve never actually written one.

4.  Most people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. What’s your take on this? Can you tell us something unglamorous you did within the last week or so?
LOL! I am so far from glamorous, that’s funny. I live out in the country, throw on jeans and a sweatshirt to walk my dog every morning, and can change the oil and tune up my own motorcycle. My hobbies include hiking, kayaking and gardening. (Read playing in the mud)

5. Plotter or pantzer?
So far I’m a pantzer, but I just took a very interesting online class that shows how to plot so I might give it a try with my next book. I’m going to finish that full length novel I started two years ago (really I am!) and I think if I plot it it might help make it more cohesive on the first pass through. Or not. We’ll see.

6.  What do you do when you’re suffering writers block?
I write something short and totally unrelated to whatever I’m blocked on. I came across one of those sitting on my hard drive a couple of weeks ago, and it made my blush. I don’t blush easily, but this is way outside my normal zone. I’m not sure what I’ll do with it. Maybe publish it under an assumed name?

7.  What would you like to share with new writers? Any suggestions or advice?
Don’t give up, and take the advice of published authors seriously. There’s a reason they are published, and if they are gracious enough to give you some pointers, be happy. You have friends and family to tell you you’re wonderful and build up your ego. Someone needs to point out the flaws in your plot and characters. The crit group I joined in 2008 was headed by a published author who was very blunt but also very good at what she did. I give her a great deal of credit for my successes.


8. Looking over the past year, what has been the best moment for you in your writing career?
One of my novellas, Dark Kisses,  was nominated for a CAPA award. I was so thrilled to think that someone actually thought enough of my writing to nominate it for such a prestigious award. I didn’t win, but I was in amazingly good company. That’s the sort of thing that keeps me writing.

9. What do you enjoy doing with your spare time, your non-writing time? 
I live in the Okanagan Valley which is one of the most beautiful places in Canada. I love to hike, and to play in the many lakes and rivers. I own a couple of kayaks and like to take the grandkids with me on  watery excursions. I also own a vintage motorcycle and like to ride on the backroads throught the mountains. There are so many beautiful places to visit and I find something new every time I go out.

10. If you could invite any famous person, dead or alive, for dinner, who would it be and what would you eat?
I’d love to have dinner with Sean Connery. I admit it. I am shallow. Just the sound of his accent sends me swooning. As to what would I eat, who cares? I’d be way too busy drooling to eat anyways!

11.  When you wake up in the morning, what celebrity do you most resemble?
As embarrassing as this is, does anyone remember Phyllis Diller? Enough said! LOL!

12.  What are you working on now? Can you tell us a little about it?
I’m working on a novella about a Hellhound and a Werewolf / Hellhound cross who both work for the Hellhounds Detective Agency. It’s  a lot of fun! You see, the hellhound is a bit of a snob and has to concede a lot of ground when she falls in love with a half-breed.  The Hellhounds is named Fury and the working title is Hell hath no Fury.

13. Are you in love? Have you ever been?
Currently, no. Corny as it sounds, I fell in love at the ripe old age of 16 and got married at 18. We had 27 wonderful years together before I lost my husband to cancer. I’m not sure I ever got over that, but I wouldn’t trade those years for anything and I have two wonderful sons and four wonderful grandsons. So, while I’m not currently in love I am surrounded by a lot of love and quite happy with my life. 

14. What do you hope to achieve in life and when will you know that you have been a success?
Gosh, that one makes me think. I tend to set successive goals for myself, so achievement is an ongoing process. I’ve been a cashier, a welder and a cook.  I got my accounting degree at the age of 44 and was pushing 50 when I first got published. So long as I’m happy, and always learning new things I think I consider myself a success. There’s always something new to learn, and something different to try. If I ever stop looking for new experiences, that’s when I’ll consider myself old. 

Anne has brought us a lovely excerpt from her book Imperial Temptation. I'm sure you'll enjoy. 
 
Series: Mating Season
Title: Imperial Temptation
ISBN : 978-1-60521-501-3
 Genres: Paranormal, Sci–Fi, Futuristic
Themes: Shapeshifters
Release Date:  July 1, 2011
Author: Anne Kane



BLURB:

Bryony fled her bond-mate after one weekend of incredible sex. It took six long years for Tanner to find her, and he's not about to let her out of his sight again. When a malfunctioning ship forces them to crash land on the Black Planet, he does everything in his power to convince her and her daughter that they belong there with him, on the home planet of the Imperial were-panthers.


EXCERPT:
She let a predatory smile curve the corner of her lips while she took her time sizing up the male. His scent teased her nostrils, and she let her gaze slide over every delectable inch of him. Thick ropes of muscle covered a wide chest that narrowed to powerful hips and strong legs. A massive bulge at his groin left little to the imagination.

He wanted her. Almost as badly as she wanted him.

“Time for me to make a discreet exit.” Caleb threw some credits on the bar before he stood and wandered off in the direction of the pool table.

Bryony glanced at his retreating back, grateful for his discretion. He wouldn’t stand a chance against an Imperial Were-Panther, and he knew it. She turned her attention back to the darkly sexy male. “I don’t believe we’ve met.” She tilted her head to stare up into his eyes. “I’m sure I would have remembered you.”

“Tanner Dyson.” He tipped his head in a courtly gesture that seemed out of place in a University town bar. “We haven’t yet met in person, but the stars placed us here to fulfill our destiny.”

Not only was he sexy, he had the soul of a poet! Lustful anticipation danced down her spine. “And that would be?”

A darkly sensual smile curved those sensual lips. “I don’t think I have to explain. I’m sure you know all about the mating rituals of our species. Come back to my place and we can explore them together.”

Normally, Bryony would have laughed. As pickup lines go, it had to be to be corniest one she’d ever heard, but something in the depths of his eyes caused her to lick her lips in anticipation. “I’d love to.”

She hopped off the stool, and Tanner immediately circled an arm around her waist, drawing her in close. She stared, mesmerized, while he lowered his head to capture her lips in a soul-searing kiss that left her melting at the knees. His tongue swept taking possession of her mouth and sending shivers of pure need sliding along her nerves.

Melting against him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all of the pent-up frustration of hormones raging out of control.

His arms tightened around her, pulling her tight against his deliciously hard body. The massive bulge at his groin pressed against her belly and sent darts of liquid fire skittering across the surface of her skin. The kiss changed, deepened. Became an exploration of her very being.

For the first time since she’d come to this University town, she felt the urge to shift, to run free and wild like she had as a young kitten. Tanner’s proximity induced a palpable feeling of power in her, of connection to a larger whole. Her innate sense of caution deserted her as she threw everything she was, everything she longed for, into the kiss.



 And now, for a little something about this lovely lady:

Anne Kane lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley with a bouncy Jack Russell terrier, a cantankerous Himalayan cat, and too many fish to count. She spent many years trying to fit in and act normal, but finally gave up the effort. She started writing romance, and her fate was sealed when Changeling Press accepted her first submission. She hopes you enjoy the characters that escape from her imagination and the worlds they choose to inhabit.

Her hobbies, when she’s not playing with the characters in her stories,  include kayaking, hiking, motorcycles, swimming, skating, karate, playing guitar, singing and of course, reading.

You can find Anne online at:






3 comments:

Jude Mason said...

Hi Anne,

Thank you so much for being here. You live in an area I adore. When I was a child, every summer we visited the area and I was terrified of the Ogopogo...but in a good way. I was sure he'd grab me and I wanted to see what he'd do, but didn't want him to eat me. LOL

Great interview and yummy excerpt!

Hugs

Anne Kane said...

Thank you so much for letting me visit, Jude! You know I admire you and your writing and feel very priviledged to be here.

Ray said...

Anne,

great interview. I have just gotten interested in sexy shape shifters. I am reading a series about a coyote adopted into a werewolf pack in Tri Cities Washington. The coyote has a vampire for a roommate. She is the alpha female.

I love the cover on your book.

Have you ever seen Ogopogo? I heard about that from kids I went to summer camp with in the Okanagan Valley in Washington. Several of the kids and counselors were from the Canadian side of the valley.

Ray