Good Monday Morning Readers!
Today, Anita K. Greene visits
Lagniappe to discuss her latest release, the third book in her SeaMount Series, Under Starry Skies.
Lagniappe to discuss her latest release, the third book in her SeaMount Series, Under Starry Skies.
Welcome, Anita!
Tell us a little
about Under Starry Skies.
Under Starry Skies
is the third book in my SeaMount series. Except for the opening scene, it is
set in Rhode Island and New York City in the weeks between Thanksgiving and
Christmas. This is the first novella I’ve written, and I enjoyed the process.
Here is the blurb:
Two years ago Ethan Thomas lost his family in a horrific car
accident. Now on assignment surveying the floor of a shipping canal, a woman’s
face appears wavering ethereal as sea smoke in the swaying weeds. The vision leaves
him shaken. Soon after he meets the real flesh and blood woman. Will grief continue
to hold him captive or will he chose to love again?
Talia Combs has her life all figured out. A career she
enjoys, a home she loves, and the best in Alzheimer’s nursing care for Papa.
But then Agent Thomas steps into her life, and everything she thought she knew
about herself and her family is turned upside down. Can Talia forgive her Papa
for the secrets he kept?
Can she give up her plans and follow where love leads?
Will Ethan and Talia trust God as His perfect plan for their
lives unfolds?
What Bible verse
speaks to you the most?
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,”
declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future.”
This verse has carried me daily since my son was small and
diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (atypical autism). I
continually prayed this verse over him and soon it became my life verse. Just last week, Kent was awarded Employee of the
Year at the Big Y Mystic store (a supermarket). God is so good. He has answered
my prayers for my son time and time again.
What do you enjoy
doing when you are not writing? Hobbies, etc.?
I enjoy handwork. In the past, my sister and I made
decorative items from old quilt pieces and sold them at craft shows. We no
longer do the shows, but I still have tubs filled with fabric, buttons, fur,
and ‘stuff’ to play with. Working with my hands puts my writer brain in neutral
where it can wander at will. New plot ideas often pop into my mind while I’m
sewing.
What were some of the
challenges (research, literary, psychological, or logistical) you faced in
bringing this story to life?
Research is always my challenge. I began writing Under Starry Skies saying, “I’m going to
keep the research to a minimum and write what I know.” Ha! That lasted all of a
day, or maybe two!
Because the agents in the SeaMount Series are all former
military men using their skills for a privately owned company, much of my research
centers on getting characterization correct. The opening chapter of Under Starry Skies is a dive scene
involving dry suits, rebreathers, and other things this landlubber knew little
about before doing the research. I also had to take a deeper look eat music! I
can carry a tune, but that is the extent of my musical knowledge. So what do I
do? Make the heroine a music teacher, of course.
Can you give us a
brief summary of your writing process from idea to holding a published book or
a download onto your eReader?
Ideas come from everywhere. I keep a notebook for recording
random thoughts, names, titles, quotes, and you name it. As for creating
something out of all those jottings, I have written by the seat of my pants,
outlined, plotted and re-plotted, all with the hope that my story will
magically come together with ease. I can definitively say, there is not a magic
method.
The beginning process is messy and always the hardest part.
The real fun begins after the first draft is nailed down. Now it’s time to play
with words, flesh out characters, fill holes, and enhance themes. Then I move
on to editing. Checking scenes and sequels, and removing words that are just
like, you know, unnecessary! Once I’ve gone through my checklist, the story
goes off to my beta readers for their input and corrections. After I muck
around with it again it’s off to my editor. I have a hard time letting go
because there is always something I
want to improve.
As an Indy author, I’m responsible for the cover and formatting
of my books. Knowing my limitations, I don’t try and do these things myself. I
work with others who are more qualified. They make my books shine. When I have
all the parts I need, I upload my book to Amazon, B&N, and Apple’s iBooks.
Making print copies available follows soon after.
What can readers who
enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
Shout from the rooftop, “I love this book!” On second
thought, don’t do that. You may fall off the roof, or get in trouble for being
a noisy neighborhood nuisance. Truly, if you would like to help an author, please
tell other readers—family, friends, the hairdresser, and coffee shop
acquaintance. Then spread the word through your social media contacts. When you
finish the book, hop over to your online retailer or Goodreads and post a
review. It doesn’t have to be long or eloquent. Two or three words will
suffice. Reviews are like gold for authors, and we appreciate that you take the
time to do them. So, thank you very much.
What can we expect
from you in the future?
I’m currently editing a stand-alone novel, Miracle in Black.
The story takes place in the same Rhode Island town as my SeaMount series so
those characters are making cameo appearances in the book. I’m still
researching and pulling together the plot for Book 4 of the SeaMount Series.
This book will be Whit McCord’s story. My working title is Whit’s End.
Lightning Round:
Crawfish Etouffee or Seafood Gumbo? Neither - Rhode Island clam
chowder (clear broth)
NCIS or CSI? NCIS
Sandals or FlipFlops? Sandals
Women’s Fiction or Romance? Romance
Dogs or Cats? Dogs
Thank you, Marian, for extending your southern hospitality
to the New England gal.
An avid reader at a young age, Anita was a teen when she decided to try her hand at writing stories. She started out re-writing the TV episodes of HERE COMES THE BRIDES. What would now be called 'fan fiction' filled a notebook. She collected and read all Emily Loring's romances. A grand feat at a time when there was no internet to aid in the search. She also enjoyed many of Grace Livingston Hill's works. Life intervened and it was many years before Anita decided to get the stories in her head down on paper. She attended an on-going short story workshop advertised by the local library. Soon she was writing what she loves to read - novel length romance stories.
When Anita isn't writing, she enjoys reading, needlework, quilting, arts and craft projects and making cards. She serves on her church's prayer team and is an adult Sunday School leader and lay assistant.
Anita lives in Rhode Island with her husband, son and a spoiled Belgian Malinois. She has lived in Oregon and Colorado, but Rhode Island—the Ocean State where she was born and raised—are where her roots are deepest.
http://anitakgreene.wordpress.com
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Twitter: @anitakgreene
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Under Starry Skies
4 comments:
Fascinating interview! Love hearing about the process.
Great interview, Anita! I loved reading about your writing process and can relate. The novella sounds wonderful and I look forward to reading it. Also, love the cover!
Great article, congrats on sharing all this with us, Anita. Wonderful cover, super story line.
Really enjoyed reading this interview, Anita! Congrats to Kent on having both his award and a supportive mom who helped him find his way. The cover is fabulous!
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