Spotlight Author with Anna Campbell

Welcome back Anna. It is always a pleasure having you here. I can’t wait to hear about your latest release, MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION. So please let’s not waste any time. Give us all the assorted details.

Hi Micole! Delighted to be back. I had a ball last time. Thanks so much for inviting me to blog about MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION. I’m really excited about this book. It’s the only book of mine that seemed to come as a gift from above – usually I really struggle with first drafts but this one just wanted to be told. Mind you, I adore my two principal characters, Antonia Smith and Nicholas Challoner, the Marquess of Ranelaw. They’re both strong people, some might even saypigheaded, and it was great to watch the sparks fly between them. When Ranelaw sets out to wreak revenge on his sister’s seducer, he doesn’t count on encountering opposition from the intriguing Antonia Smith who knows all about rakes and their tricks. Actually that makes the book sound much lighter than it is – there’s a lot of emotional upheaval before these two get their happy ending. It’s the closest I’ve come to writing a classic Regency romance – there are balls and house parties and a duel and an elopement – but there’s still plenty of drama as well. You can read the official blurb and an excerpt on my website here: http://www.annacampbell.info/wildpassion.html

Are your books considered a series? If yes how many more are expected to grace the shelves?

Each book is a stand-alone although there’s a very loose link between CLAIMING THE COURTESAN, TEMPT THE DEVIL and MY RECKLESS SURRENDER. More in terms of, “Oh, I get that reference,” than a continuing story.

What do Anna Campbell fans have to look forward to in 2011?

Lots of Facebook posts? Seriously, I’m addicted to Facebook. By the way, if you want to find me there, I’d love to see you on my Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/AnnaCampbellFans I do a lot of giveaways there and basically shoot the breeze. Oh, you mean books, Micole? Why didn’t you say so? MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION is just out now. I’ve also got a Regency ghost romance story coming out in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF GHOST ROMANCE in September. You can read an excerpt here: http://www.annacampbell.info/chinesebed.html

What type of hero do you find irresistible?

I like courage, intelligence and a sense of humor. I want him to become a man of honor in the course of the story even if he isn’t one at the start. I like flawed characters if they learn the error of their ways by the end! A certain amount of self-deprecation is always attractive – Ranelaw definitely mocks his pretensions. One of the things I find irresistible in a hero is that he’s passionately fixated on the heroine. That always works for me – especially if he wishes he wasn’t! It never hurts if he’s gorgeous physically but what really grabs me in a hero is his character not his looks.

Do you ever think of expanding your stories and writing another genre? If yes, what genre would it be?

You know, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE historicals. I really have no ambitions to write anything else. I love the way a good historical sweeps you away into a dramatic, larger-than-life, glamorous world. And hey, the clothes are great in Regencies too!

Where does your inspiration come from?

Inspiration is everywhere! Things happening around me, books (I read a lot of nonfiction which I find is wonderful for sparking story ideas), films, the odd quirks of the imagination.

Do you have any advice for writers about submitting your work?

Don’t rush. Do the hard yards to make sure that piece is as good as you can make it before you send it to an agent or editor so the chances of them saying yes are as high as possible. That means putting the work aside for long enough to get some distance from it before you start editing, that means taking a long hard look at it when you DO edit it. You might like to get some feedback before you submit if you’re lucky enough to have a trusted reader or a crit group. Writing contests are great too – you’ll get feedback from total strangers. It can be a nasty shock but it can also be extremely useful.

Please tell us where we can find out more about you and all of your amazing books.

So glad you asked, Micole. I’m pretty easy to track down. The best place to find out about me and the books is definitely the website – www.annacampbell.info As you’ve gathered, I’m a Facebook maven - http://www.facebook.com/AnnaCampbellFans HarperCollins have a page with fun things like what I’m reading and what’s the last good film I saw - http://harpercollins.com/authors/31961/Anna_Campbell/index.aspx I’m also on Good Reads -http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/296477.Anna_Campbell I blog with some great writers over on the Romance Bandits. http://romancebandits.blogspot.com I do a book review on the 24th of each month on the Romance Dish - http://www.theromancedish.com/

Thank you again for being a guest on my blog.

Thanks, Micole! I’d like to give away a signed copy of MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION to someone who leaves a comment today. So just a question to get the conversation going - I listed the many places you can find me on the web. How do your readers like to follow an author? Website? Blogs? Facebook? Other? Or would you rather authors remain mysterious creative beings at a far distance?

Okay readers, you’ve read the interview and now the questions she would like answered. Make sure to comment! Maybe you will be the lucky winner of today’s giveaway! Good luck everyone and thank you for stopping in.

Hugs

Micole