Author interview with Anna Katmore

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

WITH

ANNA KATAMORE

 

 

Tell us a little about yourself.?

 

What can I say? I’m a girl with a passion for writing and that’s what I do. I’m starting to feel sick when I don’t get a chance to hack on the keyboard everyday. ;-)

Other than that I’m a moody person. I can go from ecstatic about something to depressed as hell within a single minute … which stresses my husband sometimes, LOL. But most of the time I’m a really happy person, and I like to show that and motivate others with it.

My best trait is probably that I can dream. No, seriously! Life it too short not to dream BIG and do everything you can to make those dreams come true. Quite a few people get easily frustrated when they want something but can’t imagine to ever get it. Not me. I know there’s nothing in this world I can’t do. Heck, sometimes I think I’d even manage to fly like Peter Pan if I only tried hard enough, ha ha ha.

On a side note, I love horses and dolphins. My greatest wish is to own both animals one day. Well that and to get a chance to turn my books into movies. ;-)

How would you describe your books?

They are all sweetly romantic, with a little humor in them. Some of them have deeper elements too, but generally I always try to keep my books a light read.

What genre is your work mainly? Do you tend to stay in the same vein or are you hoping (if not already) to explore new ventures?

As of yet, I only published YA romance books. That’s what they all have in common. Some are contemporary high school stories, one is a little paranormal with an angel in it, and then I did the fantasy of Neverland. I really like to explore new genres, but they all have to be subgenres of romance. I’d never write anything else.

Please share a quote from one of your favorite characters in your books with us.

It’s the moment when Ryan Hunter finds out that Liza wants to join his co-ed soccer team.

“Forty-five, Higgins! Forty-six, Stevenson! Forty-seven…” I looked up to see who was next and found myself face to face with the girl who dominated ninety-nine percent of my thoughts. Matthews.”

 

Is it hard to come up with new ideas and / or plots?

 

Sometimes it is. I do have some basic story lines in my mind for coming books, but shaping them into something detailed that works and keeps the reader’s interest is hard work and usually gives me three to four days of hell each time, ha ha.

 

What inspired you to write your first book?

 

I’ve always been drawn toward paper and pen. Only I didn’t know I wanted to become a writer back then. When I was seventeen, I read my first book by Lisa Jane Smith. She wrote amazing YA vampire romance. Within a few months I’ve read all books available by her. After that I was ready to write my own vampire romance. :-)

 

Who was the easiest character to write and why? Hardest and why?

 

 

I love writing male POVs. I never thought I would, but when I wrote RYAN HUNTER, everything came so easily out of my hands. I was totally dumbstruck. So yeah, he was definitely the one who talked to me the loudest. ;-)

Peter Pan was the character I struggled a little with. He was quite complex, went through things that messed with his mind, and it was hard to bring that out the way I wanted. I might write him differently today.

 

Without giving anything away, what is/are your favorite scenes in your book(s)?

 

I love the lime kiss of Ryan Hunter and Liza Matthews—from both books. Personally, I think it was the hottest thing I ever wrote. And the scene from Neverland, where James Hook rescued Angel from Peter Pan’s trap in the jungle. They are really my favorites.

 

Do you have any hobbies?

 

 

What, you mean other than writing??? LOL

But yes, I actually love to dance. Zumba. Ever heard of? It’s so cool and fun

and I love to dress in those funky, colorful outfits. ;-)

 

Do you have a specific writing style?

 

First person POV. I love writing books like I was telling stories to my diary.

(If I had one…)

 

How did you come up with titles?

 

I always struggle with titles the most. I think I spend more time thinking on them

 than writing the actual book.

 

How much of the book is realistic? Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

 

Some actions of Ryan Hunter I based on how my husband acted around me when we first met. 
The half smile, the cool car, him being a playboy but finally falling for the right girl… 
Other than that mostly everything is totally made up in all my books.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

 

Lisa Jane Smith, Kerrelyn Sparks, Stepheny Meyer.

 

What book are you currently reading?

 

None. I have time to read about 5 books a year—and now is not the time. But the next on my list is my friend Kelly Oram’s romance: V is for Virgin

 

. What are your current projects?

 

 

Right now I’m translating T IS FOR… into German. I’m from Austria, my first

language is German, and there are so many people here who want to read my books too,

 so I started to translate them a while ago. I couldn’t give the job to a random book translator, because I’m a perfectionist. I don’t translate line by line but the actual feeling of a paragraph.

 I want to make it all sound awesome in the end, even if it means one English s

entence is being translated with 5 German ones. :-)

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Nope. In my opinion, Neverland and Pan’s Revenge are my masterworks.

But once I’m done with translating T IS FOR…, I’m going to edit that book again. I found so many things that bugged me, that I already pulled it down from the market and will re-release it, once I’ve made all the changes. Mostly wording and grammar.

 

 

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

 

 

Patience. Oh my God, I suck at patience, but I’m learning…

 

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 

 

Tons of advice, and I’m being asked that question time and again. Here’s a summary of the most basic steps: http://annakatmore.com/2013/05/11/you-want-to-be-an-author/

 

 

What is your favorite genre to read?

 

 

Same genre as I write. YA romance, preferably contemporary. My mom says I got stuck in my late teens. She might be right there… ;-)

How long have you been writing?

 

 

I’ve been writing stories for over ten years now. But there was a lot to learn on the way and twice I trashed an entire book. The books I published have been written in the past 3 years.

 

 

Do you have a favorite movie?

 

 

I love anything Disney, most of all the old classics like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan (duh!)

and Dumbo. But I’m also a sucker for action moves. Marvel is brilliant!

 

 

How difficult is it to come up with one of your amazing plots?

 

 

LOL… Very.

 

 

How about characters? Are they easily born and developed?

 

 

Most of them are. If a character is ready to be written, as an author you sort of 
start hearing his or her voice in your head. And you just write down what they tell you.

 

 

How long does it take you to complete a novel from concept to completion?

 

 

Now, I’d say about 3 months. But my debut novel took me two years.

 

 

What was your first published piece? And how was it to publish your first ever book?

 

 

Summer of my Secret Angel. And it was amazing. Like giving birth to a child. No shit.

 

 

Do you have a special time or place to write?

 

 

All day. In my writing cave, which is my home office. A very cozy room.

Any funny experiences or quirks you'd like to share with your readers?

I’m OCD. That’s not funny, you think? You’re right. ;-) Especially when someone walks into my room, picks up a thing and doesn’t put it back into the exact same place.

 

 

Which one of your awesome books would you like to see made in to a movie?

 

 

All of them! Neverland would make an epic fantasy romance movie.

Can someone give Dreamworks or Disney my number, please? ;-)

 

 

What is your favorite band or artist?

 

 

I quite like OneRepublic and Ed Sheeran.

 

 

What is the worst job that you have ever done and why?

 

 

Cleaning the bathroom, every freaking Friday. Because some things 
just have to be done…

Do you ever get ideas at random moments, and if so how do you
 hang on to them?

 Absolutely. They come—BAM—in the middle of watching a film, or when I’m at McDonald’s with my family. Usually I think about these ideas some more, then go to my computer and take notes. The worst moments when good ideas can come to me are in bed. Right before I’m falling asleep. I can NEVER remember them the next morning. And damn, it’s happening tso often. It frustrates me no end to think of the many good ideas that got lost in the ether that way…

Can you write on demand and under pressure, or do you need time and space before the creativity starts to flow?

No pressure, please! It’s ruining me…literally. I absolutely can’t write when someone’s breathing down my neck. That’s also the reason why I passed out on several publishing offers and parted with my agent. I’m walking on a fast pace, but I can only do it when I walk alone.

How would you overcome writers block?

Sit it out. That’s usually the time of the year when I actually do some 
serious housework, LOL.

THANK YOU ANNA FOR A BRILLIANT INTERVIEW

ALL ANNA'S BOOKS ARE AVALIBLE ON AMAZON NOW