Interview & Giveaway with Anne Elizabeth

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcom Anne Elizabeth to the blog today to chat about her newest release.

Anne, can you please share with us a little about yourself

I’m a Navy wife, a step-mother, a grandmother, a romance writer, a columnist, and a comic creator. I have a BS in Business and A MS in Communications from Boston University. I am a member of the Author’s Guild and RWA as well as a regular presenter at RT Book Lovers Convention. My contemporary romance is for adults and focuses on Spec Ops and Navy SEALS, and my paranormal comics are geared toward teens. I like the outdoors and we have an exuberant yellow Lab. My husband and I volunteer for the California State Parks, and we enjoy the quiet.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

Yes, I’ve always wanted to be a published author. My mother tells this adorable story…when I was three I taught myself to read, because I had stories I wanted to put into books. Unfortunately, it took considerably longer to figure out how to write and get them into actual story form.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I can write anywhere. I’ve huddled over my laptop and worked in airports, comic-cons, restaurants, coffee shops, military air terminals, and all sorts of odd places. When work calls, you have to hunker down and do it with a flare. 🙂

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

Every woman dreams of marrying the perfect man—handsome, thoughtful, strong, and sensitive —and Aria Kavanagh believes she’s found the ultimate hero in Petty Officer Second Class Daniel McCullum. But being a U.S. Navy SEAL wife is a serious challenge, especially when the missions are putting more than their love in the line of fire. Can they jump the hurdles and handle the daily rigors without falling apart? Or will the pressures attached to the handsome uniform have them both questioning if their dedication is worth it? Every moment matters when the only thing that truly lasts is love.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

The first question most fans ask me is…what is it like being married to a Navy SEAL? So, I asked my editor if I could write a story that was out-of-the-box of the normal romance novel. Could I give fans exactly what they requested? My editor at the time was Leah Hultenschmidt, who is a brilliant editor that adored the concept and encouraged me on this unusual path. So, I spoke with many SEAL, Air Force, Army, and Marine wives, and they added to my story. I hope fans enjoy ONCE A SEAL as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress? 

I am in edits for my third SEAL book called A SEAL FOREVER. Enclosed is a sneak peak of the cover. It’s about a SEAL that loses his leg in combat. This book is very dear to my heart as we see more and more active duty military coming home with injuries. I want the public to know these men for the heroes they are, and to celebrate their sacrifice, their sexiness, and their strength.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why? 

I’d like to spend time chatting with Nora Roberts. I met her briefly at a RWA Convention, but never had the chance to ask her the multitude of questions that were bubbling in my brain.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing? 

Set goals for yourself and stick to them. Take yourself seriously and work through an entire manuscript and then seek feedback, whether that is through an editor or contests, a critique group, and/or friends. Then, submit, submit, submit. Also, realize that being able to take criticism and feedback is part of this job. In creative fields, there will always be opinions that differ from your own, and that can be great. It starts a dialog and who knows where that dialog where go.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list. 

I’ve actually been working on my bucket list this past year. I’ve already jumped from a plane, flown a Mooney plane, flown a glider, kayaked in the ocean, snorkeled with sharks, and swam with sea turtles. I have a list of hikes and places I’d like to visit such as going back to Scotland.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I recently received Anne Rice’s new werewolf novel. It’s on the top of my pile—some books get to jump the line— and it’s my treat for when I finish this next chunk of work. Rice is a brilliant author, and I enjoy her dynamic writing.

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

For more info on AE’s fiction and comics, please check out her website at www.AnneElizabeth.net or https://www.facebook.com/aeauthorfanpage. Also, if you’re attending Comic-Con International in 2014, make sure you stop by her booth as they always have special gifts for romance lovers.

Thank you for having me on Books-n-Kisses! Xoxo ~AE

A little more about Anne:

Anne Elizabeth is an award winning romance author, the creator of the teen PULSE OF POWER comic book series, and the Columnist on Comics, Manga, and Graphics Novels for RT BOOK REVIEWS magazine. With a BS in Business and MS in Communications from Boston University, she is a regular presenter at the RT Book Lovers Convention as well as a member of the Authors Guild and Romance Writers of America. Her published credits include stories with Atria/Simon & Schuster, Highland Press, Dynamite Entertainment, Sea Lion Books, Bravo Zulu Studios, LLC, and Sourcebooks, Inc. She grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and now lives in the mountains above San Diego with her husband, a retired Navy SEAL. In her free time, she is also a serious Amelia Earhart who is always on the hunt for a new adventure. Catch AE on the Web at AnneElizabeth.net.