Thursday 25 July 2013

On the Window Seat with Tricia Anderson!


Joining me on my window seat today is author, Tricia Anderson! And guess what! Her heroes are also Irish! Tricia is a fellow Secret Cravings author and her novel, Black Irish top the SCP bestsellers charts in May and June this year. :)



Welcome Tricia!



·         First things first, tell us five things about yourself as a person and as a writer (genre, hobbies, personality, are you a little on the quirky side?) I am a Supermom chasing a husband and three kids around. I live in Iowa but I live in a city (which shocks some people that there are cities in Iowa), I find my “inspiration” for my heroes frequently from watching the WWE (I’m kind of a crazed fan), I just started kickboxing after interviewing an MMA gym for one of my books, and am a very proud of my Irish heritage.

[A WWE fan! Now that is interesting! And I’m just a little jealous of your heritage.]


·         When did you first start writing? Was it just an unbridled urge to write or had it been a matter of ‘it’s now or never’? I started writing when I was little.  When I was in grade school I used to do extra reports just so my teacher would read them.  I never asked for a grade – I just wanted her to read what I wrote.  Ever since grade school I would torture my friends by making them read my stories (today I call them beta readers!).  I have very patient friends.

·         Is there a reason as to why you write? And what’s your favourite part about being a writer? Writing for me is relaxation.  It is fun for me, it’s what I enjoy doing.  My favorite part of being a writer is sharing the stories I make up in my head with others.

[Sharing is caring!]

·         What inspires you? The novels you read? Other authors? Life itself? A little bit of everything.  Sometimes it’s been TV shows, sometimes books, sometimes from a very vivid dream I’ve had.


[You know, I’ve never had the dreams. But I know many authors who have.]


·         When did your writing dream become a published reality?  I received my first contract with Secret Cravings Publishing the day after Christmas 2012.  It is by far the best Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten.  My husband is still trying to figure out how to outdo it.

[Haha, the poor bloke. And what a gift!]

·         What was the hardest part of the publishing process for you?  The hardest part of this process is talking to people I don’t know about my books.  I think my books are completely fascinating but I’m afraid I am boring others to tears.


·         Do you have any inspirational words for aspiring writers?  Do Not Give Up.  I know everyone says that but seriously don’t.  If it is something you really believe in and it would be your dream to be a published author then keep fighting.  It’s not easy.  But it will happen.


·         Can you pitch you current/upcoming release to us in ten words or less?  Will Sloan and Abbey be torn apart forever?

·         Who is your favourite character in the Black Irish series?  My favorite character without a doubt is Sloan O’Riley.  I originally based Sloan on my late grandfather.  So despite his devious ways and his brooding moods, he’s pretty dear to me.

[Gotta love the brooding type… Especially the Irish kind. :p )



·         So what’s next for Tricia Andersen?  Heartland (Black Irish #2) will be coming out in the next couple weeks and The Troubles (Black Irish #3) will be coming out in November.  In the meantime I am working on a novel called Breaking the Cycle.  In it the hero falls for a girl who seems to be sick every three weeks for no reason and he helps her find out what is making her sick.  The heroine suffers from the same disorder my daughter has.


[An exciting time ahead of you! I wish you the best of luck and look forward to hearing more about your Black Irish series. : ) )


Now for a little fun…


·         Now, I think of my muse as some being. An alter ego of sorts. Tell us about your muse. Are they male or female? Can you describe three of their personality traits? My muse is a girl.  She kind of looks like the Lost Boys from the movie Hook with the hair sticking up and the raggedy clothes.  She’s mischievous, she sulks when she doesn’t get her way, and she shrieks with delight when she’s doing something she likes to do.  I found out she likes to kickbox.  Don’t ask how…


[She sounds like fun haha. Though with those kickboxing moves, I wouldn’t like to get on her bad side.]


·         Are you reading a novel right now? I am about to start a book called Corsets and Clockwork.  I am thinking about writing a steampunk romance so I am doing a little research into what it is all about.


[I’ve always wanted to read a steampunk!]


·         If you were about to encounter the rakish charms of an Irishman, what would you arm yourself with?  Probably nothing.  I’d just give in!!


·         Now for a question to appeal to our readers visually, but which Hollywood star would you choose to play your hero and heroine? And if not one, are they a mixture? I’ve never really picked anyone for my heroine.  For my hero, like I said before I find a lot of my inspiration for my heroes in the WWE.  My inspiration for Sloan O’Riley is WWE wrestler Wade Barrett.  He’s built, he’s the same height, he has the same thick black hair and blue eyes and he’s just…wow!  *swoon*



Thank you for joining me today, Tricia! It's been a pleasure. Wishing you all the best with your Irishman Sloan. :)

Readers, if you'd like to find out more about Tricia and her novel, Black Irish and Heartland, you can find the blurb for Heartland and links or Tricia and Black Irish below!

And did I mention it's your lucky day? Tricia is giving away a copy of each of her novels to one lucky commenter! I wish I could participate in this one myself! :)



 

Sloan and Abbey move to Abbey’s hometown of Mount Vernon, Iowa, to start their new lives together away from the chaos of New York City.  And they are not alone – they are joined by Gordon, Maggie, and Bartholomew each looking for a fresh start and new love in the small rural town. 
Their marriage is put to the test by the reappearance of Abbey’s father, bullies from her high school days, a business opportunity in Miami, and a new baby on the way.  When a person from their past comes back looking to make Abbey his own again, will he be able to tear Sloan and Abbey apart forever?
Buy links for Black Irish...


About Tricia:
Tricia Andersen lives in Iowa with her husband, Brian and her three children – her sons, Jake and Jon, and her daughter, Alex.  She graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in English and from Kirkwood Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in Communications Media/Public Relations.  Along with writing (which she loves to do), Tricia coaches and participates in track and field, does kickboxing, reads, sews and is involved in many of her children's activities.
Tricia is a member of the Romance Writers of America and RWA Chapter 177 From the Heart Romance Writers.
Tricia’s Links:


6 comments:

  1. Loved Black Irish, can't wait to learn more about Sloan and Abbey

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    Replies
    1. Hi LM,
      You've won yourself a copy of Heartland. Do you have an email address so Tricia can contact you?

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  2. Thanks! Heartland will be here very soon. I'm really excited for it to be released!

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  3. When I first heard that Sloan was inspired by Tricia's Grandpa, I laughed, but I think he would have been truly pleased and very proud. He was always a romantic at heart. How do I know? He was my Dad. Well done, Tricia!

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  4. Since you've both read Black Irish, can I give you each a copy of Heartland when it cones out next Friday?

    ReplyDelete