Straight Talk with Annie Seaton

Here is Annie Seaton for a little Straight Talk!

 

 

When you are getting ready to start a new book, what’s the first thing you do?  

I imagine all of the scenes, characters and dialogue in my head before I touch the keyboard.

 

How do you celebrate when you finish writing a book?

Champagne of course!

 

Have you had any fun fan moments since you became a writer?  

I was at my solicitor’s office undertaking some legal business and she asked for my autograph!

 

If you could have dinner, coffee, or drinks with a fictional character, who would you choose and where would you go?

John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster in the fourteenth century, at Kenilworth castle. He was a real person, but I loved the characterization of him in Katherine published in 1957!

 

Do you usually begin a book with a character or a plot?

A very rough idea of what happens to my characters not even really a plot… I am an absolute panster and my characters lead me through the plot once they are created.

 

Do you have any hobbies or special interests you’d care to share?

Reading, gardening and I love the beach and the ocean. Walking on it, swimming in it or just plain looking at it! Water is my element and it always kick starts the muse when she runs and hides.

 

What was the inspiration for your book?

The beautiful Whitsunday Islands where we go sailing every winter with dear friends. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Seventy-four tropical islands, most of them deserted!

 

How difficult is if for you to come up with a title for your books?

It is one of the hardest part of writing for me. To try to convey the essence of your story in three of four words is an impossible task. I always seek help from my friends!

 

Who would play your hero/heroine in the tv or film version of your book?

Sean Bean. He can look like a bad boy and then brush up to a beautiful business man!

Or maybe  Johnny Depp.. in serious mode… or George Clooney… or Colin Firth.. now there is no stopping me!

 

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Write, write, write, Forget about worksheets, courses, plotting. Get your butt on a chair and write. Stay away from Facebook and Twitter until you are ready to market. They are the Dementors that suck the time out of a writer’s life!

 

What jobs have you had on your way to becoming a writer?

Teacher, Librarian, Principal, technology consultant, university tutor.

 

Who are your favorite authors? What authors have influenced your book?

Anya Seton, Pat Conroy, Susan Howatch, Sharon Penman, Nora Roberts, Peter Robinson, Elizabeth George, Marion Lennox, Fiona McArthur, Gail Carriger, Ian Rankin, Essie Summers and Serenity Woods are amongst my favorite authors.. I love reading, and have eclectic tastes.

The old sweet Mills and Boon authors seem to influence my romance writing-Essie Summers, Catherine George. Happy families and sweet romance! I am old fashioned and my editors beat it out of me!

 

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Absolute died in the wool panster. If I try to plot my characters become VERY disobedient and that is not good for the school teacher still in me!

 

Where does the magic happen?  Where do you write?

I sit in my writing chair overlooking the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by my vases of roses and fine china for drinking tea. Told you I was old fashioned!

 

Aside from writing, what do you do in your free time?  

Spend time with my beautiful grandchildren.

 

Do you prefer print books or eBooks?

Happy to read either… but I do love my kindle and I find I am turning more and more to ebooks for the cost and convenience.

 

What’s in the works for you?

Two more books in the “affair” series, sequels to Holiday Affair, about Nick’s brother Tom who goes to Italy and finds romance (of course!), and a romance for his youngest brother Alex…an affair in the outback. I am also working on a romantic suspense with a high heat level set in the Bahamas.

 

About Annie Seaton

Annie Seaton lives on the beautiful east coast of Australia, where she loves sitting in her writing chair, gazing at the ocean and writing romance. She is a true romantic at heart and loves a happy ending.

Annie lives with her husband, and “Bob” the dog and her two white cats, in a house next to the beach in a small coastal town in New South Wales. Their two children are grown and married and she loves spending time gardening, walking on the beach and spoiling her two grandchildren.

Connect with Annie at her website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

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