Ana Blaze-Interview and Giveaway with the Author
TRC: Hi Ana and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of THE BEST MAN.
Ana: Hi. Thank you so much for having me. It’s really a dream come true; so many of my favorite writers have been interviewed here. I’m getting bruised from pinching myself.
Website: www.anablaze.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnaBlazeLove
Twitter: @ana_blaze
TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?
Ana: Certainly. I grew up mostly in New England, but currently reside a few miles south of Washington DC. I miss the ocean, but all the museums and cultural events around here are pretty great. Most importantly, this is where my husband is. Together we take care of our three rather pampered cats, watch way too much television and debate our relative preparedness for a zombie apocalypse.
TRC: You are a writer of several different genres. Which genre do you believe is the most difficult to write? The easiest?
Ana: I’d say I’m a reader on many genres, but as a writer I’ve basically stuck with romance, some contemporary and some paranormal. While the paranormal elements can be fun, I think in the end a love story is a love story whether it’s between humans, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, djinn, witches, or anyone else. I would love to try my hand at an urban fantasy series if the right idea ever comes along. I think I’ll have a difficult time not wrapping things up in a pretty bow at the end of the first book.
TRC: THE BEST MAN is your latest (April 29, 2013) release in the contemporary romance style. Would you please tell us something about the premise of the book?
Purchase Link: Entranced Publishing / Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble/
Ana: Beth Chase is a professional wedding planner. She’s well on her way to a coveted partnership with Ever After Weddings when she meets Colin Pratt, the shockingly drunk best man at an event she is working. I love the idea that Colin, who you’ll find is normally a very responsible gentleman, had this one day of outlandish behavior and that day just happened to be the day he met the girl of his dreams. So he’s stuck trying to overcome that crazy first impression.
TRC: Are the characters based on anyone you know or an amalgamation of people –real or imagined?
Ana: I’d say my characters are always bits and pieces of lots of people.
TRC: If you could virtually cast the lead characters of THE BEST MAN, which actors and models would be represent your ideal image?
Ana: I would love to see Beth Chase played by Kristen Bell and Colin Pratt played by Hugh Dancy.
TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about you?
Ana: I have no idea. What a question! I can tell you that during college I had a crazy good girl reputation that was very hard to shake. I think there was an assumption that getting good grades meant you did nothing but study. I studied plenty, but it wasn’t all I did. 😉
TRC: If you could change something about yourself personal or professional, what would it be and why?
Ana: I would love to successfully become more of a plotter. I’m a pantser, but I’ve tried plotting my stories out in more meaningful ways a few times. I find that when I have a very detailed outline it takes away a lot of my excitement and drive to actually write the story. Basically, once the story is completed in my head I feel rather done with it.
TRC: Who is the first person you think about when you need someone to talk with and why?
Ana: Probably my mom, though I’ve been inordinately lucky in the friend department. My closest girlfriend, I usually call her my sister because blood isn’t as important as love, has been my rock since we were teenagers and my husband and I were friends for ten years before we dated, so that is very much the foundation for our relationship.
TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?
Ana: I’d very much like to:
Grow as a writer.
Find a position with a publisher in editing or publicity.
Celebrate ten more anniversaries with my husband.
See our family grow.
Learn to age gracefully.
TRC: How do you balance family life and writing?
Ana: This is something I’m still learning to do. The thing about writing is it’s a job, but it’s also the thing you love to do, so stopping for housework can be tricky. That said, I try to put away my laptop for a while most evenings and my hubby and I always eat dinner together.
TRC: How do you deal with the stress and anxiety of writing deadlines?
Ana: Wine and kissing. 😉
TRC: On what are you currently working?
Ana: I always have half a dozen WIPs, but right now I’m most excited about a contemporary novella I’m writing as part of an anthology with a few writer friends. It’s all still early stages and very hush-hush, but I think there are going to be some hot stories.
TRC: Would you like to add anything else?
Ana: Just thanks again for having me. I’m incredibly excited to introduce Beth and Colin to your readers.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food- Saag Paneer with warm naan
Favorite Dessert-Vanilla cake with a mango curd. It was our wedding cake.
Favorite TV Show(s)-Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek, X-Files, True Blood, Sherlock, Doctor Who, Once Upon a Time, Torchwood, Veronica Mars, Firefly, The Colbert Report, Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey, The Walking Dead, The West Wing, The Daily Show, Vampire Diaries
Last Movie You Saw- Side Effects-it was quite good.
Dark or Milk Chocolate- Milk Chocolate, preferably with peanut butter.
Famous Secret Crush- None of my crushes are very secret: Alan Rickman, James Marsters, Alexander Skarsgård, David Tenant, Robert Carlyle, Benedict Cumberbatch.
TRC: Thank you Ana for taking the time to answer our questions at The Reading
Café. Congratulation on the new release and we wish you all the best in
your writing career.
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FREE BONUS e-novella
No one has ever called Kara Stevens patient. When she wants something, she goes for it with a surefire mix of charm and perseverance. But when she wants her big brother’s best friend, Grant Pearce, to be her first lover things get messy. Five years is a long time to avoid someone who is practically family, but if it wasn’t for her only brother’s wedding, she’d keep trying. Now there is only one question: What kind of shoes does a girl wear to see the only man who’s ever broken her heart?
Click HERE for aFREE download from SMASHWORDS: Mr. Right by Ana Blaze
Find out more here: http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/readers-club-4/entranced-extras/
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One lucky reader will win The Best Man ebook and a goodie pack to share with the best man or woman in their life. The pack contains candles, Godiva chocolate, Tuscan lavender soap, Sensual Massage Oil from The Body Shop and two lip treatments from The Body Shop. It will come packaged in a pretty photo box.
Giveaway open to US residents only.
NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the tour promoter or the author.
