So I asked Annette about her books and she said
"Right now, the only books I have self-published are all about the same group of people (not a series, mind; they are the group I have written about the most). It is a spy sort of thing, with a group of agents who are sent out on top-secret missions that always seem to go wrong somehow. Gosh darn how that keeps happening. Anyway, they have to use their ingenuity and rely on each other to get out. I like all the characters, and it is fun to drop things on them and see how they will react. Mason Briggs is the lead, and his core group is usually comprised of the same people. I had my son stand beside me and list names until I got some that I liked. I hate naming characters. The government often contacts Mason and he is given money and specific instructions, and he assembles and deploys the team as he thinks best.
Obviously, these are not high literature. They are supposed to be fun, but then, I think sitting around debating philosophy is fun, so go figure. There are lots of conversations in my books because I like to reveal character through how they act and interact, rather than just telling the reader things. My books also tend to be very sweary, or at least this group is. My characters are not saints and they are rather given to using blue language pretty much at the drop of a hat."
Intriguing..and now we know about Annette's book let us find out more about her. After settling us down with virtual tea and crumpets, I began the questioning...
Why did you start writing?
Mostly, I like writing. I don't write to have anything read, which is a little crazy. I fully admit to being a little strange. It is just something I do, and I suppose there is a massive amount of satisfaction in writing something. Because I self-publish, I know that my reach (i.e., the number of people who will actually read anything I write) is very low. Somehow, that does not deter me. (I can't help thinking this really is the best reason to write! none of the pressure and all of the fun!)
What 3 things (not including paper, computer, pens) would you like to facilitate a good days writing?
A good day's writing... Well, let's see. I have five kids, so I really need some time that is both quiet and away from constant needs. I think that counts as two things. Other than that, I really like to have access to music. I love my music.
Do you write to a schedule, eg every day or three times a week, set times, etc or do you write as and when the mood strikes?
I would love to write everyday. In fact, the more often i can do that, the easier it is to write. However, reality strikes and I pretty much write whenever I can.
What are your favourite biscuits?
There are no favorites. There can be no debate about this. I will consume any/all. (spoken like a true author!)
Where do you do most of your writing?
The public library is a popular option, and my old desktop is my other place of happiness. I really should invest in a laptop, so I can take it with me. In fact, let me look into that right now....
What memorable books or blogs have you read in 2015?
2015 is over as I write this, but I have already read several memorable books in 2016. I think I have been accused often of reading too much.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Nest by Kenneth Oppel, Pirate Hunters by Robert Kurson, Death Comes for the Deconstructionist by Daniel Taylor, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. There are probably tons more, but those are a good start.
Do you have any thoughts on whether the suggested extra characters on twitter (up to 10,000) would be a good or bad thing for writing and writers?
One of the fun things about Twitter, in my opinion, is the character limit currently forces people to reword and resuse ideas in new and exciting ways (such as an extended story that is covered in a long series of tweets), so I don't think a longer limit would necessarily be a good thing. I think that more people would resort to the Facebook thing of long, windy posts that could have been interesting...had they been much shorter.
If you could genetically cross and animal with a fruit or vegetable what would you choose and why? I'm currently thinking of a robin pepper, suitably red, would fly away if it fell from the plant.
A Mango and a snake, a mangoa constrictor... (hmm as it squeezed you to death it's juice would run up your arm..)
Have you any new writing planned for 2016?
Funny you should ask! I am trying to wrap up my latest, which takes forever, and I have another, completely different style of book, waiting to be finished.
Do ideas pop into your head unexpectedly or do you sit and plan them?
I am betting that different writers plan and know what they are writing about. I have a general idea of where I want the story to go, but how it gets there is always an exciting adventure because I have no idea how the characters will get there. Sometimes, they never do and I have found myself somewhere else entirely. It's an adventure!
If you could meet any living author - who would you pick and why?
Ooooooh, this is a tough one! I would love to meet Stephen King. He is a phenomenal writer. But I doubt he's available, so I would go with Jenny Lawson, just because she is awesome. Her name rhymes with awesome, even. That is proof enough for me.
Thank you so much for taking part in Wordy Wednesday - I hope that a few of you reading this will be interested enough to pop over to Amazon and check out a book or two. Or why not follow Annette on Twitter?
Comments? I switched them off here - but I'd love to know what you think on my FaceBook page, or on Twitter.
Stay in touch. Until next week, thanks for reading.
