An Interview with Anita:
Tell us a bit about Texas Wildflowers.
Texas Wildflowers
is a 4-in-1 novella collection through Barbour Publishing. Each novella
is set in an exotic location in Texas. They are lighthearted romances,
and they’re all tied together with the four McBride sisters.
Which of the four novellas was the most fun to write?
They were each fun to write in their own way, but my favorite character was Lily, the counselor, in Forget Me Not Lily. She was quirky and fun, relatable and loveable. At least that’s what I hope readers will feel.
All these novellas are set in Texas. Are the towns and parks real?
Yes, in fact one
of the novellas is set in Big Bend National Park, where my husband and I
went on vacation. So, when you read about the characters on certain
trails, they’re real, and we hiked them!
Did you have a favorite book when you were a child?
I loved fairytales. Cinderella was my favorite.
Do you have a vacation spot you’d love to visit?
I’m dreaming of
Ireland. My husband and I plan to travel there next summer. Can’t wait!
Then I’m going to use the emerald isle as a setting in one of my novels.
What are 5 things that your readers might not know about you?
- While I was in
college I tried working in a pillow factory. I was terrible at it. I
got so weary with the repetition I started yakking with the woman
next to me. We got reprimanded over and over until I quit. I
discovered one thing from that college job—talking is something I
excel at.
- I once won a hog-calling contest at a banquet. I was not embarrassed, but I should have been.
- I have a bird
phobia, and yet I love birds! (That is, from a distance.) My house is
filled with the fake kind—prints on the walls, statues, and general
bird doodads. Go figure.
- I keep some
interesting treasures near me when I write—a wooden jewelry box my son
made me when he was in school, a candle from the 1960s, a hat once
owned by a famous mystery writer, the inner parts of a music box, a
birthday card that plays The Twilight Zone theme song, and an old
family toy helicopter that says, “Going up.”
- Thirty-four years
ago I rappelled off a cliff alongside the man I was dating. We
kissed in mid-air while dangling off that cliff. I ended up
marrying that man, and we've celebrated our 33rd wedding
anniversary!
What awards have you won?
I’ve won two book awards. One of my co-authored books entitled, A Tribute to Early Texas,
won a San Antonio Conservation Society Citation as well as a Westerners
International Book Award. Also, I was given three honors by readers: I
was a Favorite New Author in the 15th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards, and my co-authored novel, Castles in the Air, was a Favorite Contemporary Romance in the 16th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards. My most recent award is a 2011 RWA Readers Choice Award (first place) for my novella, Once Upon a Christmas Eve.
When readers finish the last page of Texas Wildflowers, what do you want them to come away with?
I would love for
them to be inspired, challenged, and entertained. If I accomplished
even one of those things I would feel my writing time wasn’t wasted.
Where can your readers connect with you online?
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