1--What is the title of your latest release?
HUNTING COLTON’S WITNESS
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Social wallflower Vivian Maylor’s life is turned upside down when her disastrous online date leaves her a witness to his attempted murder—and leaves her an eyewitness in Detective Nate Colton’s case. An eyewitness now targeted by the killers.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
One of the reasons I love writing Colton books for Harlequin is that all the information is given to me, including the location. This time it’s Owl Creek, Idaho. I’m a born and bred California girl and I tend to write stories in my home state, so this was actually a fun place to research. It’s now on my list of places to visit.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Absolutely! Both of them. I’m not sure I can write characters I wouldn’t want to hang out with. But Nate Colton is just a good guy. He puts his family first, even when that causes serious complications, and he’s dedicated to his job. He’s someone who believes right is right and wrong is wrong. As for Vivian, I just really want to give her a hug. She’s so lonely but also reluctant to change that by putting herself out there. And then of course once she does, looks what happens! She ends up as a protected witness.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
For Nate, I’d say tenacious, protective, and loyal. For Vivian, I’d go with solitary, clever, and hopeful.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Like I said above, I learned a lot about Idaho and in particular the large Basque population the state has. There’s a place called The Basque Block, a mini market/community that celebrates that culture. There’s also a scene where Vivian is run off the road and I went back to mapping out action scenes moment by moment (almost like a comic book), to get the incident correct and hopefully realistic. That’s one of my favorite parts about writing suspense is creating those tense moments in a way that comes across as believable and pulse-pounding for the reader.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit as I go and by the time I get to about the three-fourths of the mark, I’m in the homestretch. The story comes together, and those last 50 -75 pages just fly. It’s a kind of rush because once I finally type the last sentence, I literally turn around and hit send to my editor.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Ice cream. Give me a pint of chocolate anything and I’m a happy girl.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
Currently I have a makeshift office in the breakfast nook of my kitchen. I have a table on one side with a laptop for research and note taking, then another desk with an ancient laptop that is essentially a word processer (no internet at all). I’m surrounded by reference books and inspiration pictures, notebooks for my stories that are in various stages of development and pens. Oh so many pens. I also have a collection of Barbies that, back before I got published, represented the heroines in my stories. I’ve run out of space (and dolls!) for the books I’ve actually published, LOL.
10--Who is an author you admire?
So many. So so SO many. Brenda Novak for her genius at promotion and interacting with her readers. Nora Roberts for her still developing story style. She’s written how many books, and each one seems to shift and get better. Janie Crouch for how she balances life and writing (and she has some pretty kick-ass suspense books) and… seriously, the list could just go on for pages.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
I have two. One is PARTNERS by Nora Roberts. It was the first romance I ever read (it was a Silhouette Intimate Moments title from 1986). That’s the book that had me falling in love with the genre. Second is THE WATCHERS by Dean Koontz. That book is an everything book—suspense, romance, a little horror, thriller, and all with a dog named Einstein. It’s the only book I’ve ever bought in paperback (multiple copies), digital, audio and, if there’s a hardcover copy out there somewhere, I’ll find it. It’s just genius. That’s the kind of book I want to write someday.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I was very fortunate to get the call from one of my best writer friends, Melinda Curtis. She’d proposed an anthology to Harlequin Heartwarming and asked me to contribute. Even though I had my heart set on publishing urban fantasy/paranormal at the time, I gave writing contemporary romance a shot and… it sold. She called me on Christmas Eve in 2013 and said “Congratulations, you’re a Harlequin author.” I’m still with the Heartwarming line, but also write for Romantic Suspense, ironically the line that used to be Silhouette Intimate Moments (the line that published PARTNERS), so it feels like a full circle event.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
I’m still a romance novel girl at heart. I just love that happily ever after. But I also read a lot of thrillers and I’m getting into horror. I read a lot of horror as a kid (Stephen King’s Carrie was my first “adult” book), and it’s interesting to see how the genre’s shifted and changed.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
That’s like asking me to choose a favorite child. I’m a HUGE movie fanatic. So let’s go with: Favorite classic movie: The Adventures of Robin Hood (Errol Flynn and Olivia De Haviland). Favorite comfort movies: Victor/Victoria when I need a laugh, Sneakers or The Sting when I need a Redford fix. Star Trek 2009 is also a frequently watched one. Most recent favorite? The Fall Guy was just everything for me (again the kind of story I would love to write!) and then Deadpool & Wolverine just hit a home run for my superhero loving heart.
15--What is your favorite season?
Either Spring or Fall—any season where my AC or heat isn’t working overtime. That said, my heart belongs to Christmas.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I’m in a period of self-discovery on that front. My mother passed earlier this year, and I found my birthday a bit difficult to traverse so I think next year I might travel somewhere, maybe take a cruise. Just start a new tradition for myself.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I love British mysteries (who doesn’t these days, right?), and I’ve just rewatched Shetland. It’s just so atmospheric and captivating. But I’m obsessed with Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer. Also, Longmire is one I rewatch quite a bit. I’m not normally a western person (could never get into Yellowstone and I tried!), but I just love every single character in that show. They each get their own arc which you don’t find in a lot of shows these days.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Thai.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
As you can see above, I watch a lot of TV and am starting to go back to the movies (I’m much pickier these days though). I love going to Disneyland—it’s my favorite place on earth, so yeah. Sometimes I think I write to support my Disney habit.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
Next up in September I have a new Blackwell book from Harlequin Heartwarming. This time (writing with 4 other authors) we’re writing about the Blackwell Belles, a group of sisters who once upon a time were a trick riding troupe in the rodeo circuit. My book is called A COWGIRL ON HIS DOORSTEP. In October we’re releasing a new collection of Christmas Town stories and this year we’re going royal! A ROYAL IN CHRISTMAS TOWN was super fun to write. Just in time for Christmas I’ll have A CHRISTMAS ISLAND ROMANCE, the latest in my Heartwarming Island Reunions series and then in January, the first in my new romantic suspense series, The McKenna Code will be released. ARCTIC PURSUIT takes place in a small Alaskan town inspired by Whittier, Alaska. I call this new series Blue Bloods meets FBI (See? Way too much television, LOL).
The Coltons of Owl Creek #8
It’s his duty to protect her…
But falling in love isn’t part of the job
Vivian Maylor is Detective Nate Colton’s key witness—and the most enticing woman he’s ever met. His determination to keep their relationship purely professional falls apart after an attempt on her life almost succeeds. With help from his newfound Colton family, Nate should be able to keep Vivian safe. But when he finds out Vivian might have a connection to a bigger case, the attempts on her life become more frequent. Will Nate get the chance to protect Vivian so they can explore more than their instant attraction?
Romance Suspense [Harlequin Romantic Suspense, On Sale: August 20, 2024, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781335502452 / eISBN: 9780369753113]
Anna J Stewart is the USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty sweet to spicy romances. Primarily writing for Harlequin’s Heartwarming (sweet romance) and Romantic Suspense (spicy) lines, she also writes for Arc Manor’s Caezik Romance. Her first single title romantic suspense, EXPOSED, releases November of 2022 and will launch the Circle of the Red Lily romantic suspense series.
In addition to being a Daphne duMaurier, National Readers’ Choice, and Holt Medallion finalist, in 2019 one of her books (RECIPE FOR REDEMPTION) was optioned for a TV movie by Brain Power Studios and aired as a Christmas move that same year. No matter the genre, Anna’s books are always about the family—both the ones we’re born to and the ones we create on this crazy life journey we’re all on. Anna lives in Northern California where she loves going to the movies, attending fan conventions, and heading to Disneyland, her favorite place on earth. When she’s not writing, she is usually cooking, baking, binge-watching her newest TV addiction, re-watching her all-time favorite show, Supernatural, and wrangling two monstrous cats named Rosie and Sherlock. You can read more about Anna, her books, and her workshops for authors at her website.
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