Interview with Anne Patrick

I recently became acquainted with best-selling author Anne Patrick and her books. If you aren’t familiar with her work, she writes mostly ‘Sweet’ Edge of Your Seat Romantic Suspense. Although her romances are ‘G’ rated, her books are far from boring. Influenced by authors such as Iris Johansen, Lisa Gardner, Tami Hoag and Dee Henderson, Anne's heroines are usually strong willed, witty, and often very opinionated…which usually gets them into situations where they need a dashing hero to rescue them. Not that they would ever admit that.

Anne has an alter ego by the name of Kinzie Monroe, who writes Inspirational Romance. Anne, you might say, is the dark side of Kinzie. Anne’s books may be darker in subject matter, but all her books carry messages of hope and faith.

Anne also has a blog, Suspense by Anne, that is regularly updated and, where she does weekly author interviews. Be sure to read about her March Madness Contest coming soon. You'll also find details about it on her News & Events page. There will be book giveaways each week and a grand prize at the end of the month.

Check out these great books by Anne Patrick/Kinzie Monroe

Lethal Dreams

Dr. Erin Jacobs is making a name for herself in the sports world. Drawing on her own life experiences, she encourages and inspires athletes to recover from career ending injuries. So why would someone want to hurt the good doctor? Detective Logan Sinclair is determined to find that answer. He’s been mesmerized by Erin from the moment she found him and his partner shot in an alleyway. Since that night their lives have never been the same. Will Logan be able to solve the puzzle of who wants Erin out of the way before it’s too late? And if so what impact will those answers have on their lives?

Reservations for Two

Widower’s Maggie O’Brien and Carson Jennings are both on a journey to rediscover who they are. Maggie, an adventurous former pastor’s wife of thirty-nine years, hopes to find closure in the place she and her husband spent their honeymoon. Carson, a retired judge, is living his lifelong dream of traveling across the U.S. in his RV. When their paths cross in the tranquil setting of Mason Springs, New Mexico, love is the last thing that either of them expects to find.

Val at You Gotta Read Reviews gave it a 'You Gotta Read' rating. "Kinzie Monroe has written a story laced with intrigue, drama and a very pure and captivating romance. Reservations For Two is the type of book that captures your attention and takes you away to places you may not have been. The imagery is spectacular and I felt as though I was hiking and experiencing the sunsets right there with the characters. If you are looking for a sweet romance that will give you an "aha" moment, then look no further than Reservations For Two. I highly recommend this book to any lover of the romance genre. Ms. Monroe, I commend you on a well written book with characters that kept me coming back for more."


Here is my interview with Anne.

M.B.: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Anne: Since I was a kid growing up in a rather boring neighborhood. To entertain myself and my friends, we would live out the adventures I dreamed up in my head.

M.B.: What is your writing and educational background?

Anne: Recess and gym were my favorite subjects in school…well except for History…so of course I now regret not paying better attention in English class. Some of my editors wish I had too :-). Once I started getting serious about my writing, I took a class and was fortunate enough to have an instructor who was a multi-published mystery writer who taught me a great deal about the craft.

M.B.: What makes you passionate about writing?

Anne: My faith in the Lord is the driving force behind my desire to write stories that both entertain and inspire my readers.

M.B.: What was the pathway like for you to get your first book published?

Anne: Unfortunately, my first publication was a mistake I’m still living with. After many rejections, a friend recommended Publish America, and I foolishly fell for their promises and am stuck with a seven year contract. I chalk it up as a painful learning experience. Now I am more careful with whom I place my works. My experiences have been very pleasant with my new publishers.

M.B.: Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?

Anne: More than a few times. To help me through those dark places, I have a scrap book of awesome reviews, notes from readers and editors that inspire me to continue.

M.B.: What is your writing schedule like?

Anne: Since I have a day job, evenings and weekends are reserved for writing and editing.

M.B.: Where do your ideas come from? How do you know the idea is good enough to write a book about it?

Anne: All kinds of places. Newspaper headlines, dreams, life in general.

M.B.: When did the idea for these books first come to you?

Anne: The idea for Lethal Dreams was planted a couple of years ago, and I started Reservations for Two Thanksgiving Day 2008 and finished it New Years Day 2009.

M.B.: What do you hope readers will get from these books?

Anne: Lethal Dreams is an Inspirational Romantic Suspense & Reservations for Two is an Inspirational Romance, so I hope the readers are both entertained and inspired by both my heroines and the heroes they meet on their journeys.

M.B.: What is your process of brainstorming a story? Do you just sit down and write, waiting to see what happens next? Or do you outline first?

Anne: I write all my ideas down in a folder. Sometimes I’ll go as far as writing out a brief outline. Later, if one jumps out at me, I’ll play around with it for a few days and maybe do some character profiles and the first chapter. By this point, the characters have usually sprung to life and I pretty much let them take over from there.

M.B.: Do you ever experience a snag in a story, a form of writer's block? If so, how do you deal with it?

Anne: If I can’t force my way through the stumbling block after taking a short break, then I set the story aside for a couple of days and come back to it with fresh eyes. Usually after reading the last chapter I complete, I’m back in my zone.

M.B.: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when
you are writing?

Anne: I’m almost always listening to music. I listen mostly to classic rock n’ roll, but will sometimes listen to classical or instrumental, depending on my mood.

M.B.: What kinds of inspiration do you use during your story creation periods?

Anne: Great question! When I’m creating my characters I like to have a visual aid—stock photos that resemble them—and a profile listing their attributes etc.

M.B.: Who has made the greatest difference for you as a writer?

Anne: My mother was always my biggest supporter. She’s the one who first encouraged me to submit my work. She even came up with my pen name for my romantic suspense novels.

M.B.: Do you use a critique group during the writing process? Why or why not?

Anne: I don’t because I live in a small town. If I hit a snag or need advice on a scene, I’ll contact someone from one of my on-line writer groups.

M.B.: Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Anne: I don’t really have a favorite. The one I had the most fun writing was Reservations for Two. I fell in love with Maggie from the start, probably because she was inspired by some very special friends in my life.

M.B.: What words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to
have their manuscripts become books in print?

Anne: It’s scary to put your work out there and risk rejection, but the rewards far outweigh that fear. There is no greater feeling than to hold that first book in your hands. But do your research on the publishers you are going to submit to. If possible, contact some authors who are published with them and ask if they’ve had any problems with them.

M.B.: Any final words you would like to share

Anne: I want to thank you, Michele, for having me here today and giving me the chance to talk about my books.

M.B.: Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?

Anne: Both my website: www.annepatrick.weebly.com/ and my blog: www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com have excerpts and buy links for all my books.