Anderland Books interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Hi, I've been writing for most of my life and started publishing a few years ago – as Anna K. Thomas in the German market and as Bree Nan in the English-speaking market. I also started a small company after my first publisher went out of business, and now self-publish under Anderlandbooks.com.

When did your love of books begin?

I don’t remember – probably as a little kid. When I was small, Mom took as bi-weekly to the local library and we were allowed to get up to six books. I quickly learned to take the fattest books because I am a fast reader and they last longer.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

I wrote little stories earlier, but when I was twelve, I complained to my mom about a book I’d just read. I didn’t like that the poor protagonists had to go through all that trouble, I wanted a story where everything was fun and easy. She of course told me – well, write it yourself. I started and quickly realized that such a story is terribly boring. But I was fixed. Since then, my protagonists have had everything possible thrown at them – I realized that as an author, I can not only put them in all kinds of predicaments, but it is in my power to save them as well.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

It just happened. I've always read a lot and written a lot. Both were very important for me to develop my style, my storylines and my characters. For years I wrote only for myself and told almost no one about it. It was a hobby I loved. Getting published was something else - I applied once, got rejected, and then decided to keep my stories to myself. Years later, I came across a small independent publisher who gave me a chance. And after receiving positive feedback from people who had never met me, I was brave enough to continue down that path on my own.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Write and read. Don’t expect to be perfect on your first try, don’t give up. You will continuously grow, and if you love what you’re doing, it is never a waste of time.

Tell us about your book/books:

I started out writing epic fantasy in German, then historical novels, and then moved on to urban fantasy. I'm obsessed with good research. English is my second language. A story came to mind that I wanted to write in English – my first dystopian novel. I followed up with a spy novel in English and then switched back to urban fantasy. It may sound like I bounce back and forth a lot, but all my novels have one thing in common: the main characters are usually in their late teens/early twenties, on the journey to find themselves. I find that period in life fascinating – the sky is the limit.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love how supportive people are, that there is so little hate – at least to my experience. I don’t feel like I have to compete. There’s room for many, many stories, and I love to read from my fellow indie authors. I also love that in most cases, gender, skin color, and nationality play no role. I want to be defined by my deeds, not by things I cannot influence.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Gimme feedback! Any kind of constructive feedback is appreciated, and of course, the more detailed, the better. I’ve grown as a writer since my first novels, and I want to continue doing so.

Where can people connect with you?

You find me on Twitter: @Anderland_Books. Also, I’ve got a website for my books and the authors I publish: https://anderlandbooks.com/ . I do have an Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/anderlandbooks/) and a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/anderlandbooks), but  those I use less frequently.