Anne Merino interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Greetings to all the readers of the fascinating Feedmyreads blog! It’s a genuine pleasure to be among you here. I’m Anne Merino – writer of suspense stories, screenplays and stage plays. My debut novel, Hawkesmoor, came out not long ago and it’s been the thrill of a lifetime to graduate to published author. I grew up riding hunters and jumpers for my father who always had a side business training horses for both the show ring and hunt field. Unsurprisingly, horses and dogs often make an appearance in my novels. I’m currently live in Northern California with my filmmaker husband and a retired working dog who bosses us both around appallingly. I’m looking forward to the sequel to Hawkesmoor coming out in 2023 as well as several other novels under contract.

When did your love of books begin?

I can’t remember not loving books. My father was an academic (classical philosophy) and author of a number of books. My mother was a notable modern dancer choreographer who lived to read a good, juicy murder mystery. It would be difficult to grow up in that environment and not be keen on the whole idea of books. I have particular memories of being about three years old and my mother reading Enid Blyton mystery stories to me before bed – things about stolen rubies from India and haunted islands off the English coast. Wonderful stuff!

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

I come from a family of writers – parents, aunts, uncles, cousins – so there was kind of a tacit feeling growing up that publishing a book was a rite of passage, something that made one legit as they used to say in old gangster films. So, the idea of being a writer/author was always there, rather like the air we breathed. I do remember being very inspired by episodes of Kolchak: The Night Stalker on television! Glued to the set, watching ace reporter, Carl Kolchak chase Spanish Moss monsters and Jack the Rippers gave me the thrilling notion that people might, indeed, be eager for more eerie stories – perhaps, even stories I had written. Once that concept took hold, I’ve never looked back! 

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

While I have nothing but admiration for the hardy souls who have the guts and ingenuity to self-publish, I really wanted to be traditionally published. I think all writers suffer from failures in self-confidence from time to time – why, oh, why would anyone want to read my bilgewater? I really wanted the validation of having an editor and a publishing house get behind a story of mine. I wanted that shot of confidence. 

Once that course of action had been decided upon, it took quite a while to get the actual “phone call from the editor”. Then, of course, the pre-publication phase for both print and audio book seemed longer than life itself. But when publication day finally arrived, all of the tedious stuff was forgotten or at least, deemed worth the wait. There is nothing like the knowledge that one has a story out in the great out there! It is, as my father would have said, “Just the damndest thing!”.

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

Please toss out all that advice that proclaims “You are not a real writer if you … don’t write every day, don’t write between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, don’t outline extensively with index cards … etc etc”. Write the story you want to write and write the way you need to in order to get it down on the page. Whether that means you write every day or only on Sunday afternoons when you have a spare hour or two – it’s all good!

Tell us about your book/books:

Hawkesmoor – and its upcoming sequels – follow the eerie adventures of Robin Dashwood, a very British vampire. It begins as he returns to the place of his human birth, Hawkesmoor Castle on the Yorkshire Moors, to solve a historical murder from the 18th century. In doing so, he comes across a far more dangerous mystery that could reveal the shrouded origins of all vampire kind. I think it’s good suspenseful fun!

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I have found the writing/reading community to be so welcoming and supportive. We all love books and a cracking good story! The kindness and interest shown to new writers is particularly inspiring and endearing. In addition, they are a fascinating collection of bright minds from all over the globe. The eclectic mix of backgrounds, cultures and creative interests makes for vibrant and endlessly engaging interactions. What a great gang! 

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

Profound thanks for reading Hawkesmoor and following Robin Dashwood on his various adventures. It’s an absolute honour to be entrusted with a reader’s attention and imagination. Very grateful when a reader finds the book and gives it try. I don’t take it lightly.

Where can people connect with you?

Oh, I hope they do! How lovely to connect with fellow readers and lovers of a good eerie book! I can be found on Facebook at “The Hawkesmoor Club” and on Twitter @AnneMerino4 

Also, lots more information about Hawkesmoor at Rivercliff Books: https://rivercliffbooks.com/hawkesmoor/ 

Thank you so much, Feedmyreads, for inviting me to join in and be part of this terrific literary blog!