Today we're visiting with author Ann Everett on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the humorous romantic mystery, "You're Busting My Nuptials".
Ann will award a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during her tour, so comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a really cool prize!
Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?
I consider my genre to be humor, but my publisher considers it mystery. I think that’s because the humor genre is mostly joke books. I’d say my novels are romantic comedies with a light mystery, but I only write the mystery and romance in order to write the humor, so…humor it is! My reason for writing comedy books is because that’s what I enjoy reading the most. When I read, I want to be entertained. I want to laugh. I want to read about silly, ridiculous situations that could possibly happen to me. Some actually have.
Name one thing you learned from your heroine.
My main character, Tizzy, has a four-year-old daughter and I think I’ve learned to be more patient with my grandchildren by writing about Tizzy and Gracie. Many of the things Gracie says are taken straight from conversations I’ve had with my six and seven-year-old granddaughters. They come up with the best dialogue, and that makes writing Gracie easy-peasy.
Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?
I walk backwards to my chair, turn around three times, do two sides straddle hops, then sit down…KIDDING! I don’t have any quirks, habits or superstitions when it comes to writing. At least I don’t think I do. I’ve been tempted to wear a crown. I may try that in the New Year just to see if the bling helps my brain! I prefer to write with the house quiet and I do best when I’m alone. That way, I don’t have to worry about interruptions happening at any time.
Are you a plotter or pantser?
I’ve been both. With LAID OUT AND CANDLE LIT, I just sat down and wrote and let it come to me as I went. With YOU’RE BUSTING MY NUPTIALS, I outlined and it worked much better for me. I’ll outline from now on. It saves me lots of time when it comes to the editing phase.
Look to your right – what’s sitting there?
Oh Lord. I can see into the kitchen and one the counter there’s a Rubbermaid container full of left-over sugar cookies, pecan tassies, and brownies from a party I had at my house last night. I’ll have to stop now and eat a cookie. Totally your fault!!
Anything new coming up from you? What?
I’m trying hard to write the final installment of my Tizzy/Ridge trilogy, but not having much luck. I don’t even have a good start and many of my readers are already asking me to not stop with a third book. They want more of Tizzy and Ridge and that’s a good thing.
To clear my mind, I’ve put them aside for a bit hoping a break will give me renewed interest. I’ve been working on a romance novel. Actually, it was the first novel I ever wrote. I re-wrote it about a year ago and now I’m re-writing it for a second time. TELL ME A SECRET, starts out as a sweet love story, then gains a little steam toward the middle, then turns more dramatic at the end. It has an element of humor, but not like LAID OUT AND CANDLE LIT or YOU’RE BUSTING MY NUPTIALS.
However, I love the characters in TMAS, so I’m hoping to make it good enough to publish.
I’m also working on a cookbook as a companion to LAID OUT and NUPTIALS. Since Sweet Thangs Bakery plays an important part in the books, owners, Pattiecake and Sugarpie thought a cookbook would be a good idea. I blame them for the ten pounds I’ve gained.
Do you have a question for our readers?
Not a question, but a request. I’m having a contest to name the third book in the Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy and I’d love for your readers to enter. There’s not a big prize, but they will get credit in the book, if their title wins. They’ll also receive the trilogy signed by me. AND, if I’m ever in their area doing a book event, I’d love to have the winner join me.
They can go to my website and enter by way of comment to a blog OR they can enter by emailing me. ann.everett@rocketmail.com
After almost five years, widow and single mother, Tizzy Donovan finally met the man of her dreams in Texas Ranger Ridge Cooper. But when he fails to show up for their wedding, she’s determined to find out why.
Enlisting the help of first cousin Jinx Monroe, and best friends, Rayann Tatum and Synola Harper, it’s not long until they’re dealing with clowns, yard gnomes, a missing stripper, and a Baptist deacon.
After a car chase and gun fight, head-strong Tizzy is more committed than ever to claim her happily-ever-after. All she needs is a séance with an old witch and a little help from Positive Jesus.
Once on the road, with the plan in place, Rayann dug in her purse and pulled out a piece of paper.
“Hey, I thought it would be fun to give ourselves some stripper names. I found this chart online where you take letters from your name and match them with suggested performance names,” she said, unable to hide her excitement. “According to the website, I’ll be Sugar Candy. Tizzy, you’ll be Velvet Blaze and Synola, you’re now Cinnamon Dream. Don’t you love ‘em?”
“You’re kidding,” Tizzy said.
“No. If we want to work as strippers, we need stripper names,” Rayann said, and looked over her shoulder. “Right, Jinx?”
Jinx smiled. “She has a point.”
“See, Tizzy. Jinx likes the plan”.
Tizzy nodded. “Okay, we’ll do it. I’m Velveeta, you’re Sugar, Synola is Cinnamon.”
“VELVET, not Vel-vee-ta.”
“Oh, sorry. I got confused since the two of you are in a food group, I thought I was too.”
Ann Everett is a Texas girl from her big-bar-hair down to her bare toes. For many years she did stand-up comedy for businesses, corporations, and non-profit organizations.
Creator of the White Trash Facelift, halter tops, and beer bling bracelets, Ann embraces her small town upbringing and thinks Texans are the funniest people on earth.
She’s an award winning author and active member of Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization where she serves as director of their twenty-seventh annual writers’ conference.
When Ann’s not writing, she spends her days listening in on people’s conversations at the local Wal-Mart, beauty shop, Dollar Store, and numerous other gathering spots. She draws from that research to pen her romantic comedies, full of southern sass and Texas twang.
www.anneverett.com
Twitter.com/Talkin’Twang
Ann Everett author page/Facebook
http://amazon.com/author/ann.everett
