Interview and Giveaway with Anna Hackett

Anna was generous enough to spare some time and be a part of my Spotlight on Australian Authors. I started the Spotlight to show the world Australia and our authors. I look forward to sharing some of them with you.

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I would like to thank Anna Hackett for joining us today.   

Thanks Jo-Anne for having me! It’s a pleasure to be here.  

SCR: Can you tell us a little about where you live?

I love at the top end of Australia in the Northern Territory. I live in a small mining town but we’re lucky enough to be right on the beach. We have gorgeous white sand beaches and blue water…and crocodiles, sharks and jelly fish! So while I love walking on the beach, there’s no swimming.

SCR: Do you have a favourite holiday spot? Why is it your favourite?

Do I have to pick just one? In Australia, I love the Hunter Valley – the vineyards there are beautiful and the wine is great. I lived in Denver, Colorado for several years and still miss the mountains and clear blue skies. I love Europe and all its history, but my favourite spot is Egypt. I’ve visited twice and would happily go back again to see more of the pyramids, tombs and temples. I’m addicted to ancient history.

SCR: What do you do besides write?

Work – I work in the mining industry and enjoy my work. Read – my love of reading is what sparked my desire to write. Spend time with my wonderful husband – we love watching movies and playing video games.

SCR: Can you give us a little run down on your ebooks?

I write paranormal short stories for Nocturne Bites. These ebook-only stories are dark, sensual and action-packed. I love writing paranormal and mixing in my love of history and action.

I have four Bites available: Savage Dragon tells the story of two modern-day dragon knights who collide on the hunt for a vicious wild dragon.

Wind Kissed, Fire Bound and Taken by the South Wind are two linked stories set in Italy. These stories centre on the WindKeepers -- four brothers and a woman who are keepers of the wind.

My latest release is Hunter’s Surrender. It features a battle-scarred vampire hunter and the beautiful vampire who must seduce him in order to save her life and her family. There’s some Indian mythology mixed in there – think chakras, out-of-control energy and Tantric sex!

SCR: Was there one defining moment when you decided you wanted to write?

Yes, actually. Like I mentioned, I’m a die hard reader and never dreamed of being a writer. But I was on a work trip to a mine in Quebec, Canada a few years ago and had finished all the books I’d brought with me to read in the evenings. I suddenly decided I’d try writing my own!

SCR: Do you have a muse?

No, I try to take a more disciplined approach to writing. If I waited for the muse, I probably wouldn’t get much writing done! I have days when the words flow and days when they feel ripped out of me, but I just keep writing.

SCR: Did you have a favourite genre/author you liked to read when you were younger?

When I was very young, I remember a book of fairytales I just adored. Once I got a little older, my two favourite genres were romance and action thrillers (and still are today). It comes from having discovered my mother’s stash of romances (I loved Nora Roberts and Linda Howard) and finally being able to reach my father’s shelf of Wilbur Smith and Clive Cussler. I love combining the two – action and romance -- in my own stories!

SCR: Who was your favourite band/singer when you were a teenager?

No one I was obsessive about. I liked lots of different bands and singers but I always had my nose stuck in a book.

SCR: Does music ever influence your writing?

Sometimes I do enjoy having music on when I’m writing. Not sure if it influences me or not, if I’m lost in my story often I don’t even hear it! I like listening to soundtracks most of all – the Gladiator and the Battlestar Galactica soundtracks are my favourites.

Now that I think of it, Taken by the South Wind (which is set in Rome) I wrote while listening to the Gladiator soundtrack and I think it helped set the tone for that story.

All photo's courtesy of Anna Hackett

SCR: Name five people, past or present, you would have over for dinner?

Gosh, this is a hard question! Jane Austen (love Pride and Prejudice), Nora Roberts, Hugh Jackman (no explanation needed!), George Lucas (that’s for my hubby, he’s a huge Star Wars fan) and Joss Whedon (I love all his TV shows and think he’s a great storyteller).

Thanks again Anna.

Hunter's Surrender

Vampire hunter Rand Wilder hated vampires—even if they were as beautiful and alluring as vampire princess Dominique Valois. For years he fought the beings who had killed his father, resisting their dangerous sensuality. Yet even Rand was tempted by the intoxicating Dominique and her shocking offer: to hurt the vampire court by taking her virginity....

A desperate need to ruin her reputation had forced Dominique to seek out the hunter known as The Darkness. But she hadn't expected Rand to be so captivating and compassionate.... Soon a very different sort of need drove her desire to take Rand to her bed. And with Dominique's survival depending on it, she would have to use all her skills of seduction to make this strong hunter surrender to passion....

Hunter's Surrender available now from Harlequin/Silhouette Nocturne Bites. 

One random commenter will be chosen by random.org to win a copy of Anna's latest release Hunters Surrender(ebook). To make things interesting(you don't have to answer) but who would you invite over for dinner?
Competition ends Sat 24th July.