Ann Simpson
Q. Did you pick your genre or did it pick you?
A.The genre picked me, maybe, it’s my love of mysteries and the paranormal that led to writing The Dark Guests Series. The story wrote itself. It possessed me.
Q. Do you write in multiple genres or just one?
A. When writing paranormal, I can add romance, mystery, horror or comedy. I tend to stick with mystery, and always paranormal.
Q. How much time do you devote to writing per day?
A. What I love to do most is write. There will never be enough time. I usually wake up just before 4 AM, my alone time. I write, read, or blog. I’m at my computer for at least three hours every morning.
Q. What have you published so far?
A. I published, Compelled, a crime novel first, and in a month during NaNoWriMo. I felt anxious to move on to The Genealogist’s Guests, a paranormal mystery. When I published the it one I knew I had found my genre.
Q. Has your method of writing changed over the course of publishing your books?
A. After critiques, edits, and feedback I have learned, and I am still learning not to pack too much information on the readers, in one chapter. My method of writing before the editing process hasn’t changed. I daydream and write the story in my head.
Q. Where do you see yourself a year from now?
A. Promoting books two and three of the Dark Guests Series, and having fun writing about ghosts and other topics on my blog. I’ll be a year closer to retirement from my day job. I was just talking about that with a co-worker yesterday. I’ll have more time to write!
Q. Did you self-publish, go the traditional way, or do both?
A. I sent my first manuscript to a few agents (trad), and while waiting to hear back I read about self-publishing. I chose the self-publish route, possibly out of impatience. I am happy I decided to self-publish.
Q. Which method did you prefer?
A. Self-publishing just feels right. I didn’t want to limit my work to a few people (agents). I wanted to put my work out there to the masses. I’m getting feedback from readers, and that’s what gets my adrenaline going, actual readers reviewing my work. What doesn’t work for a few may be great for a hundred others. I cannot compare it to traditional because I haven’t gone through the entire process.
Q. Of the books that you have written, do you have a favorite? Why?
A. My favorite of the two is The Genealogist’s Guests, book one of the Dark Guests Series. As I said above the Paranormal Mystery genre picked me. When I published the crime novel I didn’t feel like I shared the best part of my imagination. I have more to give. It’s dark, creepy
stuff. And it’s more than that. Other than originality (thank you reader for writing how using a hand-painted family tree as a prompt was original). There’s a message for victims of sexual assault. One reviewer wrote, Ann Simpson uses the lighthearted subject of genealogy to tackle a much deeper issue and to get across the point that fear and shame only makes the problem grow, it is only through telling the truth can the cycle be broken and you can be set free.” When I read her review I yelled, “Yes!” She totally got it.
Q. Why did you become a writer?
A. I have words to share. I have opinions, messages, scenes that play around in my head. I create fiction from real life issues. Me, sitting in my room, writing, feels right.
Q. Who is your target audience?
A. People who love paranormal mysteries, and also love to read about real life issues. A mature audience since I touch on mature subjects.
Q. What are you working on now?
A. I’m writing two books Megan’s Guests and The Warned, of the Dark Guests Series. I cannot mold my characters into predetermined scenes. They won’t cooperate. I keep a notebook nearby to write ideas. I can’t force the story either. It takes time. So I decided to write both books at the same time. I’m enjoying the different scenes in my head.
Q. What makes you different from other writers in your genre?
A. I write without restrictions. I’m passionate about what I write, but I don’t think that’s different. There are many passionate writers. I don’t follow any set rules. If I dream it, I’m write, and publish it.
Ann Simpson
https://www.goodreads.com/AnnSimpson
born in Alexandria, The United States
Website-http://theresatimeout.wordpress.com/
twitter @AnntheAuthor Currently writing genre-Paranormal, Fiction, Mystery
Ann Simpson lives in Falmouth, Virginia near the Civil War Battlegrounds of Historic Fredericksburg. Most of her paranormal writing takes place in the early morning before the family wakes and the spirits rest. It was Ann’s love of genealogy and the paranormal that led to her new series, The Dark Guests Series. Book one, The Genealogist’s Guests, was published in October 2013. Book two, Megan’s Guests is scheduled for release in 2014. Ann’s writing is described as “original” with “creative and bizarre” scenes of the afterlife.
A quote of Ann * ” ‘The Genealogist’s Guests’, is my first published paranormal mystery. I spent my early morning hours in suspense and feeling anxious as the story lived in my mind. I breathed my characters, including the ones I despised. Writing this book was pure joy. I combined my love of the paranormal and genealogy. I imagined a hand-painted family tree on a wall from floor to ceiling, a portal to the afterlife. A devastating life, murder and rape of a child, a father’s revenge and the secret behind it, a family of secrets that held them captive for generations, and the women, alive and dead, who fought to end the curse of silence. I still feel the suspense, fear, loathing, dark battle as I continue to write what will be The Dark Guests Series.”
He holds her close and from the sound of her breath, and the movement of her mouth felt by his she said, “I love you.” She loves me he tells himself, but revenge threatens to disrupt their plans as Macon struggles with the choice of leaving with Anna or bringing down an entire gang of thugs. To do that he must be one of them. He finds himself deep into a subculture so tight it alone threatens to swallow him as he vows to pay them back for the harm they’ve done. As he thrusts forward using every encounter against them he becomes the most dangerous man incarcerated. He’s ruthless, he’s a leader, a hero, and a kind and gentle soul. He could change everything.
http://marsocialauthorbusinessenhancementparanormal.wordpress.com/
http://theresatimeout.wordpress.com/the-talk/
http://www.amazon.com/Ann-Simpson/e/B006QIT4RU/
MARSocial Author Business Enhancement Interviews 