Anna Hackett and "One Night With The Wolf" Giveaway!

Today we're going to meet and chat with Anna Hackett, an engineer by day, a writer by night!

Anna, thanks for agreeing to do this interview. It's great to have you here!

Thanks for having me, Nas.  Wonderful to be visiting!

On Writing and Reading…

So, when did you start to write and how long did it take you to be published?

I’ve been writing for the last few years but before that I’d always been an avid reader (and romance has always been my favorite genre!)  About a year and a half after I started writing I sold my first paranormal short story to Harlequin Nocturne Bites.  My fifth Bites came out last month.

I bet all that juggling of jobs, relationships and commitments gives you plenty of fodder for your books. What sparks your creativity?

Anything can spark my creativity – a great book or movie, an intriguing “what if” question, a beautiful location and most often a fascinating myth or legend.  I love ancient history and have found plenty of inspiration in myths for my paranormal stories.

What do you love most about being a writer?

The chance to create my own fascinating characters and worlds.

What do you like least about being a writer?

Well, I’m an extrovert (not so common for a writer) so sometimes writing can be a lonely pursuit.  That’s why I love visiting blogs like yours and being a part of writing blogs like LoveCats DownUnder where I get to hang with other fabulous Harlequin authors.

Do you have a favorite locale or setting for your novels? What is it and why is it your favorite?

I don’t have a particular favorite locale but what I do like is to find exotic locations – to escape somewhere different.  My Bites have been set in Hungary, a Mediterranean island, Rome, Las Vegas and Montana.

Which of the books you have written is your favorite?

It’s impossible to have a favorite!!  That’s like asking a mother to pick her favorite child.  I guess my latest is always the most recent in my mind so I’ll say One Night with the Wolf which released last month.

What is your favorite recent title by another author?

I absolutely love Nalini Singh and really enjoyed her last Guild Hunter book, Archangel's Consort.

What one specific piece of advice would you give a would-be writer trying to kick-start a career?

Sit down and write.  Doing online courses, going to conferences and reading craft books are good but don’t get lost in it all.  Writing is where you’ll learn the most and is the most important thing a writer can do.

On Romance...
What is your all-time favorite romantic movie?

Pride and Prejudice (the remake with Keira Knightly).  I love that movie.

How do you keep the romance alive in your relationship?

Never take anything for granted.  Hubby and I always make sure we tell each other how much we appreciate the things we do for each…big and small.

Where is the most romantic place you’ve ever traveled?

A private island on the Great Barrier Reef – sun, sand and privacy.  It was beautiful.

All About her...

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Nope.  I’ve always been a reader.  The writing bug just hit out of the blue one day.

Besides writing, what other talent would you most like to have?

Hmm, superpowers?  Seriously, I can’t sing a single note and wish I could.

Who is someone you admire and why?

Nora Roberts.  She’s a great author.  I admire her ability to weave captivating stories and characters, and her discipline to her work.

What quality do you most admire in a man?

Good cooking skills (-:  My hubby is a fab cook and the kitchen is his domain.

To finish up, do you have any advice/handy tips/craft skills you'd like to share with unpublished authors?

·        Read lots of books in the genre you want to write, then sit your butt in your chair and write. 

·        Look for some good online courses – they are cheap and can be really beneficial.  I teach an online course called Short Story, Big Impact and love sharing my short story writing tips with other writers.

·        Good critique partners are worth their weight in gold – I have two CPs I met online (waving hi to Em and Rach!) and couldn’t live without them.

NOW TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOK….

One Night with the Wolf is my latest Nocturne Bites – it features a headstrong werewolf heroine looking for one night of pleasure before she must marry an aging alpha and the one man who is forbidden to her…the tough, sexy hero, Christian.  Here’s the blurb:

Werewolf Jade Thorne needs a man—a young, virile man to give her love and pleasure. As a rare female alpha, she must keep her pack safe by pledging herself in marriage to an aging leader from a rival pack. Until then, she wants to experience the raging passion of a wolf in his prime. She even has an ideal lover at hand: her Second, Christian Tallant.

But Christian is a wolf who will demand to dominate her body, mind and soul. Now Jade must decide if she can afford to submit to his desire—and if one night with the wolf will really be enough....

Thanks for sharing your insights about writing and some fun facts about your life, Anna, it's been a hoot having you here.

Thanks again for having me, Nas.

 You can visit Anna's website and check out more of her books. Visit her blog. And check out her Online Courses here!

Please drop in and LIKE her on Facebook. But, the goodies doesn't end here, Anna has a giveaway of ONE NIGHT WITH THE WOLF for one lucky commenter!

Here is  my review of One Night with the Wolf:

One Night with the Wolf is a sensual story of a very alpha heroine wolf, widow of the pack alpha years her senior, needing a hot, passionate man for one night before she takes another old alpha as a mate the next day. And her second, the enforcer, himself an alpha, is in conflict with himself over his desire for her. Even when they are intimate she tries out her alpha voice on him! ONE NIGHT WITH THE WOLF is a hot and sensual book, but it's not an erotica. The writing is beautiful.