Make-Believe Mondays With Evangeline Anderson

Today on Make-Believe Mondays I'd like to introduce Evangeline Anderson. Evangeline writes paranormal romance, science fiction and erotica.

Evangeline, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.

Evangeline: Well, I just finished a novel so I’ll tell you about that. It’s a paranormal romantic comedy called Wishful Thinking and it’s about three sisters who have just enough fairy blood to rate having a fairy godmother to grant them wishes on their birthday. Unfortunately, she’s kind of a bitch is always screwing up their wishes. My heroine is the oldest sister, Phil, who is so sweet tempered she can’t stand up for herself—something that changes quickly when she accidentally makes a wish to be able to speak her mind. Suddenly she’s telling everyone off for the first time in her life. It was a blast to write and if it sells, I’d like to do books about Phil’s two younger sisters, Cass and Rory, as well. Here’s a blurb to give you a feel for the book:

Philomena Swann has it tough. She has a fiancé that seems to have lost interest in their love life, a rotten job with a boss that ought to be the poster boy for sexual harassment, and a temperament so mild she can’t stand up for herself. And to make matters worse, her twenty-fifth birthday is coming up and she has to think up a wish. Why? Because Phil and her sisters are one eighth fairy—not enough to give them magical powers but sufficient to rate them a fairy godmother from hell so reckless with her wand they all live in fear of their birthday wishes.

All Phil wants is to make a wish so small and insignificant it won’t mess up her life. But after a horrible day, she accidentally shouts out a wish to speak her mind…and then finds she can’t stop. Between telling everyone exactly what she thinks and trying to deal with her eccentric grandmother who’s been brewing botched love potions to catch herself a man, Phil has her hands full.

When she starts finding out some startling things about the people in her life—such as how her hot and hunky co-worker and best friend Josh really feels about her—Phil knows she’s made a wish that will change her world forever. If it doesn’t ruin her life first.

Wishful Thinking was kind of a departure for me since I usually write mostly erotica. I have to say that the sex in WT is still pretty hot and may have to be toned down—we’ll see. In fact, I have a book of science fiction erotica called Take Two coming out from Kensington’s Aphrodisia line of books this October 31st. Yup—Halloween, isn’t that a great release date? Anyway, it’s a ménage a trois novel with one heroine and two heroes and it was a ton of fun to write. You can find it in most any bookstore in the erotica section this coming October and you can get a sneak peek at the first chapter and some juicy excerpts in the erotica coming soon section of my site www.evangelineanderson.com

Mark Twain said, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” How do you fill your creative well to keep your imagination in focus?

Evangeline: This is a question that a friend of mine and I talk about a lot. I do believe that there is a part of you, a creative well as you called it, that can run dry if you don’t take time for yourself to refill it. I love to read, of course, but I also like to recharge my imagination’s battery by watching science fiction, action adventure movies. I often get ideas by seeing other people’s creativity on the big screen. Seeing great special effects and weird situations makes me say, ‘what if?’ and before I know it, there’s a whole new novel spinning itself out inside my head.

As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?

Evangeline: I have to say that the author who most influence over my childhood was C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia series. I know the first book has been made into a movie now, which I think is great, but for me, there’s no substitute for the books. I read and re-read them constantly (my favorite is The Magician’s Nephew) and I think I spent my entire childhood expecting to open a door that led into another world. Even today if I opened my closet door and saw another land where my scrubs ought to be hanging, I don’t think I’d be too surprised. I’d just walk right in and make myself at home. : )

Debra: I loved Narnia as a child (and still do) so if you ever find the door, tell me where it is so I can join you!

Is there anything else you would like to add about the role of imagination, and dreams in creating fiction? Any other message for our readers?

Evangeline: I know I’m only supposed to answer three of these but I just have to say that I enjoy and appreciate reader feedback. Writing is such a solitary occupation that I think sometimes we forget that our words get carried over the internet or through a book to a reader somewhere. So if you have enjoyed something I have written, I would love to hear from you. Also, if you have an on-line blog with loyal readers, I would be willing to send you a copy of one of my books for free as long as you agree to review it on your site. I’m such a publicity whore. : ) Visit me at www.evangelineanderson.com or friend me on MySpace at www.myspace.com/evangelineanderson or just write me at vangiekitty@aol.com I’d love to hear what you have to say! - Evangeline Anderson

Evangeline, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.