Friday, December 24, 2010

Wishing a Christmas Filled with Love and Romance

Merry Christmas to all readers, authors, editors, and agents! As we take time out of our hectic lives to enjoy the holidays, I hope we all look forward to next year, and new possibilities and adventures. There's a lot coming up for me - TARA chapter starting up again in January, numerous workshops and meetings for writing, Dad's 70th birthday, new release of TAKING A CHANCE ON FOREVER in March, and the RWA National Conference in New York I am hoping to attend. Also add a cruise to Mexico with the folks and family, and other small joys that make me look forward to next year.

I hope that all of you have a safe and peaceful holiday.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

TAKING A CHANCE ON FOREVER has found a home!

I'm so excited to announce that TACOF, my only contemporary, has found a publishing home. Once I sign the contract I'll announce the particulars, but the release date looks like March 2011! Wow, only 5 months to go!
Authors are often asked where they get their inspiration for a particular story, so here goes with this one. A college friend, Keith Dixon, wrote to me on FB and we exchanged photos and info about our families, etc. He mentioned that his 13 yr old son, Cooper, was thinking about attending our Alma Mater, Monmouth University, and I said my daughter, Megan, had also said that. His response was, "Hey! Wouldn't that be cool if they met in college and got married?" And so the germ of an idea implanted itself into my little brain. I started plotting a story of former lovers whose children meet in college (yikes! note to Keith's wife - we were only friends!!) and then the story became more about the former lovers. That's where the real story lay. In three months, I had the first draft completed. I only shopped it around to publishers for about 2 months before getting a positive response. This is the fastest I've been able to work in a long time.

Blurbs and excerpts will follow soon, on my website - http://www.annasmallbooks.com/.

That's all, folks!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Upcoming Book Signing at the Civil War!

Well, a reenactment of it, anyway! My dear friend, Rob Baker, of the 8th Florida Regiment, Hardy's Brigade, has connected me with the Florida Reenactors for their annual Brooksville Raid, taking place the 3rd weekend in January, 2011! How exciting! I will be in period costume (have to bring my smelling salts and fan for all the bloodshed and cannon noise) and the kids and Mom are coming in costume, too! I'm friends with the Rebels, in this case, even though poor Jed was a Yankee officer!  If you've never been to a reenactment, check your local historical society or just google. The guys I know go all over the place - even as far north as Andersonville, GA, site of the notorious prisoner of war camp.

History is everywhere! Immerse yourself!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

I Visited Hawaii! (Through my book, anyway!)

My friend at work, Angela, was gracious enough to send me this picture of herself deeply immersed in TAME THE WILD WIND, on beautiful Bellows Beach on Oahu! Thanks a lot, Angela!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

What I'm Currently Working On (when the kids leave me alone!)

I've got 3 or 4 books in my head and on the page at the moment: an attempt at "romantica" (don't laugh, please) which involves a 3,000 year old phantom haunting an intrepid ghost-chaser/archeologist, a werewolf-bounty hunter story set in the old American West (attempting dark and twisty, according to what the editors at this year's RWA want to see), and my only contemporary (and will probably remain so!), TAKING A CHANCE ON FOREVER, which I'm struggling with.

A lot of writers prefer to finish one book before moving on to the next, but I hate being stuck in one "world" when there are others clamoring to be written! Of course, this gives me plenty of WIPs instead of finished novels, but, hey - I've completed 8 books thus far.

I'll post an excerpt of HUNTED (the werewolf bounty hunter story) soon - the hero is a tasty bounty hunter chasing a gang of shapeshifting stagecoach robbers! Lots of secrets and darkness in this one.

Hope you like the new layout! Let me know what you think.

Monday, August 23, 2010

My book cover is an Affaire du Coeur HOT GUYZ semifinalist!

What a happy surprise to see Jed listed beside 7 other fabulous books! Of course, I'm partial to my cowboy, but he's got some tough competition. I mean, who can resist a Highlander, for land's sake?!
Here's the URL to see the rest of the competition. If we win, I'll let everyone know!

http://www.affairedecoeur.com/hot_guyz_entries.php

Monday, August 2, 2010

How did Jed and Cassie get their names? Find out...

I'm being interviewed today over at Cafe Pearl, a blog by my very talented friend, Julianne Draper! Please stop by and leave a comment. One lucky winner will receive a $10 certificate to Digibooks for an e-book of their choice.

I also share where I got Cassie's last name and Jed's first name!

Thanks for stopping by.

Here's the link: http://julismapsroom.blogspot.com/2010/08/guest-post-with-anna-small.html#comment-form

Friday, July 2, 2010

A 5-Star Review for Tame the Wild Wind

Boy, I love getting these things! The book was reviewed by Julianne Draper for The Examiner. The link is below, but I've also included an excerpt! Here you go...

"Anna Small has created a bittersweet, and sexy, tale of reluctant trust, hope, and love that may (or, may I be evil and say, may not!) conquer all, that left me biting my nails for Jed and Cassie, and peopled it with a cast of colorful cast of characters that I’m sure any fan of Western romances, such as this one, will adore."

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-6332-Tampa-Books-Examiner~y2010m7d2-Anna-Small-debuts-with-an-intriguing-historical-romance

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Guest blogging at the Prairie Chicks!

I'm thrilled to be an honorary Prairie Chick on their blog, www.prairiechickswriteromance.blogspot.com. Yes, it's a mouthful, but very aptly named. I'll be giving away one paperback and one pdf to celebrate the release of TAME THE WILD WIND.

And, just to see who's reading this blog, if you write a comment, I'll send you a pdf download of the book! (the first three commenters get one!)

Friday, April 2, 2010

I'm officially an author!

Today is the release date of my first published book. It's been almost 26 years since I first thought I would write a book. I didn't give much thought to research, plotting, character development, goals, conflicts, etc...all I knew was an English privateer was in love with a French governess on the eve of the French Revolution! So Captain Renne and Juliane were born. This book will probably never see the light of publication, and I read it now and then for a good laugh, but I'm also filled with amazement that I wrote a full length historical novel when I was only 16 years old. I had no deadlines, no outlines, no nothin'. I had a mother who read every page I wrote the day I wrote it, who typed it for me to submit to my first ever publisher (who promptly rejected me), and several friends in high school who took it in stride that their nerdy friend was writing exciting, romantic books they all enjoyed.

Here is the first official review of TAME THE WILD WIND. It says exactly what I wish I could say to potential readers. Thank you to all of those in my past, present, and future who have supported me, endured longwinded plot descriptions, indulged my quest for the largest costume book collection, and otherwise held my hand.

This review is from http://goteroticromance.blogspot.com/2010/04/tame-wild-wind-by-anna-small.html. Even though the blog title is about erotic romance, TTWW is not!


Tame the Wild Wind is a fresh take on a classic Western romance, complete with a Madam with a heart of gold, soiled doves, a marriage of convenience, and a rugged hero hiding from his past. The main characters are appealing, and the town of Silver Spring is populated by a cast of lively and engaging secondary characters. The reader can’t help rooting for Cassie and Jed to overcome the obstacles in their path to find the true love they both desire.
Posted by GOT EROTIC ROMANCE? at 7:32 AM

Thank you for reading!