By
Anna del Mar
Two years ago I wasn’t even thinking about
writing a romance. I’d had these stories in my mind for a long time, but the
idea of putting them down intimidated the heck out of me. And then one day,
while we were on vacation in Colorado, I said to myself: Hey, you’re on
vacation. You get to do whatever your little heart desires. If you feel like
writing a romance, go ahead, write it. After all, this is your time off!
Inspired by the gorgeous Rocky Mountains and
the heroes and heroines I’d met during my time as a Navy wife, The Asset just poured out of me. The story wrote itself, compelling, intense and
vivid in my mind, about a woman desperate to escape her dangerous past and the navy
SEAL who would lay down his life to save her. Best part? I couldn’t stop. Even
after I came home, I spent all of my free time working on the story that had
stolen my heart. In less than three months, I had The Asset done and
much to my shock, another novel, also about a wounded warrior, coming right
behind it.
That’s
how my Wounded Warrior series was born, a
collection of hot, fun, smart
romances about strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and
the brave, skilled, sexy, military heroes who challenge their limits to protect
the women they love. I found myself contemplating these compelling, conflicted,
endearing characters and aching to find a readership for their stories. I asked
myself the question: What next?
Enter Nancy
Cassidy, from The Red Pen Coach. Nancy helped me polish the final product,
encouraged me to pursue publication and helped me navigate through the
intricate process of shopping for a publisher. She led me straight to Carina
Press’s door. At Carina, I discovered a cutting edge, innovative group of
talented staff and writers who work really hard to put together an awesome
catalogue of fresh, original, ground-breaking romances.
Carina Press is an
impressive outfit. I knew the moment I started to talk with Senior Editor Kerri
Buckley, that I wanted to work with her and Carina. So I was thrilled when
after a rigorous and thorough review, they offered me a contract to publish the
four novels I’d so joyously written. And so The Asset found its perfect home, and so did the upcoming novels of the Wounded
Warrior series, as did the romance writer in me.
And to think all
of that happened when I gave myself permission to write what was in my heart.
***
Anna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, kickass, military heroes who defy the limits of their broken bodies to protect the women they love. She is the author of The Asset (Carina Press), the first novel of her Wounded Warrior series and three other novels scheduled for release during 2016.
A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking,
skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and
what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she
met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and
heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t
happen very often—she lives in Florida.
Anna del Mar
Author of The Asset
and At the Brink (Carina Press, 2016)
2 comments:
Anna, it's fascinating to hear how The Asset came about! I love that you let your heart take control, and I also really enjoyed this book. It's beautifully written and totally intriguing, even for a guy who usually only reads mysteries! LOL. Thanks so much for joining us here today!
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