Annie Seaton Talks About Her ITALIAN AFFAIR – and a GIVEAWAY

I’m happy to welcome Austrialian author Annie Seaton back to MBB today.  A versatile writer who can turn her hand to steampunk and contemporary novels alike, Annie is back with ITALIAN AFFAIR, a contemporary romance which has been eagerly awaited, following the great success of HOLIDAY AFFAIR, her contemporary release of last year.  Currently retired from the working world, Annie is fulfilling her dream of being a full-time writer.  She lives on the north coast of New South Wales in Australia and writes her novels overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

ANNIE SEATON ON THE WEB:

Website/Blog     Facebook    Twitter

Announcement::  The winner of Annie’s giveaway is Patsy.  Congratulations, Patsy!

Annie, you’re known as an author of steampunk, with a touch of the supernatural thrown in, not to  mention sci-fi.  In your books we get wonderful, fantastic stuff like time travel and shape shifters.  And here you are with a contemporary romance release!  Which is your preferred genre and why?
Maria, thanks for having me visit again.You are right. I do tend to become a tad confusing, writing across genres as the mood takes me. I love writing all genres but if I really, really have to pick my preferred genre, it would be a dead heat between contemporary and historical. I love writing contemporary romance and letting ordinary people caught up in their everyday life experiences read about love in exotic locations where there is always a happy ending. I have always loved everything romantic…romance books, soppy movies and love songs are guaranteed to being me to tears regularly! My main focus at university was history—British constitutional history as a major, as well as Australian and South Pacific history. Add to the mix, a love of historical fiction and you get to see where the real writer in me comes from. I have a couple of surprises coming up for readers soon… think pirates, New Orleans, rock stars and time slips. But before you get excited…they are two different books!

Hey, I’m glad you told me that!  Why did you use Italy as the inspiration for your latest release?  Do you have connections with that country?
Like most romance lovers, Italy has always held a fascination for me and I am planning another tour next year. The Amalfi Coast, Cinqueterra, Milan, Tuscany…is there anywhere more romantic?  Our daughter married an Italian/Aussie and we eat lots of Italian food and listen to the beautiful language.

Inspiration came to me through a very dear friend and I have dedicated Italian Affair to Melissa Lulham. One day, Melissa excitedly told me how she had discovered her birth grandfather on Lipari Island and Brianna Ballantine was born in that moment. Free spirited and with an urgent need to find a husband in four days, she meets Tom on the plane on the way to Italy. And that is where the Italian Affair begins…

Did it take you long to write the novel?  I’m not asking about the editing process, I know that can take ages.  I’m talking about the production of the first draft, from start to finish.
One of the traits that I need to take in hand is my impatience…so when I start writing I want to finish things as quickly as possible. ITALIAN AFFAIR — from start to finish— was about three months in the writing. Since I completed it, I have picked up the pace even more and have completed another three books since then with another seven in the planning stages.

Can you tell my readers a little something about your main characters to whet their appetite for the book? 
Brianna Ballantine is a free spirited, confident sex therapist who lives in a permanent state of disorganised chaos. One of my reviewers has captured her perfectly.

I adored the cool, funny, sexy heroine, Brianna, she came across as someone I’d love to be friends with and could relate too. I really like how Annie has made her adorable, intelligent, and independent, yet vulnerable during moments of the book. 

As for Tomas Richards, I fell in love with Tom in Holiday Affair and really wanted to find him a wonderful life partner who would recognise what a wonderful caring man he was. Tomas recognises that he is ‘stuffy and stitched up’ and too focused on work, so as he travels to Italy he makes a list of fun things he wants to achieve. Does he cross the things off his list? Volcanoes, tattoos, earrings or Jet Skis? Does he grow and fall in love in the process? You will have to read Italian Affair to find out.

And after ITALIAN AFFAIR, what’s next for Annie Seaton?

Hmmm. Annie Seaton has been very busy. The editors at Entangled Publishing have loved my books and I am contracted for further books in their Indulgence, Bliss, Suspense and Covet imprints. 

OUTBACK AFFAIR, the third book in the Affair series, is finished and in edits.  WORTH THE WAIT, a sweet romance in the Bliss imprint of Entangled Publishing and the first of a three book series, is finished and in edits, to be published in November. My first foray into romantic suspense,yes, another genre,DANGEROUS DESIRE, will be published in September. HOT ROCK, my next paranormal, will be out in February 2014.  And there are more to come!

Well, this all sounds so exciting.  Lots to look forward to there, Annie. I hope you’ll come back to tell us more about those releases nearer the release dates!


ITALIAN AFFAIR

Free-spirited sex therapist Brianna Ballantine has four days to find a fiancé so she can inherit her birth mother’s Italian villa. Commitment is not on the agenda. Writing her sex therapy book and signing legal papers are. And once all is said and done, she’ll return home to Scotland. For finance guru Tomas Richards, relationships have been a bad investment—give him stocks and shares any day. When Tomas offers a marriage of convenience to help Brianna secure her inheritance, the sizzle between the sheets promises an affair to remember, despite family complications at every turn.  But Tom must convince Brianna to stay, and make this Italian affair a lifelong commitment.

Get this here:  Amazon  Amazon UK

Annie has agreed to give away a free copy of BOOK I of the AFFAIR TRILOGY, HOLIDAY AFFAIR, to one of the people who leave a comment, so please remember to leave a comment before leaving.