Amazon Bestselling
author 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 heroes
who defy their limits to protect the women they love. 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 splits her time between Colorado and
Florida, where she lives with her indulgent husband and a very opinionated cat.
Anna loves to hear
from her readers. Connect with Anna at:
INTERVIEW:
Mayra Calvani:
Please tell us about The Guardian and
what compelled you to write it.
Anna del Mar: I went to Africa on a non-writing,
no-laptop vacation, to check off a bucket list item that entailed world-class
wildlife viewing. I also wanted to pursue a life-long yearning to connect with
my Caribbean-forged African heritage. Silly me. Little did I know that Africa
was about to grab me by the throat, shake awake my soul, and capture my heart
for good.
Yes,
I loved the wildlife. Yes, I loved the land. The Serengeti is one of the most
beautiful, last wild places on earth and we MUST support the effort to protect
it. But it was the people I met in Africa that left the greater mark on my
soul, the extraordinary folks who challenge the odds every day to build a
better future for themselves and for humanity.
These
diverse communities face complex, difficult, sometimes heart-breaking realities
on the ground with skill, resilience, and wisdom. Their hopes and dreams
inspired the story in these pages. Their courage drives Matthias Hawking and
Jade Romo, the main characters of The
Guardian.
M.C.:
What is your book about?
Anna
del Mar: The
Guardian is the story of Game Warden
Matthias Hawking and journalist Jade Romo. Matthias is a decorated ex-SEAL
engaged in a grueling fight against ruthless poachers in Africa. He’s short on
resources and long on enemies. There’s a price on his head. The last thing he
needs is the unexpected arrival of a beautiful but stubborn journalist
threatening to uncover his secrets, an alpha female challenging his alpha male
and getting into trouble, a hurricane wearing boots.
Jade Romo is a veteran of several different
kinds of war. She’s survived her heroin-addicted mother, the foster care
system, and the conflict in Afghanistan. Jade’s tough, confident, cynical, and
self-reliant, a woman who doesn’t believe in forevers. But when she defies the
poachers and lands at the top of the warlord’s kill list, she’s forced to rely
on the skilled, attractive but supremely infuriating game warden who has
captivated her body’s undivided attention.
Haunted by his past but driven by his courage,
her mysterious guardian will do anything in his power to protect the woman who
has captured his heart.
M.C.:
What themes do you explore in The Guardian?
Anna
del Mar: The
Guardian’s main theme is a hot, sweet, sexy romance, where
I explore the extraordinary power of love to bring people together and heal all
that is broken. Matthias and Jade’s relationship at the beginning is one of
conflict. They’re both stubborn and passionate, not just about each other, but
about what they do. Matthias is deeply committed to protecting the people and
the wildlife, and especially Jade. She’s equally committed to promote
conservation and end poaching and violence in Africa. Together, they make for a
fiery pair willing to risk their lives to make ours a better world for everyone
and to protect each other.
M.C.:
Why do you write?
Anna
del Mar: Because I can’t stop.
M.C.:
When do you feel the most creative?
Anna
del Mar: Late at night when the house is quiet, everyone
is asleep and the world seems like a place at rest.
M.C.:
When you write, do you sometimes feel as
though you were being manipulated from afar?
Anna
del Mar: I feel more as if I’m transported into the world
that I’m writing about, lost—along with my characters—in another life.
M.C.:
What is your worst time as a writer?
Anna
del Mar: When I can’t write.
M.C.:
Your best?
Anna
del Mar: When I can write uninterrupted for hours and
days at a time.
M.C.:
Is there anything that would stop you
from writing?
Anna
del Mar: Death, maybe?
M.C.:
What’s the happiest moment you’ve lived as an author?
Anna
del Mar: Hmm. That’s a hard one. I’ve had so many happy
moments. Every time I connect with readers who tell me they enjoyed one of my
novels, I feel total and absolute happiness. That’s my happiest writer place.
M.C.:
Is writing an obsession to you?
Anna
del Mar: Yep. No doubt about it. An obsession. A fixation.
An addiction. All of the above.
M.C.:
Are the stories you create connected
with you in some way?
Anna
del Mar: Absolutely. My stories are born out of my
experiences and filtered through my perceptions. They’re an intricate part of
who I am and how I process the world around me.
M.C.:
Do you have a website or blog where
readers can find out more about you and your work?
Facebook, Twitter, or at Anna@annadelmar.com.
And by the way, if you’d like to see the images
that inspired many of the pivotal scenes in
The Guardian, click here to see
my pictures of Africa.
Hello there! I stopped by to thank you for featuring The Guardian today. As always, I enjoyed chatting with you. Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read The Guardian!
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