Author Interview ~ Anne Kane

We have yet another lovely author who has consented to join us on the leopard print couch today to hang out and get to know her better. Please, help us to welcome multi-published author, Anne Kane to The Menagerie.

Let's get started. We always like to get a feel for our guests. So, Anne, where are you from?

I’m from Canada, pretty much all of it. I grew up in Southern Ontario, and then moved to Northern Ontario when I got married. We stayed there for the next fifteen years, and then moved to the West Coast. I don’t think I could pick one spot that I love more than the rest, each area has its own special beauty.

It sounds like you have special experience with experiencing that beauty. What inspired you to write your first book?

I wrote my first story when I was about twelve. I was an avid fan of Jack London at that point and I wrote what I considered to be a touching saga about a dog that got lost and wandered around the country. I submitted it to a children’s magazine and got back a very personalized rejection. Unfortunately, at twelve, a rejection is the end of the world, so I threw out the story and vowed never to write again. I was very dramatic! Now I really wish I’d saved both the story and the rejection.

Oh, wow! I wish you had too! That would be great to go in your "scrapbook of writing" Are the experiences in your stories based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Good heavens, no. I write paranormal and sci fi romance, so I get to make everything up. I find it so much more interesting than real life. In real life, I’m an accountant and we consider multiple tax forms to be exciting!

LOL, you're not the only one who finds it more interesting. I think paranormal is my number one love affair, and it's only seconded by Sci-fi/Fantasy. I know exactly what you mean. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

That’s a tough one. I would have to say Angela Knight. I adore her work, and she actually inspired me to start writing erotic romance. I devoured her book on writing erotic romance, and took a couple of her online courses. If I could inspire my readers as much as she does, I’d consider myself a good writer. When I pick up one of her books, I have to keep reading until I’m done.

Wow, she is one of my favorite authors. I have the same problem when I get one of her books, I have to make sure no one needs me for a bit and I immerse myself in her story. I am actually getting her book, and your endorsement makes me want to do it quicker. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

I belong to an online critique group that was started by a writer named Barbara Karmazin. I learned a great deal from them, especially in regards to basics such as POV and active versus passive writing. I really think that group is the reason I’ve gotten as far as I have with my writing career. And I can always count on them to cheer for me when I submit a manuscript.

Aren't crit groups great? I love mine! Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I’m working on the second book in a science fiction series called Stargazers. Changeling Press released the first book, Stargazers 1: Wanton in March. Stargazers are women with the ability to see and control the lines of psychic energy that join the planets and other heavenly bodies. They can tap into these power lines and bend the energy to their own use, much the same as the Druids of Earth used to do with ley lines. They can use the power to run space ships, machinery on-planet, etc. They are descended from the witches of old Earth, but were all born off-planet. No one is sure what causes theses particular females to mutate and develop this ability. They are very exotic looking and highly sought after, both by legitimate sources who want to hire them, and by pirates who enslave and sell them.

In Willful, a Stargazer who was born into the nobility on a small backwater planet has been pampered and spoiled all her life. But the planet runs into financial trouble and in order to save his people, her father agrees to bind her to a five year term of service aboard a vessel with two very virile interplanetary merchants. It’s been lots of fun to write. It’s due to be released in May.

Those both sound wonderfully intriguing and go right along with my love of SF/F. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I talk to the dog. I like to discuss plot lines with her, and she never argues with me, or tells me I’m crazy. She just looks very interested and then trots off to find a tennis ball. She feels the answer to everything can be found in a tennis ball.

Now for our nothing to do with writing questions. I sort of hesitate to ask this question but here goes: What animal do you think makes the best pet and why?

That’s a tough one. I have a Jack Russel terrier and a Himalayan cat. The best pet would vary depending on the person and their lifestyle. I’m very active, so the dog suits me. She goes to work and has a bed in my office. I have a carrier strapped to the back of my motorcycle and she loves to ride in it. She goes kayaking with me, and has learned to stay in the kayak. She makes me go for at least two walks a day, which is good for me. The cat was a foster that never left. He is very playful, keeps the dog company when I leave her home, and loves to lounge on windowsills and desks. He’s very large, and likes to cuddle up on the sofa in the evening. They are both rescues from the local animal shelter and I love them a lot. I can’t imagine life without my furry friends.

It does sound like a difficult choice, so I wouldn't ask you to choose which one would be best. They're both best. :-)When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?

I’m glad no one’s here to see me! It was not a pretty site. Gremlins with a nasty sense of humor snuck into my bedroom last night and styled my hair in a do that was cross between Frankenstein’s bride and something from the fifties. Very scary.

*snicker* I sat here laughing at that. Those gremlins must live in the walls of all our homes. What’s a saying you use a lot? Where did it originate from?

“Life’s not fair. Get used to it.”

I started saying it when my kids were young and would complain about things like their bedtime, or homework or chores not being fair. I’ve noticed my oldest son now uses it on his kids, so I guess it’s becoming a family tradition.LOL

LOL, that's perfect! Are you a morning person or a night person?

Definitely a morning person. I’m usually up by five and love to sit on the deck and watch the birds in the early morning. Of course, in the winter I watch from inside. I used to try to sleep in, but now I just go with it. The dog loves to walk in the fields in the early morning and everything smells so fresh and full of promise. It’s a magical time of day.

Ugghh, you're one of those. LOL, I don't do mornings very well. Do you like thunderstorms?

I have to admit I do. There is something awe inspiring about the power of nature when it is unleashed in a storm. I love to watch the forks of light flash across the sky and the rain pouring down in sheets. It’s very refreshing. When I was a kid, my mother used to let us go put on our bathing suits and go play in the rain!


I would have to agree with that one. Well, it was a great time having you here on the couch and we hope to see you again. Keep us updated on your upcoming and newest releases, we'd love to pass on the information. :-D

Anne Kane lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley with a bouncy Jack Russell terrier, a cantankerous Himalayan cat, a geriatric guinea pig and too many fish to count. She has two handsome sons and three adorable grandchildren. By day, she’s a respectable bean counter, but after hours her imagination soars and she writes romances that span the galaxy and encompass beings of all sizes, shapes and origins.

She first started telling stories as a toddler, and she just can’t seem to stop. In 2007, she decided it was time to get serious about writing and see where it would lead. Much to her surprise, it led to a contract with Changeling Press for STRANDED ON EARTH and a first place win in the Red Sage Publishing Alpha Male Contest. A contract for the winning story was also offered by Red Sage. Kellen’s Conquest will be included in Secrets, Volume 30, in December of 2009.

Her hobbies include kayaking, hiking, motorcycles, swimming, skating, playing guitar, singing and of course, reading. You can catch up with her on the web at her webpage and her blog.

Stargazers 1: Wanton by Anne Kane

When Tarik's brother is captured by the Intergalactic Council, the handsome cyborg realizes he'll need the help of a Stargazer if a rescue mission is to succeed. Problem is, as the leader of the rebellion he can't just advertise for a Stargazer willing to flaunt the Intergalactic Council. But when he kidnaps Krystal, he is completely unprepared for the irresistibly sexy young woman with a gentle soul. Now he’s torn between rescuing his brother and his growing attraction to the talented witch.