Learn the tricks of the trade and 'tried and true' methods of writing success from seasoned writers!
Sister Site to Writer Gazette and EbooksCafe
Today's Date:

Writers Manual welcomes you!
Learn how to create a successful writing career!

An Interview With Ayn Hunt

Tell us a bit about yourself. What would you like us to know about you?

I'm a published writer with three Gothic mysteries, and my speciality is Ghosts. In the three years I've been researching them, I've found out there's certain rules of etiquette when dealing with them; how to tell the gender of the ghost one's dealing with; gender preferences of ghosts; types of hauntings; signs of a haunting; and what to do when you don't want to be haunted.

This summer my fourth book, a Romance will be published by Black Velvet Seductions, both as a paperback and e-book.

What are you doing now? (Career? Married? Single? Children? Pets?)

I've been happily married for the past 34 years, and hubby and I are both life-long Texans. Our 31-year-old daughter got married recently and lives a 20 minute drive away.

What is your favourite food?

Spaghetti.

What is your favourite colour?

Blue, all shades.

What is your favourite sound?

Sounds of the ocean.

Who is your favourite person?

My husband.

What is your favourite place?

Home. I'm a real homebody.

What is your favourite memory?

Walking along the beach at South Padre Island in the moonlight.

What is your favourite article of clothing?

Blue jeans.

What is your favourite word?

whisper.

What is your favourite writers' quote and why?

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can (from a children story, The Little Train That Could.

What is your most favourite quality about yourself?

Tenacity.

What is the least favourite quality about yourself?

I'm a worry-wort.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?

I'm already here, at home. I come alive when I get behind my computer and start writing. This is my little area, which I've redecorated three times in the past year. When I write, I get to become different people, exploring situations I'd never dare to do in 'real' life.

What inspires you to write and why?

I like exploring new worlds, new situations, but I've learned the world isn't as safe as I'd like it to be. When I write, I'm in control of the world I create, making it seem like a safer place, as I become the characters I write about, sseing what they see, smelling with they smell, fearing what they fear, touching what they touch. I enjoy the variety.

What is your favourite book and why?

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I fell in love with David.

What is your favourite genre and why?

I love all types of Romances, the spicer the better, because I like sex.

List your three favourite authors (any genre) and why?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, because I like the time frame they are set in, the character of both Holmes and Dr. Watson, and enjoy solving puzzles.

Susan Johnson's another favorite. She writes spicy historical romances and I like sex that's realistically portrayed.

Susan Isaacs she writes realisitic contemporary light mysteries with just a hint of sex. I like her character development.

What do you think makes a writer successful?

Tenacity. Believing in themselves. Being curious and watching people. Enjoying being alone for hours at a time.

Whta is it that makes you successful as a writer?

I'm stubborn; I don't give up easily. I write what I like, which is to say, I write the kind of books I buy, commercial fiction. I found out everything I could about the business of writing when I first started out eons ago, so I never had any illusions. I write because I WANT to write, because I HAVE to write. It's a need, as important as being able to breathe.

What are your goals as a writer?

Having as many published books as I can, at least 15 more. Being able to pay the bills by writing full time.

What is the best tip you can give to fellow writers?

Never give up. Believe in yourself, and learn to brush off criticism.

What do you hope to provide your readers with through your writing?

Entertainment, pure and simple. People get to escape the 'real' world for a time by reading them.

List your three favourite online writer-resource sites and why (include URLS).

www.GottaWriteNetwork.com. There are a lot of of good articles there about all the genres on that site. A person can learn a lot from it.

www.FictionFactor.com. This is a site that's about the nuts and bolts of the writing world, with everything from publishers to agents.

www.BellaOnLine.com. Exploring the site's an education not only about writing, but about every facet of books.

If you have published a book, tell us about your publishing success (title, publishing date and company, where it is available to purcahse).

Unwilling Killers, 2002, PublishAmerica.com. Available from PublishAmerica.com, Amazon.com, Target.com, and River Oaks Bookstore in Houston, Texas.

The Haunting, 2004, Wings-Press.com as both an ebook and paperback. Available from the publisher and autographed copies from my website at www.AuthorsDen.com/aynhunt.

Obsessed, 2003, LondonCircle.com. Out of print.

Contract Bride, scheduled publishing date Summer, 2006, from www.BlackVelvetSeductions.com, as both a paperback and e-book. Available from www.BlackVelvetSeductions.com and auographed copies from my website.

How long did it take you to write your book(s)?

For Unwilling Killers, it took close to two years.

For Obsessed, 1 year.

For The Haunting, 9 months.

For Contract Bride, 2 years.

What would you do differently if you could repeat the same publishing experience?

Nothing.

What have you learned about the publishing world?

Writing is a business, pure and simple. Publishers want to make money. The more money they make off your books, the more you make.

It's also up to us as writers to promote our books ourselves. We need to set up book signings (for local exposure), library talks (for more local exposure), write articles for ezines to get our name out there, network with other writers to keep abreast of publisher news, have professionally looking business cards and give them out everywhere, including with checks when we pay our bills.

And equally important, write more books.

This is your chance to 'Talk Back' to your readers. What would you like to say to them?

When you open up one of my books, prepare to escape. There aren't any hidden messages in them; they are pure entertainment.

What's the one thing that you want them to know about your writing?

Reviewers say my Gothics have the feel of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. (www.GottaWriteNetwork.com/thehaunting.html)

Margaret Marr of MargaretMarrPresent.com, 'complained' "it [The Haunting] kept [her] up all night reading, perched on the edge of [her] seat, jumping at strange noises."

Liz Bennefeld of PatchworkProse.com said "Miss Hunt's characters come alive as she draws gently on common human foibles in Unwilling Killers...I look forward to reading more of her books."

So the reviews have been good, but I'd like people to read them, themselves and tell me what they think.

Use of this web site is an indication of your agreement with our Terms of Service. Copyright 2001, 2002 Writers Manual and Topzone Systems Inc. All contents and graphics copyrighted - Do not copy! Contact us at: editor@writersmanual.com Web Design by Krista Barrett.