Writing the Danger

 

I’d like to give a warm welcome to Betty Ann Harris, a talented author, published with Red Rose Publishing.

Betty Ann Harris : From my home in southeastern Pennsylvania, I can look out at the scenic rolling hills, watch hawks soar above, or see a family of deer run back to their wooded safe haven. It’s an ideal place to live and work, and to be inspired. It is from this beautiful place that I write my stories of romance.
I had always enjoyed reading Nancy Drew mysteries when I was a teen, and then became intrigued by a good spy story, like James Bond. As I became a young adult, romance novels would just take me away, to a place I would fantasize about. I combined the two genres, romance and suspense, and my first novella, Eureka Point, was written. It’s a spellbinding tale of deceit, danger, love and romance. Eureka Point is available at Red Rose Publishing.

After Eureka Point was released, I wrote My Very Special Agent, second in the special agent series, which was released in April, 2008. My third published work is a short story, Storm At Midnight, which was released in late August, 2008.    
 Writing is my passion and an important part of my life. But besides writing, I’m a married mother of two grown boys and two adorable dogs. I enjoy reading, music, gardening, and interior decorating. I also have a passion for the Victorian era and the time honored tradition of taking afternoon tea and going to tearooms.   

 

I’d like to discuss the origins, the process and the early days of your writing.

 

Where do you think your writing comes from?

 

 

My dad was a wonderful storyteller. He would keep company amused for hours telling them stories, which were quite often actual events, but embellished, about things that had happened to him during his very interesting life. I always enjoyed hearing him tell his stories, and as I matured, I realized I enjoyed telling a good story myself.  

 

When and why did you begin writing?

 

 

My favorite subject in elementary school was reading. I was terrible at math, and not too thrilled with geography and science. But I realized at an early age that I liked words and enjoyed a good story. My sixth grade English teacher was awesome. She had my class read a book and present a visual book report, either finding or drawing pictures with written captions, to explain what the book was about. Once my love of words was established, I started writing poems.

 

How do you come up with your ideas and settings? 

 

 

To be honest, I come up with a lot of my ideas when I’m lying in bed at night. I have a creative imagination. As far as coming up with settings, that stems from years of traveling with my parents. We visited some exotic and gorgeous locations, such as the tip of Spain where you can look and see the rock of Gibraltar and farther off in the distance, South Africa. I literally was standing on the edge of land where I could stick my foot in the Mediterranean, then run fifty feet and stick my foot in the Atlantic Ocean. I have always gotten a thrill from ominous weather conditions, like thunder storms, and from extreme contrasts in scenery, like the mountains that meet the beaches in California along the Pacific Coast Highway.       

 

What is your process? Do you have any rituals? Do you adhere to a writing schedule?

 

 

I usually write in the earlier part of the day, after I’ve finished my housework. I usually have a cup of tea and sit in a recliner with my laptop. I have to be comfortable. I don’t write everyday, but most days I do.   

 

 

What motivates Betty Ann Harris?

 

 

Motivation comes to me in many ways.   Movies, books, music, and real life events are often great motivators for me. Writing for me is a passion, something I need to do.   

 

Tell us about the early days in your writing career. What was the first piece you wrote? What inspired you?

 

My earliest writings were poems. My first published poem, The English Rose, was written after the tragic death of Princess Diana. My second published poem, The Silver Slipper, was written about the moon, for which I’ve always had a fascination. Both poems were entries at Poetry.com, and both were published. My first book, Eureka Point, had been a story in my mind for about six months. To be honest, the idea, at that point, to write an entire book, was a bit daunting. But once I started, I had to finish it. Once Eureka Point was finished and contracted, the next book, My Very Special Agent, seemed to fall neatly into place. My most recent published work, a short story titled, Storm At Midnight, was released in late August, 2008.

 

What do you read for pleasure? What’s the book sitting on top of your to read pile?

 

 

I love to snuggle up with a good murder mystery or romantic suspense. In all honesty, the book on the top of my reading pile is The Saving Graces by Patricia Gafney, which is a book I read years ago, and enjoyed so much, I got it out to re-read.

 

What has influenced you the most in your writing career?

 

 

I believe I have an overwhelming desire to communicate with others and to tell a good story. I also like being able to “control” my characters and perhaps live out my fantasies through them. I’m a passionate person.  

 

 

What’s on your desk right now?

 

 

At the moment I’m working on a book titled, The Importance of Being Prudence, which is a story of a quirky small town librarian who has a knack for solving mysteries. But this time, she may be over her head.  I’m also brewing another romantic suspense.  

 

What’s in your future? What are you planning to do next?

 

 

I’ve just submitted my third manuscript in the special agent series. Once it is published in e-book, it will join Eureka Point and My Very Special Agent, in the series and the series will be released in paperback. I’m really excited about that. I will keep writing, but I’m also employed as a copy editor for an e-publisher, and hope to become a full-time editor in the future.        

 

 

Now I’d like to discuss Eureka Point, your romance/suspense special agent series.

 

 

 

What is the premise of Eureka Point? Tell us a bit about the book.

 

 

Eureka Point, a spellbinding romantic suspense, is the first novella in The Special Agent Series. Katie Montgomery learns that her estranged husband, Craig Montgomery, has been deceiving her and is involved with a dangerous South American drug cartel. He becomes a fugitive and leaves Katie alone and in danger. The FBI is afraid that the drug cartel thinks Katie may know all about their drug operation, and to protect her the FBI assists her in assuming a new identity. Then enters Tom, the FBI special agent assigned to protect her. He is totally smitten with her and will do anything to protect her. They fall for each other but Katie cannot allow herself to give in and show her true feelings.

Unexpected twists and turns keep you on your toes as you root for Tom, who turns out to be the modern day knight in shining armor.

 

How did you come up with the idea?

 

 

I have always loved spy stories and special agents. And, as I have always been a self-admitted hopeless romantic, I took those two genres and blended them together. I had the spark of the premise, and it just flowed.

 

 

Did you know from the beginning how you would end the book? Are you a methodical plotter or do you let the book lead you?

 

 

I did not know how I would end the story. I just went with it as I wrote. I am not a methodical plotter. I just let the story unfold bit by bit as I write.

 

Is there a message in Eureka Point you’d like your readers to grasp?

 

 

There are several messages in Eureka Point, but the main one is, life can be tricky and seem unfair. You can be sitting on top one day, and fall off, ending up in the pits. But that doesn’t mean it’s the end. It may be just the derailment you needed to start you down a new and better path of life.

 

 

Where can we learn more about you?

 

My website address is http://www.bettyannharris.com      

My books are available at http://www.redrosepublishing.com, or on Amazon and Fictionwise.

My space address is http://www.myspace.com/baharris

 

 

Thank you, Betty Ann. For more about Betty Ann Harris, follow the links above.

 

 

I wish everyone a very happy holiday season. Thanks for reading and come back again.

 

All the best,

Joyce Adair