1. How much research went into High Tide? Did you just have to research the area you've written about or did it include research into detective and police procedures?
As it isn’t a police procedural novel there wasn’t a lot of research and as I lived in Cornwall for a number of years most of the descriptions are from memory. A difficult decision was whether to use English of American English. For example check in England is cheque. When I was reading to a critique group some of the terms and spelling confused the members and so I decided to use American English as it was written for an American audience.
2. Is Gia's character based off of anyone you know? Can you tell us anything about Gia that only you know - it isn't revealed in the book?
That’s a good question. None of my characters are based on one particular person, but I do add characteristics from friends or people I know. I haven’t revealed much about Gia’s relationship with her father as her mother is so dominant, but I want to bring that out more in the next book.
3. Are you planning to make this book into a series and if so, what can we expect from Gia in future works? I realize you won't want to give anything away but maybe just a glimpse?
I want to at least write one more book in this series (A Graceful Death was the first). Maybe there will be a wedding, maybe a brush with authorities, maybe one or two murders. Hopefully, the next one will be ready for publication in 2012.
4. What books are you currently reading?
I received, in the mail this week, Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton. I love her books both the series with Hamish and the one with Agatha Raisin.
5. Any advice for those currently struggling to get published?
I was fortunate to come across a great critique group, Trinity Writers’ Workshop in Bedford, Texas. If there aren’t any in your area then find a book you love in the same genre you are writing and study it. I took a Susan Wittig Albert book and wrote a synopsis and outline and studied her plot line. Richard Russo has a wonderful way of bring characters to life. Writing the Breakout Workbook by Donald Maas is also a good book and Margie Lawson at www.MargieLawson.com has great classes on developing characters and deep editing. You can purchase her lecture notes if you can’t attend her classes. Above all, if writing is your passion, never give up. We don’t all enjoy the same books so don’t view rejection as something against you personally, just keep working to improve your craft.
Giovanna Matthews settles happily into the English west country village of Lowenna, but a storm is about to rock her world. Distressing the ladies from the knitting circle, a body drifts in with a high tide and unconvinced the death is an accident, Gia leaves no pebble unturned while sleuthing her way around the village. Her delving further disrupts village life much to the distress of many villagers who want every rock to stay firmly in place. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, David, has an unwelcome visitor who threatens to unravel the bonds that tie him and Gia. Can Gia solve the mystery and encourage the visitor to leave before her anchor in the village is uprooted and she too is cast out to sea?
Ann has lowered the price on all three of her books for e-readers to $2.99 this month and will be giving away three High Tide books. www.cozyintexas.blogspot.com
Ann Summerville was born in England, and in search of a warmer climate, moved to California before settling in Texas. Ann is a member of Trinity Writers' Workshop and resides in Fort Worth with her son, two boisterous dogs and a somewhat elusive cat.
