Good morning everyone, welcome to our next installment of the Mystery We Write, Blog Tour. Today our guest is Anne K. Albert. As always, there are refreshments for all. Pull up a seat or settle on the grass so we may begin.

Mary: Anne, letā€™s begin with contact information. Please tell everyone where we can find you. Web site, social media, blog etc.

Anne: Hi Mary, itā€™s great to be here!
Readers can visit my website: http://www.AnneKAlbert.com
My main blog: http://anne-k-albert.blogspot.com
My MRM blog: http://muriel-reeves-mysteries.blogspot.com
Iā€™m also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnneKAlbert
And Twitter: http://twitter.com/AnneKAlbert

Mary: Please tell us about you growing up, where are your roots?

Anne: I grew up on the outskirts of a small, rural community where everyone knew everyone elseā€¦and their business. My ancestors came from Ireland during the Potato Famine of the 1840s. I grew up in a large, extended family where everyone played the piano, violin, or ā€˜spoonsā€™, but somehow I never inherited that musical ability. Family gatherings were frequent and the perfect excuse to dance a jig. I had no idea how Celtic my upbringing was until many, many years later.

Mary: Do you know what you chose the Mystery/Suspense genre? Or did it pick you? Did your growing up years color your choice?

Anne: I suppose it was a little of both. The first books I read as a series were of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden. From there I discovered Agatha Christie and Erle Stanley Gardner. Iā€™ve always loved a cozy mystery.

Mary: Everyone comfortable? Please feel free to refill your glass whenever youā€™d like. And donā€™t miss out on the stuff mushrooms. Ready to continue? Anne, I see that you like to write in series, why?

Anne: It just feels like a natural thing to do, really! Returning to a story setting, visiting with characters whoā€™ve appeared in a previous book, and introducing new characters is just a whole lot of fun for me as an author. I think readers like that kind of familiarity as well.

Mary: What was the first book you remember that you read over and over? Was it a mystery?

Anne: Actually, it was a Tom and Jerry picture book. Jerry and his friends stole cupcakes from the humanā€™s kitchen, and of course, Tom wanted to stop them. I can remember the images of those delicious cupcakes in vivid color. The only mystery to me is why Iā€™ve hung onto that particular image all these years!

Mary: What advice would you give to someone who is about to set pen to paper for the first sentence? Or finger to keyboard, as the case may be.

Anne: Just have fun. Go with it. Finish the story. Then start another. Writers learn by writing.

Mary: Do you recommend that someone new to the industry belong to a writing organization? If so which one/ones, and why?

Anne: Oh, definitely. Belonging to a professional organization is a must. Taking that first step shows youā€™re serious about writing. I highly recommend Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

Mary: Okay, Anne, itā€™s time to get down and personal. No Iā€™m not asking about secrets in your closetā€”though if you want to shareā€¦ What I want to know is, what does Anne do for fun, enjoyment or relaxing when she doesnā€™t have her writer hat on.

Anne: I love to travel and discover new places, but I rarely stay put in one place very long, and hardly ever return for a second visit. There are just too many wonderful places to see before I die.

I could very well be a nomad, or a full-time RVer (even though Iā€™ve never set foot in one!) Iā€™ve crisscrossed America many, many times, and still have so much more to see.  Plus, touring Ireland is on my bucket list.

Mary: Is there anything youā€™d like to share with us that I havenā€™t thought to ask?

Anne: Iā€™d like to say thank you for featuring me, Mary, itā€™s been so much fun. Iā€™d like to invite readers to drop by my Muriel Reeves Mysteries blog http://muriel-reeves-mysteries.blogspot.com and leave a comment mentioning this interview, Iā€™ll enter their name in a draw to win a pdf copy of FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL. Iā€™ll announce the winner at the conclusion of the tour, sometime during the week of August 22, 2011.

Mary: Thank you, Anne, for joining us today in the Garden. Iā€™ve had a blast and Iā€™m sure everyone else has also.

Anne: It was my pleasure, Mary. Thank you!

Comments

Vivian Zabel saidā€¦
Visiting your garden, Mary, is a delight. I enjoyed the interview between you and Anne.

Vivian
Ann Summerville saidā€¦
I stopped by your blog today.
Ann
Jean Henry Mead saidā€¦
Enjoyed the interview and learning about your Celtic roots, Anne. And thanks, Mary, for the great refreshments.
Anonymous saidā€¦
Anne, nice interview! Mary, it's always nice to visit your garden.
Marja McGraw saidā€¦
Anne, Nice interview. I enjoyed learning about your roots and background. Frank, Incense and Muriel is a heck of a funny and fun book. I'm looking for more from you.
Anonymous saidā€¦
Thank you, Vivian for dropping by!
Anonymous saidā€¦
Thanks, Ann, for stopping by. So glad you could!
Anonymous saidā€¦
Your welcome, Jean. And yes, I wholeheartedly agree. Without Mary and everyone involved in the 2011 Mystery We Write Blog Tour, there wouldn't be one!
Anonymous saidā€¦
Thanks, Beth. Mary's garden is lovely!
Anonymous saidā€¦
Feedback from readers is wonderful, Marja. Thank you. I'm sure as an author yourself you understand when I say I only wish I could write faster!!
Anonymous saidā€¦
Mary, thank you SOOOO much for featuring me in your garden today. It's peaceful and relaxing. AND it smells good! ;-)
Sharon Ervin saidā€¦
I keep reading these blogs and learn something from each one. Isn't that funny?
Anonymous saidā€¦
Hi, Anne: Interesting about your Irish roots. My Irish ancestor beat yours to these shores by a hundred years -- in time to fight in the American Revolution. Fighters, lovers and musicians -- and that's just the tip of the Irish iceberg! lol

Pat Browning
Sorry it took me so long to get here. I'm at the PSWA conference. Great interview. Learning so much about you has been fun!
Mary saidā€¦
Thanks for dropping by and saying hi!

Anne thank you for visiting.
Jackie King saidā€¦
Another great interview, Anne and Mary. I enjoyed it very much.
Jackie
Anonymous saidā€¦
Thanks again, everyone for dropping by, and a special thank you to Mary for featuring me in your garden! Hugs. :)

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