Welcome to Anita's Attic!

Hi everyone. Welcome to Anita’s Attic. This is my first post as an official Mysteries and Margaritas blogger. First, I’m thrilled to be here, so climb up the creaky stairs, cross the dusty floor, pull up an old trunk, and have a seat. We’ll get to know each other…if the ghosts will leave us alone. Did I mention that my attic is haunted? My muse lives here. I didn’t know I had a muse, but turns out she’s the ghost of Attic’s Past and she insists I should give you a little of my backstory.

I’ve always loved reading, particularly mysteries and romance. A little over five years ago, just before my daughter started kindergarten, I had been on an intense reading fest and decided I wanted to write a story my way. Since the plan was for me to go back to work in a few months, which I really didn’t want to do, I decided it was now or never. If I could sell a book, I would have a legitimate career doing something I loved and that would be that. I would write a wonderful book and someone would immediately buy it. HA!

I had no clue how this business worked. I’m not sure I do even now. But I set out to work. I wrote and queried, got some rejections, and kept learning and writing. After a couple of years, I met Christine Witthohn at a conference. She really put me on the right track with my writing. Even though I wasn’t a client, she gave me great advice, and she wanted to see my stuff. She took a look and agreed to represent me. Finding her was the smartest move I’ve made as a writer. Because I was so new at writing, I kept revising and polishing my story. Finally, she and I were both happy with it and she submitted it. Three years, eleven months, and twenty-two days after I started writing, I sold my first book. I was on cloud nine. I’m still working on that series, a paranormal romantic suspense series about Secret Warriors, Ancient Evil, and Destined Love, and I’m also working on a cozy mystery series.

The paranormal series is about a secret clan of warriors that has existed since the beginning of time. Put in place by Michael the Archangel, these warriors guard unsuspecting humans from the demons hiding among us, disguised as our neighbors, and sometimes our friends, while they attempt to spread their evil and eventually destroy our world. These warriors are equipped with powerful senses, strong muscles, and speed. They have some cool toys as well: Swords, talismans that zap out a laser-like beam of light to destroy a demon (also any humans who get in the way), and time vaults created to hold demons until Judgment. Time stops inside these time vaults, and they won’t open for 150 years, just in case someone finds one and tries to open it, the demon would be powerless.

This is where the first story comes in. Faelan, one of the mightiest warriors, is betrayed and trapped inside the time vault he had brought to imprison the demon he was battling. Trapped inside, Faelan sleeps for 150 years. Along comes Bree Kirkland, a quirky historian who secretly wants to be Indiana Jones. She’s always been haunted by history and the lure of hidden treasure. When she inherits her grandma’s house, she finds a journal and a treasure map in an old trunk in the attic. (Aren’t attics great?) Bree follows the clues which lead to the crypt behind her house, but she finds far more than buried treasure, and her life will never be the same.

Awaken the Highland Warrior has Romance, Adventure, and Suspense. It's available for preorder at bookstores now. So, now you know a little about me. Now it’s your turn. Tell me how you came to be a writer and/or a reader?