Q & A with Anita Hughes
Who is Anita Hughes? I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. I live with my family in a villa on the grounds of the St. Regis, Monarch Beach. I am a mother, writer, taxi service for my children, cook, laundress and dog washer.
What are your days/nights like? I take my children to school and then sit down and write. At noon I take a break and walk my dog to the beach. I love to think while I walk. By the time I get home I usually have the next section of my manuscript worked out. Then I pick the kids up, help with homework, make dinner and hang out with them in the evening. After they have gone to bed I revise what I wrote that day and plan the next day’s writing.
How did you come up the title of “Monarch Beach?” Actually an editor at St. Martin’s Press came up with the title! I am so grateful because it fits perfectly. I love my cover and my title: they make me feel like I’m at the beach even when I’m not.
If “Monarch Beach” were turned into a movie, who would you choose for actors? I could see Natalie Portman or Ann Hathaway as Amanda. Adrian Grenier would make a perfect Andre and Alec Baldwin would be terrific as Edward. I see Stephanie as someone really fun – maybe Kate Hudson.
What inspired “Monarch Beach?” I live on the grounds of the St. Regis and I am surrounded by beauty. I thought – if you were really unhappy would living in a gorgeous place make you feel better – or do you take your grief wherever you go?
How did you celebrate your first book being published? My children and I went out for frozen yoghurt. I did browse online for pretty shoes and dresses but I decided I would save that for my first author event.
What are your favorite must-haves for writers? I need my laptop, coffee and a good book. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, so I always have to have a great book on my bedside table.
Explain what would be your perfect day? Sleep in and then go to the spa and sit in the Tranquility Room. Then go for a swim or walk along the beach. At night, I love to watch a great movie or a show on HBO.
What’s your favorite snack to eat during the editing or writing process? I like a cup of coffee when I’m revising. It gives me a burst of energy to do my best work.
Do you have any advice for new writers? My advice is to completely immerse yourself in your manuscript. When I am working on a novel, I think about it all the time. Make your characters your friends, live in their world, and it will come alive.
What is the best advice you’ve been given? To write the books I want to read. I look forward to sitting down and writing – it is like reading but better. It is exciting to see what appears on the page.
Do you have any upcoming projects? If so, tells us: My second novel, MARKET STREET, will be released on March 26th, 2013. I love the cover and I’m really excited about it. A third novel, LAKE COMO, will come out some time next year.
Additional comments from Anita: Thank you so much for hosting me on your wonderful blog, Isabella!
**Visit Anita at any of the below links:
**Click HERE to read my review of “Monarch Beach”
