Ask the Author: Ann Collins
Answered Questions (4)
Ann Collins
Ideas can come from anywhere. They can spring into your head fully formed or take their time and evolve from a seed to a tree that overtakes your life until you do something about it. The idea for my most recent book, BLUE DIAMOND DEATH, evolved when I started to wonder if the infamous and historic Hope Diamond--a gorgeous blue diamond at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC--could have a sister stone cut from the same original rough. Because I like romantic suspense, I needed to create a hero and heroine and a threat. I've always been interested in gemology, so what better way to learn more about the field than by inventing a gemologist character as my heroine. Of course I wanted a strong hero for Kathleen, preferably one in law enforcement since that's the last kind of man she wanted. Because there are already a lot of FBI agents in novels, I decided to go with an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent, which seemed only right since San Diego is on the U.S.-Mexican border. My hometown is La Jolla, California, which translates to "The Jewel," the perfect place for a story that involves gems and jewelry, sun-drenched beaches and fog-enshrouded cliffs, love and danger.
Ann Collins
Never give up. Some people are gifted, natural-born storytellers who find success right out of the gate. The rest of us need a lot more time to create a really good book that readers will love. Revision is part of writing. If you receive a critique from someone, don't get defensive. Give yourself some time to process the critique. It was likely meant to help you and your book. If it's good advice, take advantage of it and revise your book. If it's not helpful, move on.
Ann Collins
As a writer, I get to be creative. I use my imagination. I bring characters to life for readers. A hero and heroine fall in love. Criminals get caught or suffer for their misdeeds. I have the power to make things happen.
Ann Collins
Writer's block is tough, and I think there are different kinds of blocks. For me, sometimes it's a scene that's just not working. Things get worse if I try to force it. Once I step back, give my subconscious some time to work on the problem, and allow myself to be open to totally reworking the scene or replacing it entirely, then the block goes away. Other times, when I'm feeling "blocked," I may just be procrastinating because I haven't committed myself to a project. Researching and writing a book is a huge commitment. There are so many other things I could be doing. Eventually though, the project (or characters) keeps tapping me on the shoulder, and I get down to the business of writing.
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