Anya Bast

Cross-posted from the Bradford Bunch (there’s a contest over there)

First, a couple of newsy-type calendar items:

Chat this Wednesday: I have a Writerspace chat to discuss my most recent release, Taken, this Wednesday, Feb 18th at 9:00pm eastern. The last two times I was supposed to chat at Writerspace, I lost electricity due to the weather (the weather gods have not been happy with us lately) and was either in a hotel room without access to the chat room or simply without power. However, I have checked the weather and all looks clear. I vow to be there! I’ll give away prizes.

Book signing this Saturday: If you’re in the Kentucky area, stop by the The Bookstore (301 W Lincoln Trail Blvd, Radcliff, KY. Tel: 270-351-1801) on Saturday 2-4pm and see Anya Bast and Shiloh Walker. I’ll be signing Witch Heart and I think Shi will have Fragile.

New release coming up: Twenty four paranormal short stories, including tales from Sherrilyn Kenyon, Cheyenne McCray, Alyssa Day, Carrie Vaughn, Allyson James & Anya Bast. Releases March 9, 2009. (March is coming up fast) My story is called Taking Hold and is a werewolf tale.

Workshop and book signing: Are you a writer? Are you in the Kentucky area? Make sure you attend Spring Into Writing with the Kentucky Romance Writers at the end of March. This two day long affair is kicked off with a book signing at the Lexington Barnes & Noble and a dinner afterward. Saturday will be a day of fun and workshops. I’ll be talking about what it’s like to go from eBook to print & the differences and similarities between the two. Go the Kentucky Romance Writers web site for details.

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Okay, got all that out the way.

Last weekend I finished the first draft of Wicked Enchantment (I don’t know if that title will stick), the first novel is what I hope will be a new series for Berkley Sensation. It’s paranormal romance, like the Elemental Witchess…yet, different. It’s contemporary and urban set, but with more of a fantasy feel to it. The worldbuilding is more complex than anything I’ve ever written before and will require a glossary of terms and a map.

I draw a lot of my world from Irish and Scottish legends of the fae, imbuing it all with my own twist. Lots of authors have drawn from the same sources that I did to build their series, but I think my world will be different from anything you’ve ever read. I know it’s different from anything I’ve ever read.

Honestly? That’s sort of scary. It’s frightening to launch a new series, never mind one that has a concept that’s really not been tested by any authors who came before you. For a long while I fretted and angsted and second guessed myself on it. In the end, my love of the world and the characters won out.

There comes a time in any new world a writer is creating when the writer must either ditch the idea or invest themselves in it. So about midway through the novel, I stopped fretting, angsting and second guessing and I did just that–I invested myself in the world and freed myself to write it without worry. I “own” that world now, for better or for worse. I do hope my readership likes what I’ve done. It’s a little nervewracking to make decisions about plot and characters that are a bit off the beaten path, knowing you’re about to expose all those decisions to fifty thousand people. (Have you ever had a dream about taking a test naked? Yeah.)

But, wow, I had fun writing this novel and I’m so excited about this new world. I’m having fun with it and I think that’s key. Because if the author is not having fun, the reader probably won’t either, right?

I’d love to blather on about the book and the characters with more specifics (I just did and had to delete it all), but since my editor hasn’t even seen the book yet, I better not!

Anyway, here’s to enjoying life, your work, and to taking big, hairy, scary risks. Can you think of a time when you took a huge risk and wondered how it might turn out? Tell me about it in the comments. Or, do it over at Bradford for a chance to win a prize.

Contest Winner from my V-Day contest: Janis! Congrats! Please drop me an email via the contact form on my site with your address, Janis!