Author Anya Wylde Talks Writing

I am always delighted when I meet a ‘new-to-me’ author and have the pleasure of introducing them to you as well. I’m thrilled to welcome author Anya Wylde here today to talk about her writing and her current release, THE WICKED WAGER.

Anya lives in Ireland along with her husband and a fat French poodle (now on a diet). She can cook a mean curry, and her idea of exercise is occasionally stretching her toes. She holds a degree in English literature and adores reading and writing.

THE WICKED WAGER is a Regency murder mystery with a tantalizing slice of romance. Here’s the synopsis: The infamous rake, Lord Richard Hamilton, has finally chosen his bride—the very appropriate Miss Emma Grey. The ton approves, Lord Grey is pleased, Lady Grey delighted, and Emma is over the moon, but her uncle, (the blasted) Duke of Arden opposes the match, and Emma is ordered to move to the duke’s estate to think things over.

Richard Hamilton refuses to take things lying down and concocts a plan. A plan that should have brought the lovers together and had them married within a month. It was a simple matter of masquerading as the duke’s gardener, compromising the lady, and then having the duke rush them off to Gretna Green. 

Alas, he underestimates the duke’s intelligence and the tangled situation on the estate—never had he imagined that compromising a lady could be so difficult. 

His endeavours lead to a comedy of errors, charades, and knotty love affairs. Yet he forges ahead in spite of pesky house guests, a flea bitten mattress, his lovesick best friend, and a blackmailer.
Just when things seem to be going well, someone is murdered (very inconvenient), and he happens to be one of the suspects (extremely inconvenient). His simple plan for winning the wager suddenly becomes … a tad complicated. 
 
Anya has graciously answered some questions about her writing for me.

Mason - What is an average writing day like for you? Do you write longhand and/or on the computer, have a favorite place to write, a favorite time to write, listen to music, etc.? 
 
Anya - First of all, Mason, thank you for inviting me to your blog. I have the oddest working hours. I fall out of bed at three or four in the morning feeling hungry and head straight to the kitchen to turn on the kettle and make some breakfast. 

Once I am in the kitchen and the eggs are boiling, I turn on my decrepit laptop. If it does manage to splutter to life, I procrastinate. I dawdle, I surf the web, reply to emails and wolf down my breakfast. Thereafter, I have an inner battle where I scold myself and argue as to how important it is that I need to start work. 
 
After that, I sit on the couch with a second cup of tea and begin working like a mad woman. And if anyone dares to disturb me while I am writing, then that person (husband) or dog (French poodle) witnesses my inner Medusa in all its glory. 

Once I do start writing, it is hard for me to stop. I write until my eyes droop and my brain ceases to function. I take a nap, wake up, do all the boring housework, and then its play time. I go to bed (times vary) and the whole process repeats itself.

Mason - What is the worst advice you’ve ever received concerning writing? 
 
Anya - Hmm … no one has ever really advised me badly, but I will say that once someone read a draft of my book. That unnamed person told me that the ending of my book was akin to an episode of a Scooby Doo cartoon. It had me rethinking my career choice for a whole of five minutes.

Mason - Of all the authors (past and present) you enjoy reading, has any one (or more) been an influence in your writing?
  
Anya - Lots of authors influence my work like the Bronte sisters, Jonathan Swift, Roald Dahl, Julia Quinn, Agatha Christie, and of course P. G. Woodhouse. At times I find my inspiration in poets like Neruda, Rossetti, Blake, and Keats.
 
Mason - What type of research did you do for this book?
  
Anya - I read a lot. I spent a few weeks simply reading books set in the Regency era. After that, I dug up travel accounts from the same period and Google proved to be an excellent source. I enjoy researching, and at times I had to reign myself back. Over researching can also be a problem. Readers want to hear the story and not dry facts.

Mason - What can readers look forward to next from you?
  
Anya - I am currently working on a Regency romance called ‘PENELOPE’. It is a humorous tale of a young country bumpkin who arrives (along with Lady Bathsheba - her pet goat) for a season in London in hopes of catching a man. I hope to have it launched soon. After that I will be working on a series set in the Regency genre which will again be a murder mystery with a bit of romance.

Anya, thanks so much for answering these questions. Your writing schedule had me smiling. It sounds like something I’d do.

Anya says her website is currently undergoing surgery, but once it’s all patched up it should be available for all the latest updates. Until then she can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Goodreads.

Do you enjoy stories set in the Regency era that have a mixture of romance and mystery to them? If it were possible, would you like to visit the Regency era? Don’t you just love the book cover? It’s a mixture of sexy, mysterious and genteel all at once. Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have a great day and remember to share a book with a friend.