I discovered Anna Cruise last month. She is a New Adult author that I had been meaning to read for a while, but just not quite getting there. After a bike accident forced me to slow down a little, I started going through the back log of books on my kindle. Maverick was one of the first books I read and I LOVED it. Like, devoured it!!
After that, I started working through all of Anna's books and soon became an avid fan. She has a great style, good pacing, fantastic characters that are easy to fall for and the dialogue is brilliant. I have loved ALL her books and given each one a 5-star review. So, I thought I'd highlight her today so you could discover her awesomeness too.
I contacted Anna and asked her if she'd be willing to share with us why she loves to write and her answer was the perfect indication of why I love her work so much, because it's exactly how I feel too :)
"Why do I write? I write because I can't *not* write. I write because, if I didn't, I would feel less whole. An incomplete me. Writing is like finding the pieces to my own puzzle...and some of those pieces were ones I never knew existed until words spilled on to the page. I write for my readers but, if push came to shove, if no one ever bought or read any of my books, I would still write. Because, ultimately, I write for me."
So without further ado, here is Anna Cruise's fantastic selection of books.
I was chatting to an author friend of mine the other day about bad boys and good guys. We were discussing the merits of both types of love stories.
The ones where the bad boy is turned around by the love of a good girl is appealing. There is something very sexy about it, yet also redeeming. I think it's easy to be attracted to a bad boy. There is something dangerous and sexy about them. The only thing I don't like about it, is the way these female characters put up with being treated like crap. Because sometimes bad boys are just bad boys and there is no redemption for them. I read a great book last month by Anna Cruise - If I Fall and it was actually refreshing to read about a bad boy, who actually stayed bad, because at his core he was a callous jerk. It made the good guy in the story so much cooler.
Which leads me to the good guys.
I love good guys. I love the idea that they exist :) Because they do. There are plenty of amazing men in this world who really care about their women. They want to protect and cherish their girl and I love writing characters like that. They may not be quite as dangerous and sexy, but they are just so incredibly sweet and good, we don't need them to be.
This discussion got me thinking about all the love interests I've written in my books and I've quickly come to realize that I like writing characters that are now good, but used to be bad - like Dale Finnigan from the Betwixt Series. He has been one of my favourite characters to write. Because of his bad boy years he has a depth of character that I love.
Who are you attracted to in books?
Do you like the bad boy? The good guy? Or the guy who has redeemed himself and become worthy of the girl's love?
Me personally - I like reading all three. Variety is the spice of life, right?
It is very cool to have Anna Cruise visiting us today. I am so super excited about her books! Just the cover of If I Fall is enough to get me interested.
Today she's here to tell us about her musical inspiration for this book.
Welcome to YAlicious, Anna!
I love music. Almost as much as books.
What do I not love? Listening to music while writing
books.
I know, I know. Tons of writers have playlists that they
write to, songs that propel their stories forward, that help mold and shape
their characters. Yeah, not me.
Here's what would happen if I listened to music while I was
writing.
Now, with that being said, I do have songs that inspire me
to write my stories. Um, I just can't listen to them while I'm writing.
For IF
I FALL, my new YA book, I had a slew of songs I would listen to...when I wasn't
writing. When I was thinking about Meg, my main character, and the monumental
mess she'd made of her life. When I was thinking about Aidan, the gorgeous bad
boy who helped her make that mess. And when I was thinking about Case, the
friend she didn't even know she had, championing her cause.
Instead of writing a guest post about the story, I thought
I'd share some of the songs I listened to while I was thinking about Meg and
Aidan and IF I FALL.
Nobody's Home – Avril Lavigne
This song pretty much sums up Meg's life. She wants to go
home—but nobody's there. Nobody she can connect with, anyway, and certainly no
one who can help her navigate everything that's going on in her life.
(Sorry - I am having trouble uploading this clip, so follow the link...it's worth it. Melissa)
This is an obscure, brilliant band from Southern California.
Listen beyond the instrumental opening and you'll hear a sweetly haunting song
about saying “your last goodbye”—just like Meg did when her
father drives away in the opening scene.
Free Falling – Tom Petty
One of my most favorite songs in the Universe. The first
four words of the song pretty much sum up Meg: “She's a good girl...” and these
words, “And I'm a bad boy 'cuz I don't even miss her...” have Aidan written all
over them.
Just The Way You Are – Bruno Mars
I'm not a big Bruno Mars fan, but this song—for me,
anyway—speaks exactly to how Case feels about Meg. He's not trying to change
her, he's not trying to make her into someone she's not and he's not trying to
make her feel bad about who she's become. He doesn't care about any of that. He
likes her for who she is, flaws and all. Just the way she is.
I could list more, but I think those four tell the story
pretty well. But you won't hear them playing while I'm working. My words and
their lyrics have to keep their distance from one another.
You might, however, hear me singing them while I'm in the
shower...
Wow - I have to say that I LOVE your taste in music. Thanks so much for sharing, Anna :)
*****
Anna Cruise has been writing and drooling over boys since middle
school. Lots of years have passed but some things never change...
IF I FALL
is her second book but her first YA title, IT
WAS YOU, a New Adult title, was released February 2013. She is currently at
work on two additional NA books (including Tana's story from IT WAS YOU) and
another YA title.
Anna loves
to hear from readers and authors. Email her at authorannacruise@gmail.com. You
can also like her Facebook page,
find her on Twitter @AnnaCruiseBooks, friend her on Goodreads or check
out her blog: http://annacruisebooks.blogspot.com
Welcome to April's Edition of Cover Love. I had some gorgeous covers to share with you this month.
The top billing for me is an upcoming release called Skin Deep by T. G. Ayer. This cover is gorgeous and I'm super excited about reading the book.
Panther Shape-shifter Kailin Odel just wants to be normal. Leaving
her clan, and her Alpha responsibilities, to live with her grandmother in
Chicago had been the best thing for her. Only then did she discover her ability
to track and kill the soul sucking undead creatures called Wraiths. Now she
protected the humans, and had something to be proud of.
But, when she discovers the body of a murdered shape shifter,
Kailin has to come to terms with the reality that her own kind are just as
vulnerable as the humans.
The closer Kailin gets to the killer the more she has to face
the intricacies of her people. When the time comes can she accept who and what
her real purpose is?
Here is the Goodreads link so you can add the book to your reading list: SKIN DEEP
Another cover that caught my eye this week is If I Fall by Anna Cruise. I love what the girl is wearing, how she's leaning against the railing...the look on her face. It's all good!
You can check out this book on Goodreads and add it to your reading list: IF I FALL
The fourth book in Alexia Purdy's A Dark Faerie Tale series is coming out later this year. Here's the cover... isn't it cool! I love the mysterious vibe.
You can check out this book on Goodreads and add it to your reading list: EVER WRATH
There are SO many more covers I can share. Books seem to be firing onto the web at lightning speed, but I'll stick with those three for now. I hope you enjoy them when they are released later in the year.
