Make Note of Anna Ialacci

Greetings, noters!

You might have noticed I’ve been a little quiet on the interwebs recently. I was lucky enough to take some time away from New York in early August to visit with family & friends in Maine. We swam in the lake, went boat riding, and ate a LOT of food. I think Jax, Coco, and Hazel would be proud. I certainly gave Jax a run for her money when it came to having a sweet tooth. Nothing makes my day like a peanut butter whoopie pie.

It was also a much-needed time to rest and recharge. I didn’t do any writing or serious work, although I did tinker with some ideas that popped into my mind as new experiences were had. As we head into September, I’m planning my end-of-year projects and debating what needs to happen next. Lots to think about, and I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

I’m so excited to introduce my guest this week. Her Crystal Coast Case series is new to me, and I can’t wait to dive in and learn more. Without further ado…

A Bit About the Author: Growing up on a steady diet of Murder She Wrote and Nancy Drew, it wasn’t until Anna left her twenty-year teaching career that she realized she might be able to write her own mystery. In the fall of 2014, she enlisted in her second attempt at National Novel Writing Month using her new surroundings in Coastal Carolina for the setting of a small-town murder mystery.

Eight years later, Anna has 4 novels published, as well as a novella, and a short story in an anthology. She is currently working on 2 more novels, one of which is a historical mystery set in 12th century Germany.

Anna is the winner of the Occasions, Just Write Writing Contest 2018, and a runner up in the Writer’s Domain One Sentence Story Contest 2018.

Anna, thank you so much for joining us here at Noteworthy today. I love how National Novel Writing Month played a role in your road to writing a book (NaNoWriMo takes place in November, and writers do their best to write 50,000 words in a month). That’s so amazing. Tell us, what book made you first fall in love with reading?

I can vividly remember loving two very different books in elementary school: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor and Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Reading about characters with whom I could identify, but who also lived very different lives from mine was always fascinating.

I remember reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry for school and how it didn’t feel like “homework” because I loved the story and Cassie’s family so much. What made you want to create characters of your own? How did NaNoWriMo play a part in your writing journey?

I was a teacher for many years, and it was only when I left that career that I found I had time and energy to enjoy new hobbies. I had moved to a new state and was looking for a job when I decided to participate in National Novel Writing Month. I finished a novel in thirty days and was immediately hooked.

Writing has that power. I’m working on my twentieth—no, twenty-first manuscript right now and I’m still hooked! Of course, writing a book isn’t all sunshine and roses, though. What was the hardest lesson about writing/publishing that you’ve learned?

I’ve learned a couple of hard lessons including 1) The business side of being an author can take over your time easily if you let it, and 2) Writing good books doesn’t mean you’ll be successful and being successful doesn’t mean you write good books.

Those are all very important points, and I very much sympathize with the “business of writing” being very time consuming. Once you get up and running as an author, you really have to be mindful of how you manage your time.

You’re here today celebrating the release of Sunsets, Scripts, and Murder. Where did the idea for the Crystal Coast Cases come from?

The original idea for this series came from me being a newcomer to the eastern part of North Carolina and seeing how each community had its own personality. [For Sunsets, Scripts, and Murder] I knew where I wanted this book set, and I tried on a few scenarios before settling on an actress taking a break from her busy schedule and hiding out for a bit.

I love, love, love books (especially mysteries) featuring nods to Hollywood and the lifestyles of the rich & famous. So, how did you originally meet your main character, private investigator Allie Fox?

I got selected for jury duty and based the appearance of my character Allie on one of my fellow jurors.

Jury duty is certainly a great opportunity for inspiration! What is the best advice you can give to an aspiring author?

Two things: 1) Write as much as possible, and 2) Find your community. If you do both of these things, and continue assessing the quality of both, opportunities and skills will increase exponentially.

Fabulous words of wisdom! I could not agree more, especially about finding a community to connect with.

Now for some writing-themed fun! What is your go-to song when you’re writing? Or do you prefer silence?

Oooh. I generally can’t have anything with lyrics, although there are exceptions (One of my drafts, I just listened to “Everything I Wanted,” by Billie Eilish on repeat). And because I was a music major, I can’t even listen to Classical music without it snagging my attention. Ambient noise, contemporary piano music, or music in other languages like Eivør works well, with noise-canceling headphones to block out pet and family noises -- haha!

Noise-canceling headphones got me through the first months of lockdown because I have to write in silence. Or at least, I used to. Now, I lean into ambient noise and monk chanting.

Tell us three things that are always on your writing desk/writing space.

1)        Post-it notes of all shapes, sizes, and colors

2)      Papermate Ink joys or Pentel Energels of all colors

3)      coffee/tea or adult beverage, and possibly a snack or candy

What is your favorite, can’t-live-without writing tool?

To be honest, I use Google products. Docs to draft, Jamboard to outline. But I absolutely adore Notion for keeping track of all the book and series details, and also all of my “authoring” details.

And for our final question: You stumble across a crime scene. What book character (your own or another literary hero) are you alerting first? Why?

Oh, totally Nick and Nora Charles from The Thin Man. I simply love their banter, but also how insanely clever they are.

Agreed! A clever sleuthing team that keeps things lively is a must. Anna, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing a bit about yourself and your writing. Noters, you can pick up Sunsets, Scripts, and Murder and the rest of the Crystal Coast Case series now!

A dead actress. A big secret. And Allie Fox is on the case.

Tired of couch-surfing with friends, PI Allie Fox heads to the beach on an overcast, off-season day to do some house hunting.

But when she stumbles onto a dead body in an empty rental, she's plunged straight into another case of foul play.

Up and coming actor Aisha Carter's stay in Emerald Isle had been a secret, and only a select few knew she was here. When her agent hires Allie to investigate, she finds the actor was keeping everyone in the dark, and hiding much more than her whereabouts.

As she digs deeper into Aisha's past, nothing seems to add up. Then Allie uncovers a shocking clue that puts everyone she loves on the killer's list.

Sunsets, Scripts, and Murder continues the story of the Crystal Coast Case series. If you like Melinda Leigh, Lisa Gray, or Claire McGowan, you’ll love A. M. Ialacci’s gripping story of bright lights, big secrets, and murder.

What’s your go-to song when you need inspiration to power through a tricky task? Let us know in the comments!

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