Interview With Author Anne Riley
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Washington state the 11th of 12 children. I’m married, have 3 great kids and two darling grandchildren. I have written three books:
Elusive: Journey to Happiness
Aerie: A romantic suspense novel set in the 1990’s
DINA: Nature’s Case for Democracy which is now out on Kindle and will be viable in paperback next week.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
DINA: Nature’s Case For Democracy is a sci-fi-ish story in which Dina, a mysterious, invisible creature chooses Sara Wallace, a middle-aged woman still grappling with the death of her daughter five years on, to explain that humans are on the edge of extinction. Nature has practiced pure democracy successfully for 2 billion years, but humans, newcomers to the game of life, are messing things up and are going to destroy themselves, and a lot of other creatures when they do.
I have been thinking about how to make sense of life; that is, to understand how humans fit into the larger picture of the universe for over thirty years. This book is the culmination of that thinking, Bonus: I came up with a new theory of the human ecosystem.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. I read my book out loud to myself before I let it out into the world.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Bionomics: Economics as Ecosystem by Michael Rothschild was the book that wouldn’t let me go. He planted the ideas that I built into my new theory.
The Origin of Species and the Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin. What a thinker this man was.
Wonderful Life by Stephen Jay Gould. All of Gould’s books inspired me to find the natural explanation that exists for seemingly inexplicable situations.
What are you working on now?
I am putting together a book of practical applications using my new theory.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still experimenting in this area.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be true to yourself when you write. Find your voice and write what you want to say to the world.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
From Winston Churchill: When you’re going through hell, keep going!
What are you reading now?
Mark Twain: Tales, Sketches Speeches and Essays 1891-1910
The Time in Between by Maria Dueñas.
What’s next for you as a writer?
For a while, marketing and promotion
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig
Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin
Author Websites and Profiles
Anne Riley’s Social Media Links
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