Interview with romantic comedy author Ann Crawford

Novelist Ann Crawford joins me today to talk about her ‘romantic comedy that’s out of this world,’ Fresh off the Starship.

During her virtual book tour, Ann will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Welcome, Ann. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm a fun-loving, world-traveling, high-flying, deep-diving, and living-to-the-max author of eight books. When I'm not flying planes, scuba diving, climbing every mountain (on the back of my husband’s motorcycle) or riding the world’s fastest roller coasters, you can find me in my writing nest with a view of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains out the window. I've lived all over--from both oceans white with foam, to the prairie, and now to the mountain. Yes, a little backwards, but what the hey.

My bestselling and award-winning novels go as high and deep as I do—they’re profound yet funny; playful although poignant; heart-opening and heart-lifting; thought-provoking and inspiring; and edgy while universal. I'm also a screenwriter and award-winning filmmaker and humanitarian.

Please share a little bit about your current release.
Fresh off the Starship is a fun, quirky look at what it would be like to wake up…human! I know we do that all the time and we’ve gotten quite good at it, but what would it be like to wake up as an adult human and experience a shower, the sun on your face, making love, a Starbucks Macchiato (which leads to a When Harry Met Sally “I’ll have what she’s having” moment)?

A starbeing wakes up in the body of Missy, in Western Kansas—but she was supposed to be in Washington, D.C. where she could help humanity on a grand geopolitical scale. Wrong place, right time, though? Through meeting the people there, she learns—and reminds them—how awesome and special this being-a-human thing is.

What inspired you to write this book?
I moved to Kansas—from the Northern California coast and after growing up in New York—thirteen years ago to marry my husband and be a stepmom to his two wonderful kids. I’d been through Kansas a few times as I crisscrossed the country over the years. He grew up halftime in Wichita and halftime on a farm in Western Kansas. When he took me out there, I fell in love with the people and the land. When I would tell people from big cities and the coasts that I was living in Kansas, they’d roll their eyes—like I probably used to. So I wanted to celebrate these people and the land as well as delve into some of the issues they experience there, as many places do. I wanted to show these Kansas folks’ depth, sincerity, and wisdom—they’re definitely not the bunch of “hicks” so many may think.

Also, I heard a line from the movie Starman many years ago: something along the lines of “You humans are at your best when you’re at your worst.” I’ve wanted to create my own starbeing for decades and have to look through her eyes to see how beautiful we humans can be and how amazing life on Earth is. It was really fun to have to imagine taking a sip of water for the first time as well as the many other fun things humans engage in.

Excerpt from Fresh off the Starship:

Matt hands her a large drink with a little mountain of fluffy white stuff on top, with stripes of brown dripping down the mountainsides.

      “Here, got you extra whipped cream and lots of car’mul on top, just the way you like it.”

      Missy takes a lick of the whipped cream and her eyes go wide. “Oh!”

      “Well, yer not supposed to lick it like an ice-cream cone. Sip it.”

      She does and then slaps her hand on the table.

      “Missy! You okay?”

      “Oh, my! How can you beings ever complain about anything?”

      “How’s that now?”

      “Nothing.” She takes another sip and moans again. Several customers seated nearby look over at her.

      “Missy, sweetheart, can you calm yourself a bit?”

      She takes a bite of the round treat on a stick he’d set down by her. The moans escalate.

      “Geez,” Matt says, trying to sink farther into his seat, “I feel like I’m straight out of When Harry Met Sally.”

      “Who’s Harry? Who’s Sally?”

      “The main characters in one of yer favorite movies. You made me watch it at least half a dozen times.”

      She takes another sip and bite. The moans escalate even more. By this time everyone in the café is looking at her.

      “Missy! Perhaps we should eat these in the car.”

      “Wherever you want!”

      The customers in the café receive one more rendition of “Ohhhhhhhh!” as Matt leads her out the door and she takes another sip of her drink. She climbs into the truck as he walks around to the driver’s side.

      Okay, maybe it’s not thaaaat bad here.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m writing about three generations of women – an ex-flower child/hippie still living like it’s 1969, an arch conservative, and a 20 y.o. envelope-pushing trans woman—all under one roof….What could possibly go right? Readers can laugh and commiserate at their dismays over not only their contrasts, but even more over their surprising similarities…over their banter, but even more over what’s left unsaid…over their snarkiness, but even more over their ever-abiding love, despite all differences.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Oh, age 3.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am beyond grateful to be able to say I write full-time now. I generally wake up pretty early. Right after breakfast I sit down in my writing nest and meditate for about 15 minutes. Then I write for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7—you get the idea—hours. After that comes marketing work. I’d stay home all day every day, but I make myself get out to the gym, improv rehearsal and performances, a women’s group that I love (it has great speakers), the movies, and things like that.

When I was working fulltime, I would write for an hour very early in the morning and then all day Sundays. I wrote a whole bunch of books that way. One of the things I’m most grateful for is…..Sundays!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t write at a desk. I have one but I don’t like writing there. I have a couch facing out a window to a garden and a grove of trees that looks like Arthur and Genevere would’ve hung out in. I put my feet up on a hassock and my laptop on a big, thick, but flat cushion. I love this and my posture is probably much better.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An author!

My mom was very, very ill as I was growing up, and she eventually died when I was a teenager. But one of her favorite things to do was read to me when I was little. Those were very special times, and the magic of a book has stayed with me.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I absolutely LOVE hearing from readers. You can reach me on my website, anncrawford.net. I’m so grateful to get to do what I love, and I’m even more grateful when readers tell me how my books have touched them.

Links:

Amazon | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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