#Interview with Anna Santos, #Author of Soul-Mate

 ✰ ✰ ✰ Meet the Author: Anna Santos ✰ ✰ ✰

Anna Santos is an up-and-coming New Adult author with an impressive number of followers who builds worlds of undeniable beauty, with witty and enchanting characters.

Anna always keeps her readers on their toes with her adrenaline-fueled adventures, suspense-filled cliffhangers, and steamy love scenes.

When she isn't writing, Anna is considering plot twists for her next novel or delving into the world of her favorite authors.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads 

 ✰ ✰ ✰ Interview with the Author ✰ ✰ ✰

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

Since I can remember, actually. I always knew that I wanted to write, even before I could write. So when it was time to go to school and learn the basics, I couldn’t be more thrilled. I was always a good student and I would read any book that I could put my hands on. My dad had a small library with the classics and I would read them as if they voraciously. The best gift I had when I was a children was a book that my godmother offered me. But I remember that I was a bit sad after because it had a lot of pictures and few written pages, so I finished it in a blink an eye. 

I started writing short stories about gods and princesses when I was ten. When I was fourteen I wrote my first novel and at the age of eighteen, I had already a series of three fantasy stories, and four novels. I have them in notebooks, stored in a drawer, and it was only when I started to write in English that I was fortunate enough to find supporting readers who believed in my talent and encouraged me to publish my books. 

What inspires you to write?

The stories just unfold in my head. I’m a daydreamer. I don’t look for inspiration, inspiration follows me, and sometimes it can be hard to function on the real world because I can only find some peace when I’m writing and I put to paper an idea that’s been fighting to get out and be written. 

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

I had been spending three months writing short stories about paranormal creatures. I was also reading a lot of books with paranormal creatures. I’ve always devoured every book that Anne Rice wrote, and then I found other amazing writers when the vampire frenzy started. But I didn’t write about vampires. I had my own worlds, gods, heroes from my high-fantasy books. But I said to myself: why not? So ideas began to take shape and I can honestly say that the idea for this book was based in a name: Shane and what a werewolf would do if he found his soul-mate, but she was a secretive hunter with a dark past who had never thought that she could be someone else’s soul-mate because of being a hybrid. The plot between them was really easy. The chemistry was over the roof. The first draft was the easiest thing to write and then when it was time to share my work, it became a bigger story that became even bigger when I began to edit after already have the next three books in the series taking shape. 

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Of course, several ones that I really love, but I’m too lazy to type it to a computer and finish them. Besides, there are some stories that I feel the urge to write more than others. I hope that someday I can give those stories my attention. Plus, I rather write using a pen and paper, so if I can’t find time to type them, they won’t get to see the light of day, unless I go all reminiscent on them and I began to read old ideas, and half-written books.  

Tell us about your writing process.

I’m really organized, but everything happens inside my head. I have my chapters all in order and I know what will happen next. I scribble a lot on paper, then I type it on a computer, but sometimes everything I wrote becomes something else. I have a lot of notebooks with chapters from several stories. I use them when I get the urge to write, so I write it down on paper so I don’t forget and so I can type it to a computer when I have time.  

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

I have a lot of favourite authors, but I’m just going to name a few: Anne Rice, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Juliet Marillier, Nalini Singh, Carmen Martin Gaite, and Karen Marie Moning.

My favourite writers influenced the genre what I write these days. Unconsciously, maybe they influenced me. However, we live in a world where there aren’t new ideas. Those authors were inspired by someone else. What makes authors different is that they try to give soul and depth to their story and characters. 

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Writing is a calling. So if you are really set in sharing your gift with the world, you need to share your work with readers, protect your copyrights because there are a lot of people stealing other people’s work, and have realistic expectations. Only a few can live from writing. Reach out for small publishers to have honest feedback. Write, write, write, and don’t even think about publish a book without proper editing if you are planning to publish on your own. There are a lot of people with talent that aren’t able to sell books even after publish them. You need to spend as much energy promoting your work as writing. 

What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?

This story started to be shared on Wattpad. The website allows us to choose a cast. Soul-Mate was first shared in 2013. Since then the dream cast has been: Shane – Jamie Dornan; Annabel – Emilia Clarke. 

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?

I would probably starve to death because all I wanted was pens, paper as much as possible, and books. 

What do you have in store next for your readers?

I have a new book coming out in November. It’s another paranormal book, but with a few twists. It’s also a book to empower women and to show that bad boys don’t miraculously change into good guys. I’m currently working on the third book of the Immortal Love Series (Soul-Mate is book 1), and I’m waiting to have time to start editing book 2 so I can also publish it next year.  

✰✰ ✰ About the Book ✰ ✰✰

In a world where Vampires and Werewolves don’t get along. Hybrids are chased and killed. Two unlikely souls find out they are meant to be.

Annabel is a bad-ass hybrid hunter, seeking revenge from the vampire who killed her parents and put her brother in a coma. Arriving in a new town with an undercover identity to protect and the mission to find a pureblood vampire to save her brother’s life, the last thing Annabel needs is to fall in love with the sexy, persistent werewolf who thinks she’s a helpless human in need of a knight in shining armor.
Shane is a dominant werewolf who also happens to be the local sheriff. He has almost lost hope of finding his better half. So when his beautiful soul-mate shows up and rogue vampires try to kill her, he does what any smart wolf would do: he saves her and takes her home, hoping to convince her that they belong together.
When sparks fly between them, Annabel has to decide if she tells him who she really is or runs the other way to protect her secrets.

✰ ✰✰ Soul-Mate Excerpt ✰ ✰✰

Chapter One

Shane

She was a vision: black leather suit; long, straight dark hair; and a rosy-red button mouth. Her big blue eyes were simply dazzling! She had a doll-like face and sexy body, and she moved with the grace and prowess of a feline. As she walked toward the counter and took a seat on a stool, all eyes followed her, both female and male. She gently stroked her hair away from her face so her skin gave off a gentle glow, looking softer than silk.

I couldn’t help but feel drawn to her like a June bug to a porch light. Could she be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen? Is it possible? I’d lived for more than two mortal lives. Never in that time had I ever reacted so strongly to a woman. It was like she had a magnetic pull, an ability to make me forget about all around me. Everything but her turned into an annoying buzz, a blur; she had my undivided attention. It has been ages, literally, since I wanted to meet a woman as badly as I wanted to meet this one. I wanted to talk to her and be next to her.

I wasn’t the only one dazzled by her: other dangerous, lustful eyes were targeting her. Like them, I was fixated on her, enchanted by her beauty. The pull I felt served as a reason to approach her, so I walked to the counter with no control over my body and sat next to her, flashing my sexiest smile.

God! Her scent was addiction, if not intoxicating. She smelled like a bouquet of roses, orchids, poppies, Heaven, vanilla, and candy. What a feast to my senses! She was the personification of lust, temptation, and dreams come true. I couldn’t believe it; I had long since lost faith in finding her, but there she was, after all this time: my soul-mate.

“I’m not interested,” she replied to my smile before I’d even opened my mouth. “You’re not my type,” she added as an afterthought, completely catching me off guard.

What was that supposed to mean?

Stupidly, I asked, “And what is your type?” I’m not normally that pathetic with words, but I’m not often rejected, either. Come to think of it, I’ve never been rejected before. Awkward!

The downside of your soul-mate being a human—she doesn’t recognize you as hers.

She didn’t answer my stupid question, thankfully. She just took a good look at me as if I was a piece of meat, and then simply ignored me and called for a drink from the bartender. He had a smile on his face before looking over and giving me a mocking look, as if calling me a loser. Sam was probably gloating at the fact that I’d been rejected, but he didn’t know that I wasn’t going to give up on her that easily. After all, she was my other half.

She was dressed to kill but was more likely to be killed by the gang of predators that lurked in a dark corner of the bar. Their eyes were riveted on her. I could sense their noses turning to the air, smelling it, trying to catch her intoxicating scent.

She was too irresistible to be true! I was completely dazzled by her. I couldn’t believe that I was staring at her, finally, after all this time. It was like a dream, and if it truly was one, I dearly hoped that I never woke up.

“Can I buy you a drink?” I asked, trying to make conversation, wanting to stay next to her.

“Could you just leave?” she asked in a soft tone but not impolitely—far from it. She had a sexy, girly voice, and I swear I could detect a hint of concern. Like being far away from her was the best option for me.

The problem was that she was mine. At least, I would do anything to make her mine. And to leave her there to be a vampire’s snack was out of the question. Actually, it was out of the question before I smelled her; now it was a death sentence to anyone who dared to touch her.

“Are you new in town?” I asked. I was curious and wouldn’t be driven away anytime soon.

“Yes,” she answered, throwing back more of her drink. I noticed that the girl was looking at the mirrors on the wall and clearly didn’t want to talk. I followed her eyes with curiosity. What could possibly be more interesting than me?

She was watching the dark figures not far from us. I almost sighed with impatience. Humans had an inclination to get themselves into danger. They were drawn to evil creatures like moths to flames. She couldn’t possibly be serious. That dark “Emo” look attracted her? They weren’t even the best-looking specimens of their race. They were newborn, pale, and skinny. They had arrived an hour ago, and I had only seen them two or three times before. They weren’t from my town, but they knew who I was, and they hadn’t caused any trouble―yet. Even if they looked hungry, in a bar filled with werewolves and shape shifters, they wouldn’t get lucky. If they knew what was good for them, they would leave and stop staring at the girl, at my soul-mate.

Moments after, as if they had read my thoughts, the vampires got up and glided out of the bar. My eyes followed them, my hand ready on the gun resting at my hip so they would get the message. She was under my protection, and if they dared to make her an unwilling blood donor, they would feel my wrath. I was the law in this forsaken town, and they would do well to remember it.

But as the vamps left, she got up, paid for her drink, and walked toward the exit. For a moment, I have to confess that I was hooked on her luxurious curves, until I realized that she was leaving. I didn’t even know her name or her phone number. Also, those vampires were outside and would smell her arrival in the dark of the night.

I grabbed my coat and ran outside, only to encounter my enticing soul-mate zipping up a leather jacket and sitting on a killer-looking bike that would make true any biker’s dreams, such as my own.

For a few moments, I thought I was dreaming or even hallucinating because it was really farfetched that my dream girl would have such an impeccable taste for bikes, as well as would ride one. That was so damn hot!

She put a backpack on her back and was reaching for the helmet when they came out of the dark and passed her, joking and pushing each other as if drunk. I knew better. The temptation was too much for them to resist. Even the possibility of dealing with me wasn’t enough deterrent for the vamps to back off.

The girl must have sensed that something was amiss, because she put her helmet down and took her backpack off, looking from me to them as if intrigued. They were closer to her, and they were incredibly fast when they needed or wanted to be. I’m also fast at shooting, and I’m strong and deadly when I have to be. No blood-sucking monster would lay a hand on her precious head; especially not when she was meant to be mine!

The vampires seemed to reconsider when they saw my eyes burning with the promise of retribution and my hand falling to the revolver that would shoot special wooden and silver bullets. I was prepared, and they knew that. I had killed others who didn’t respect the laws of this town. I would kill again without hesitation, and they knew that as well. So they had to have known that it would be smarter to back off and leave, but I guess they were still feeling foolish, because two sped over to attack me and one jumped at her.

She screamed something, but before she could do much more, the vampires were already exploding in ashes while my revolver smoked from the three precise and quick bullets I’d shot. After checking that there weren’t any more vampires in sight to harm my soul-mate, I re-holstered my gun.

When I looked at her, she stood blinking in amazement at the falling ashes, surely confused by the disappearance of the three supposed men. Her eyes were wide, trying to comprehend what had happened. Humans naturally assume they’re hallucinating and just try to forget all things supernatural, as they are too impossible to be true. Vampires vanishing into wisps of ash happens only in movies.

I wanted to say something to reassure her, but before I could open my mouth, she was slumped to the ground. I rushed to her in time to stop her from hitting the dusty pavement. She fainted into my arms.

“Miss.” I felt stupid calling her that, but I didn’t know her name. I caught her against my chest, and her scent hit me. She smelled amazing! No wonder those bloodsuckers wanted a taste. She felt right in my arms; we were made for each other, and I didn’t know if it was the mate bond acting out, but everything about her seemed perfect. I found myself closing my eyes and prolonging the blissful feeling that assaulted me in waves of hot and cold.

No one came outside. They knew better than to come outside; except for Sam. He came to see if I was still alive and woke me up to reality.

“Problem solved?” he asked, not making a fuss about it. Nothing that hadn’t happened before.

“Yeah,” I grumbled in reply, more concentrated on the human than on him. “Take care of her bike, will you?” I shouted over my shoulder.

“Right,” he answered, giving me a thumbs up in reassurance.

I carried her to my car then sat her on the front seat and drove home—my home. It was a waste of time to take her to see a doctor. She would eventually wake up, and a cup of tea would be enough to calm her down. Besides, once she awoke up and properly thanked me for saving her life, I was hoping that I could convince her to stay and give me a chance. We were meant to be together.

I needed to know who she was and why she was travelling with just a backpack. She looked young and fragile. It could have been my protective instinct kicking in, but I wanted to take care of her. Not to mention that I wanted to know everything about her.

While I was driving, it was hard to concentrate on the road. The woman was lovely. Even though my heart had almost stopped beating with the possibility of losing her minutes after finding her, now that the danger was gone, her scent relaxed me, and her presence ignited a sparkle of hope in my heart for being happy.

Her mouth was enticing. Just thinking about a kiss from those lips had me trembling. The sexual attraction was overwhelming. I wondered how it would be to have her husky voice in my ear, begging me for more kisses and sighing into my mouth with desire and pleasure…

I was losing it, and I should probably have stopped having those fantasies, given the growing tightness in my crotch. It would have looked really bad if I’d had a raging hard-on when she woke up in my home.

I needed to control my urges, even if she was a gorgeous temptation all wrapped up in leather. My sex fantasies were out of the question for the time being. I was more interested in taking care of her and making sure she was okay. She was not just some hot woman to spend a good time with. She was going to be my whole world. And I was hell-bent on making her realize that she couldn’t live without me, either.  

 ✰ ✰ ✰ Teasers ✰ ✰ ✰

 ✰ ✰ ✰ Giveaway ✰ ✰ ✰

a Rafflecopter giveaway