Author Interview with Anna Dynowksi
| A personal interview with author Anna Dynowski about her career, her faith and her wonderful husband! |
When did you decide to be a writer?
Back in 1999, I was complaining to God about not
feeling “excited” and “motivated” about going to my
office job. After reading a book titled, Making a Living
Without a Job by Barbara J. Winter, designed to help
the reader discover his/her talents and hobbies and
then use these to earn money, I concluded…I had no
talents. However, the more I thought about it and
prayed about it, the more convinced--and excited--I
became about writing a novel. I already was an avid
reader and a lover of romances so…I joined writers
groups, studied the craft, began to write, and sold my
first book in 2005. The rest, as they say, is history. I still
hold a day job--the office one! but I look forward to one
day being a full-time writer.
What do you do for relaxation?
I enjoy reading, hiking, and mucking around in my
flowerbeds. I love getting away from Toronto by taking
drives out into the country with my husband, or traveling
out into the wilds of the Muskokas (3 hour drive from
Toronto) just for lunch at this cute riverside restaurant
specializing in Cajun food, or heading into Midland (1 ½
hours from Toronto) for the 30,000 Island cruise. But
usually, it is a great therapy just sitting on our deck with
a nice, cool glass of lemonade and watch the resident
robin supervise my weeding progress and listening to
the cardinal serenading us. And Misha, our cat, she
does wonders to relax me with her outboard motor purr.
Do you have a set writing schedule?
With a full-time day job, I usually have to wait till after
the dinner dishes are done in the evenings for me to
escape into my little home office. Most weekends, I hole
up in my office, too. (Lucky for me I have a very
understanding husband and cat!) I usually begin by
checking email, take a quick, very quick glimpse of the
various writers eloops I’m on, and then I get down to
business. With this schedule, I can pretty much
complete one book a year.
Do your fans’ comments and letters influence you in any
way?
I write about flawed Christians, loveable but definitely
flawed. They’re human beings who sometimes make not
so good choices and end up having to deal with the fall-
out. When a reader writes comments like: she “identified
with the characters,” she found the characters
“religious” but not “pious,” she could “feel the emotion,”
she found the story “entertaining and the
passion…simmers,” “finally something a little different
in the field of inspirational romance,” “flashes of humor
and good Christian faith are at the core” of the stories, I
am awed, humbled, and encouraged to keep on writing
my heartwarming stories of love, romance, and second
chances. I hope my stories may minister to the reader,
but let me tell you, the readers’ letters definitely minister
to me. Thank you.
What does your husband think of your writing?
I am truly blessed to have a very supportive husband
who is my all-time best cheerleader. He’s always had
confidence in me and in my writing ability. While I’m not
an outgoing type of person and therefore have difficulty
“tooting my own horn,” he, on the other hand, has no
problem talking to people about his “wife, the author.”
You just gotta love the guy!
Back in 1999, I was complaining to God about not
feeling “excited” and “motivated” about going to my
office job. After reading a book titled, Making a Living
Without a Job by Barbara J. Winter, designed to help
the reader discover his/her talents and hobbies and
then use these to earn money, I concluded…I had no
talents. However, the more I thought about it and
prayed about it, the more convinced--and excited--I
became about writing a novel. I already was an avid
reader and a lover of romances so…I joined writers
groups, studied the craft, began to write, and sold my
first book in 2005. The rest, as they say, is history. I still
hold a day job--the office one! but I look forward to one
day being a full-time writer.
What do you do for relaxation?
I enjoy reading, hiking, and mucking around in my
flowerbeds. I love getting away from Toronto by taking
drives out into the country with my husband, or traveling
out into the wilds of the Muskokas (3 hour drive from
Toronto) just for lunch at this cute riverside restaurant
specializing in Cajun food, or heading into Midland (1 ½
hours from Toronto) for the 30,000 Island cruise. But
usually, it is a great therapy just sitting on our deck with
a nice, cool glass of lemonade and watch the resident
robin supervise my weeding progress and listening to
the cardinal serenading us. And Misha, our cat, she
does wonders to relax me with her outboard motor purr.
Do you have a set writing schedule?
With a full-time day job, I usually have to wait till after
the dinner dishes are done in the evenings for me to
escape into my little home office. Most weekends, I hole
up in my office, too. (Lucky for me I have a very
understanding husband and cat!) I usually begin by
checking email, take a quick, very quick glimpse of the
various writers eloops I’m on, and then I get down to
business. With this schedule, I can pretty much
complete one book a year.
Do your fans’ comments and letters influence you in any
way?
I write about flawed Christians, loveable but definitely
flawed. They’re human beings who sometimes make not
so good choices and end up having to deal with the fall-
out. When a reader writes comments like: she “identified
with the characters,” she found the characters
“religious” but not “pious,” she could “feel the emotion,”
she found the story “entertaining and the
passion…simmers,” “finally something a little different
in the field of inspirational romance,” “flashes of humor
and good Christian faith are at the core” of the stories, I
am awed, humbled, and encouraged to keep on writing
my heartwarming stories of love, romance, and second
chances. I hope my stories may minister to the reader,
but let me tell you, the readers’ letters definitely minister
to me. Thank you.
What does your husband think of your writing?
I am truly blessed to have a very supportive husband
who is my all-time best cheerleader. He’s always had
confidence in me and in my writing ability. While I’m not
an outgoing type of person and therefore have difficulty
“tooting my own horn,” he, on the other hand, has no
problem talking to people about his “wife, the author.”
You just gotta love the guy!
Who are some of your favorite authors to read?
There are so many great authors I love. In the secular
romances, I adore Nora Roberts (and J.D. Robb),
Debbie Macomber, and Lisa Gardner. In the
inspirational romances, I enjoy Robin Lee Hatcher,
Francine Rivers, and Diane Noble.
Are there any words of encouragement for
unpublished writers?
While the publishing world is demanding and difficult,
never give up your dream to write. Rejections are a
part of this world and when you do get them, and you
will, trust me, remember, for every rejection you
receive from an agent or editor, it is one more wrong
agent or editor God has eliminated. God is your
Business Partner and in charge of your writing. If He
has called you to write, He will have a publishing
home, the right one, for your stories. Try not to
compare your “writerly” journey to others, but rest in
the timetable God has established for you. And have
confidence in yourself, in your ability to be “a little
pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending out
a love letter to the world.” I’ve found having a scripture
to hang onto in those tough times helps immensely
because I am reminded of the Lord’s sovereignty and
faithfulness. Mine is "I would have lost heart, unless I
had believed that I would see the goodness of the
Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of
good courage and He shall strengthen your heart.
Wait I say, on the Lord...for slowly, steadily, surely, the
time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it
seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely
come to pass. Just be patient." Psalm 27: 13-14
What question would you love to answer that I didn’t
ask?
What is so great about the romance genre?
This world we live in can be harsh with its demands
and stress. We all need a good, clean, and positive
method to relax and unwind and regroup. What better
way than with romance fiction. These books not only
offer fun escapism but they also encourage us to keep
on keeping on. They offer us hope that love is out
there for us, that our very own hero is on the horizon.
They show us how to turn our needs to God, to
depend on Him to show us the way, to believe and
trust, that like the heroines we read about, we, too,
can overcome and find our true love, our destiny,
make our home full of love. And when our spirits,
hearts, and minds get recharged from the reading, we
can be jettisoned back into that harsh world and
conquer it.
Anna’s belief that love never fails has led her to write
what’s in her heart--love--and what’s in her soul--faith
in God. Her heartwarming stories of love and romance
encourage and entertain readers of all ages.
She makes her home in Toronto, Canada with her
husband of 23 years and their spirited, tomboy cat,
Misha, who thinks she’s human.
Anna enjoys hearing from her readers and you may
contact her at annadynowski@yahoo.ca.
www.geocities.com/annadynowski
http://AnnaDynowski.bebo.com
http://myspace.com/annadynowski
There are so many great authors I love. In the secular
romances, I adore Nora Roberts (and J.D. Robb),
Debbie Macomber, and Lisa Gardner. In the
inspirational romances, I enjoy Robin Lee Hatcher,
Francine Rivers, and Diane Noble.
Are there any words of encouragement for
unpublished writers?
While the publishing world is demanding and difficult,
never give up your dream to write. Rejections are a
part of this world and when you do get them, and you
will, trust me, remember, for every rejection you
receive from an agent or editor, it is one more wrong
agent or editor God has eliminated. God is your
Business Partner and in charge of your writing. If He
has called you to write, He will have a publishing
home, the right one, for your stories. Try not to
compare your “writerly” journey to others, but rest in
the timetable God has established for you. And have
confidence in yourself, in your ability to be “a little
pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending out
a love letter to the world.” I’ve found having a scripture
to hang onto in those tough times helps immensely
because I am reminded of the Lord’s sovereignty and
faithfulness. Mine is "I would have lost heart, unless I
had believed that I would see the goodness of the
Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of
good courage and He shall strengthen your heart.
Wait I say, on the Lord...for slowly, steadily, surely, the
time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it
seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely
come to pass. Just be patient." Psalm 27: 13-14
What question would you love to answer that I didn’t
ask?
What is so great about the romance genre?
This world we live in can be harsh with its demands
and stress. We all need a good, clean, and positive
method to relax and unwind and regroup. What better
way than with romance fiction. These books not only
offer fun escapism but they also encourage us to keep
on keeping on. They offer us hope that love is out
there for us, that our very own hero is on the horizon.
They show us how to turn our needs to God, to
depend on Him to show us the way, to believe and
trust, that like the heroines we read about, we, too,
can overcome and find our true love, our destiny,
make our home full of love. And when our spirits,
hearts, and minds get recharged from the reading, we
can be jettisoned back into that harsh world and
conquer it.
Anna’s belief that love never fails has led her to write
what’s in her heart--love--and what’s in her soul--faith
in God. Her heartwarming stories of love and romance
encourage and entertain readers of all ages.
She makes her home in Toronto, Canada with her
husband of 23 years and their spirited, tomboy cat,
Misha, who thinks she’s human.
Anna enjoys hearing from her readers and you may
contact her at annadynowski@yahoo.ca.
www.geocities.com/annadynowski
http://AnnaDynowski.bebo.com
http://myspace.com/annadynowski
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