Deidre-Ann Anderson is a USA Today Bestselling author of everything romance with black women and the men who love them.

She is a Jamaican-born Canadian author who firmly believes that with hard work and dedication, anyone can make a living from what they enjoy.

Deidre-Ann has been a storyteller for most of her life and cannot wait to share all the rigorous love stories of the characters living in her head.

1) First, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me! When did you know that writing is what you were called to do? What is it about being a writer that you love the most? What about being a writer frustrates you the most?

I’ve always loved writing. I made up stories as a child retelling fairy-tales with tall chubby black girls who were the princesses just so I could connect with the stories I was being told. My dream job back then was to be a journalist but after transitioning into ghostwriting after high school, fictional worlds started calling to me.

2) Can you tell us a little about your book(s) and where our readers can find out more about them and you?

Sure, I currently write Steamy Romance novels with black women and the men who love them. Currently my books span across multiple genres mainly Contemporary Romance, African American Romance and Interracial (BWWM) Romance.

You can learn more about my novels on my website: https://www.deidreannanderson.com or on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3m0zvxY or follow me on the socials:

3) What projects are you currently working on?

I am currently working on creating a new universe for a new series I’m planning to announce soon. The working series title is Project Rules and it’s essentially a fun cluster of life the women in my world believe there should be unwritten cardinal rules they need to follow to deal with the men in their lives at the beginning of each novel, but of course, they’ll all learn some things can’t be controlled. Its just a fun time and I’m having a blast crafting these characters and the whole world.

4) What has been your most significant achievement as a writer thus far? Where do you see yourself within your career in the next five years?

Now this is a loaded question. There have been so many things in my career thus far that I am extremely proud of. Over the last few years, I have figured out my brand, learned who I was as a writer, and hit the USA Today Best Seller List while writing for an incredible cause. But the thing I am most proud of is that I get up everyday and choose to keep on going even when everything seems to be telling me to give up.

In the next five years, I see myself as a full-time author with a recognizable brand, earning a sustainable income from my novels without additional freelance work.

5) How have you dealt with rejection within your writing career?

Well, I am a christian, I grew up in the church and both my parents are Ministers. So, you can imagine the comments, slander and backlash I get for choosing to write steamy, damn near erotic, Romance with mature themes and often adult language. In fact, I have had very little support outside of family from my inner circle, and even some family members remind me daily that my books may be sending me on a fast track “down in the flames of you know where” as some of my book have BDSM themes that is apparently, to them, “the devil’s work”.

I won’t lie, I did go through a period that all the outside noise and rejection derailed me, and I completely stopped writing. It just wasn’t fun anymore, as every time I sat to write I heard all their comments in my head. I had been so bogged down with guilt that what I was doing and writing about was wrong solely on the basis that the family members I thought would’ve supported me through anything shunned me.

But I am grateful I went through that experience as it forced me to sit down and really evaluate who I was as a person, and as a writer, and figure out what it was that I wanted for my career and for my life without all the noise of the outside influences. And what I found was that I really liked who I was. And as my dad constantly reminds me, God blessed me with this talent and it would be stupid not to use it as a beacon to share with the world.

6) Do you have a schedule for when you write? Do you outline your novels? How long does it generally take you to finish a novel?

Right now, no. I am also a full-time student, and sometimes do freelance projects. So, while I strive to write for myself on a daily basis it’s just not humanly possible. Instead, I try to get as many words as I can on the weekends and settle with whatever I get during the week.

Until last month I was a tried-and-true pantser. I still can’t bring myself to outline a whole book at once and still have the drive to then go in and write it. But what I discovered over Camp Nano in April was that if I take a few minutes before my writing session to plot out what I want to happen in the section of the book I’m in (just that section) in bullet form then go in and write it immediately, I can speed through the section. So, that is my new method, for now haha at least. My methods evolve over time.

When I’m doing nothing but writing my own novels, I can get a full-length novel completed in a month or two max. However, with everything going now (school, sometimes freelancing and of course, life) full length books take me about 3-ish months to complete.

7) Do you believe that there is ever a point in life where it’s too late for an aspiring writer to become successful in this industry? Do you feel a late start would hinder their chances?

Absolutely not! It is never too late to go after your dream of being a writer. In fact, what I love about writing is that as long as you still have the cognitive ability to you can still craft interesting worlds and characters that readers will love. Everyone’s publishing journey is different, and success is also based on the eyes of the writer. Some people get famous and make loads of money from their books, and that’s what they deem success. While others are able to pay their bills, save for retirement, and send their kids through school and to them that’s success. And what I love about this business is that its no respecter of persons, anyone, regardless of age, social class, gender, lifestyle or race can find success as long as they are willing to put the work in.

8) Are you an avid reader and have you always been? What’s the first book you ever read that really touched you emotionally and moved you? Who is your favorite author? What book are you currently reading?

Yes! I have always loved reading! My parents didn’t allow me to go out much growing up as I was an only child until I was 16 years old. So, I was left to my own devices a lot with tons of books as the internet wasn’t what it was today (I grew up in the 90s). I remember my parents bought this huge Encyclopedia set that came with medical books and a few fictional ones like Black Beauty, The Secret Garden, Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland and a few other fairy-tale-like classics. These are what my parents assumed I was reading. But, of course, back then my high school friends and I had developed a full book trade as they needed to borrow the encyclopedia to do their work to avoid the library and I needed new and exciting books to read.

This trade opened my world up to the works of Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts, Mills and Boon, and Sidney Sheldon who was my sole favorite author for years until I discovered Ruth Ware now, they share the throne of my favorite authors equally.

I am currently rereading The Turn of The Key by Ruth Ware and Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes (because I’m also low key obsessed with all things Shonda Rhimes but that’s for a different interview haha)

9) Did the quarantine stifle your creativity or did it make you even more driven to get things done? What perspective did the Pandemic give you that you that now influences what you do creatively?

I went through the pandemic in Jamaica and unfortunately saw the full brunt of it displayed on the news, billboards and the radio and it took a toll on my brain. That surrounded with all the things I kept hearing from the rejection question above pushed me in a state of creative paralysis. As such I through myself in freelance work working for non-fiction blog posts rather than my own creative stuff. I also dove further down the graphic design hole as that is also a passion of mine.

10) Given the recent shake-ups in publishing, what are your thoughts about how the publishing industry is being represented today? Do you lean more towards traditional publishing or self-publishing as a preference? Does being a hybrid author interest you?

I love the freedom that self-publishing gives me as an author as I can be somewhat of a control freak when it comes to my creative processes. I don’t really follow what is going on in the trad pub world, so I don’t totally know all that’s been going on to shake it up much right now. And until a few months ago I would’ve screamed Self pub all the way but after doing some soul searching I may at some point in my career pursue a hybrid publishing model where I attempt to get books in a whole new genre traditionally published. But, I haven’t fully decided as yet.

11) I feel like writing is a remarkable tool to help people not only express themselves, but also to cope emotionally and mentally. I know for me I write to be and feel more authentic. What unique quality is there about you, about your art, that you feel represents your authenticity? How does writing help you to be more empowered in your purpose?

Wow! What a question. It’s hard for me to really put in words what writing is for me (says the woman who writes for a living haha). It is indeed therapeutic for me when I write. It has always been my haven for as long as I can remember. In fact when I was in the heights of depression due to my life circumstances and chronic illnesses (again a discussion for another place and time) it was writing that brought me through, albeit at the time I was ghostwriting so all my pain went into someone else’s success but it helped me feel better within myself (become a ‘High Functioning’ Anxiety/Depression patient is what my doctor were my doctors words) but to me it just took me to a whole new world free from the stresses and disappointment around me.

Writing still does that for me even today. It allows me to escape to worlds where people who look like me and go through similar life experiences can get their happy ever after even when they are the only people in the world around them that can see that its all gonna work out in the end. My ultimate goal is to help that one person who ma be in a dark place like I was a few years back from all the things life throws their to escape if even only for a few hours a day to a world where they can see people they can relate to go through ridiculously impossible situations and still figure out a way to have things work out in the end. The thought that the next book I write may be that beacon of light for that one reader in a dark spot is what keeps me empowered in my purpose.

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