Amazon Bestselling author Anna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, kickass heroes who defy their limits to protect the women they love. A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she splits her time between Colorado and Florida, where she lives with her indulgent husband and a very opinionated cat.
Anna loves to hear from her readers. Connect with Anna at:
INTERVIEW:
Mayra Calvani: Please tell us about The Guardian and what compelled you to write it.
Anna del Mar: I went to Africa on a non-writing, no-laptop vacation, to check off a bucket list item that entailed world-class wildlife viewing. I also wanted to pursue a life-long yearning to connect with my Caribbean-forged African heritage. Silly me. Little did I know that Africa was about to grab me by the throat, shake awake my soul, and capture my heart for good.
Yes, I loved the wildlife. Yes, I loved the land. The Serengeti is one of the most beautiful, last wild places on earth and we MUST support the effort to protect it. But it was the people I met in Africa that left the greater mark on my soul, the extraordinary folks who challenge the odds every day to build a better future for themselves and for humanity.
These diverse communities face complex, difficult, sometimes heart-breaking realities on the ground with skill, resilience, and wisdom. Their hopes and dreams inspired the story in these pages. Their courage drives Matthias Hawking and Jade Romo, the main characters of The Guardian.
M.C.: What is your book about?
Anna del Mar: The Guardian is the story of Game Warden Matthias Hawking and journalist Jade Romo. Matthias is a decorated ex-SEAL engaged in a grueling fight against ruthless poachers in Africa. He’s short on resources and long on enemies. There’s a price on his head. The last thing he needs is the unexpected arrival of a beautiful but stubborn journalist threatening to uncover his secrets, an alpha female challenging his alpha male and getting into trouble, a hurricane wearing boots.
Jade Romo is a veteran of several different kinds of war. She’s survived her heroin-addicted mother, the foster care system, and the conflict in Afghanistan. Jade’s tough, confident, cynical, and self-reliant, a woman who doesn’t believe in forevers. But when she defies the poachers and lands at the top of the warlord’s kill list, she’s forced to rely on the skilled, attractive but supremely infuriating game warden who has captivated her body’s undivided attention.
Haunted by his past but driven by his courage, her mysterious guardian will do anything in his power to protect the woman who has captured his heart.
M.C.: What themes do you explore in The Guardian?
Anna del Mar: The Guardian’s main theme is a hot, sweet, sexy romance, where I explore the extraordinary power of love to bring people together and heal all that is broken. Matthias and Jade’s relationship at the beginning is one of conflict. They’re both stubborn and passionate, not just about each other, but about what they do. Matthias is deeply committed to protecting the people and the wildlife, and especially Jade. She’s equally committed to promote conservation and end poaching and violence in Africa. Together, they make for a fiery pair willing to risk their lives to make ours a better world for everyone and to protect each other.
M.C.: Why do you write?
Anna del Mar: Because I can’t stop.
M.C.: When do you feel the most creative?
Anna del Mar: Late at night when the house is quiet, everyone is asleep and the world seems like a place at rest.
M.C.: When you write, do you sometimes feel as though you were being manipulated from afar?
Anna del Mar: I feel more as if I’m transported into the world that I’m writing about, lost—along with my characters—in another life.
M.C.: What is your worst time as a writer?
Anna del Mar: When I can’t write.
M.C.: Your best?
Anna del Mar: When I can write uninterrupted for hours and days at a time.
M.C.: Is there anything that would stop you from writing?
Anna del Mar: Death, maybe?
M.C.: What’s the happiest moment you’ve lived as an author?
Anna del Mar: Hmm. That’s a hard one. I’ve had so many happy moments. Every time I connect with readers who tell me they enjoyed one of my novels, I feel total and absolute happiness. That’s my happiest writer place.
M.C.: Is writing an obsession to you?
Anna del Mar: Yep. No doubt about it. An obsession. A fixation. An addiction. All of the above.
M.C.: Are the stories you create connected with you in some way?
Anna del Mar: Absolutely. My stories are born out of my experiences and filtered through my perceptions. They’re an intricate part of who I am and how I process the world around me.
M.C.: Do you have a website or blog where readers can find out more about you and your work?
Anna del Mar: Sure! This is my website: Annadelmar.com. I can also be found on
Facebook, Twitter, or at Anna@annadelmar.com. And by the way, if you’d like to see the images that inspired many of the pivotal scenes in The Guardian, click here to see my pictures of Africa.
