Getting to know - Ann Leona
TW: What is your writing process?
AL: When I have an idea for a book, I initially make what I call a “word & idea web.” I write the main “theme” at the top of the notebook paper. Then, I write ideas or keywords that I brainstorm about in bubbles flowing down the page. Each bubble containing an idea or a keyword is connected based on how it relates to the bubbles surrounding it and the main theme. I use my web and how I’ve connected each bubble to begin writing my story. Everything is stretched into complete sentences and thoughts to form the story. “Fluff” is added in between to smooth and even the story out with description and details of miscellaneous things. (i.e. scenery, atmosphere, attire, weather, etc.) Using this method, I piece my plot for a book.
TW: How difficult was it to write your story?
AL: It wasn’t difficult at all to write the BLACK Widow book, nor the books that followed in The Gabrielle Black Chronicles series. I developed the idea for BLACK Widow from a dream I had about a beautiful young lady with dark skin. She snuck into her boyfriend’s home with the key he’d given her and proceeded to execute him when he stepped out of the shower. Once I woke up from this dream I wrote it all down and created a short story about it. The short story that I originally wrote serves as the Prologue at the beginning of the BLACK Widow book. I had that short story for years, sitting on my computer. After I published my first book, I came across the old file with the short story and thought it’d be an awesome theme for a book. From there I created four books and the process was flowing and not difficult at all.
TW: What are your hopes for this project?
AL: My biggest, most unrealistic, hopes for BLACK Widow is for the “right” person to read it and deem the book worthy of movie production. I’d love to see my characters come to life on the big screen. On a more rational side, I’d love for BLACK Widow to receive awards and be featured on Oprah’s Book Club.
TW: Do have plans of writing more books?
AL: Yes. I have the layout and “idea/word web” together for book five, the final installation, of The Gabrielle Black Chronicles. I’ve also started writing a follow-up to my book Toxic Love, Poisoned Life. There’s also an idea I’m tossing around for a book about a lonely and abused housewife.
TW: What is your favorite genre of books and do you plan on venturing in those areas?
AL: My favorite genre is sci-fi and paranormal books. I would love to venture into writing books within those genres. As soon as I can spark a good idea that fits into my favorite genre’s, I will be jumping at the opportunity to write as many books as I can.
TW: What do you want readers to know about you?
AL: I love to write, it’s always been my passion. However, I’m an avid reader as well. Anytime that I am not writing, I am reading. I prefer to read over watching television, honestly. I’m similar to readers in that sense, that I love a good and juicy story to engulf and entrance me totally.
TW: Do you have a favorite author or book?
AL: I have many favorites from different genre’s. Eric Jerome Dickey will always be a favorite and I love his “Gideon” series. The “Sookie Stackhouse Series” by Charlaine Harris is awesome and I have every book in the series. Ruby Dixon also has three great series that I’m totally engulfed in with every release. I enjoy her “Ice Planet Barbarians”, “Ice Home”, “Cosair’s”, and “Fireblood Dragons” series’. Recently I discovered the author Kristy Cunning and I’m a fangirl for her “All the Pretty Monsters” series. Tiffany Roberts’ books are also awesome to read and I’m always looking forward to new releases from the writing duo. I used to also read a lot from Zane and Wahida Clark when I was a fangirl for that genre.
TW: Did you notify your family that you were writing your book before you started? If so, what was their reaction?
AL: Yes. My immediate family knew that I was writing BLACK Widow and the story behind it. They were all very supportive during the process. The overall reaction they all gave was telling me they were proud of me and assuring me that I’d be great.
TW: What does literary success look like to you?
AL: Literary success in my eyes is having my books available in libraries and book stores around the world. Having the title of my books be posted online followed by the hashtag “am reading,” and people recommending my book as a great read to anyone who will be listed. I don’t want my success to be bookmarked by fame and bright lights and I didn’t publish expecting grandiose riches. My greatest satisfaction and sense of pride come from people around the world reading my literary creations and enjoying them. Literary success appears as being the person that provides an escape for people from everyday life in the form of a book.
TW: What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
AL: The things I find most difficult about my artistic process is the anxiety of wondering if you’re really writing an awesome story. It’s difficult when my mind wonders if anyone will enjoy my book or if it’ll be met with unkind criticism. This sometimes causes my process to be lengthened because I second guess certain parts of the book and rewrite them trying to reach perfection. Sometimes it can leave stagnant energy and space in my writing process that can be better used with writing and creating.
TW: How has this book changed your life?
AL: This book helped me grow my creative processes and expand my imagination beyond what I knew I was capable of. It wasn’t until I wrote BLACK Widow that I grasped a good understanding of how my creative mind works and how to use that to my advantage.
TW: Do you have any future events or updates we should know about?
AL: In addition to projects previously mentioned that I’m working on publishing in the future, I also want to publish several additional poetry books. Another venture that I’ve been considering is writing children’s books under a separate pen.
TW: How can we contact you and purchase your book?
AL: My Amazon Author Profile has all of my published titles and the web address is www.amazon.com/author/annleona
I have an Author profile on Twitter the web address is
My personal website with listings of my books is
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