Pump Up Chats with Anne Fortier

Anne Fortier photo new

Anne Fortier, the author of Juliet, grew up in Denmark and emigrated to the United States in 2002 to work in film. She holds a Ph.D. in the History of Ideas from Aarhus University, Denmark, and co-produced the Emmy-winning documentary Fire and Ice: The Winter War of Finland and Russia. You can join her on www.annefortier.com and read much, much more about Juliet on www.julietbook.com.

Thank you for this interview, Anne.  Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later?  Do you remember your first published piece?

I started writing stories as soon as I learned how to write, and sent my first finished 200-page manuscript to a publisher by the age of 13. My first published piece was a comic travel short that appeared in a European in-flight magazine called Jet-time when I was 14 years old.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

The most frustrating side is probably that people now think I have a magic wand when it comes to the publishing industry, and that if they just stick close to me throughout a party and keep talking at me about their writing project, I can somehow help them turn idea into book.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life?  Do you have support?

I am married, and luckily my husband is very supportive.

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?  Where do you like to vacation?  Can you tell us briefly about this?

I bake a lot. But I also like to go canoeing and camping, and I very much like to travel around Southern Europe and explore Juliet cover art archaeological sites.

If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?

Maybe some nice, sandy beach in the Caribbean. I haven`t really had much of a chance to go to the beach these past two years.

Who is your biggest fan?

My mother!

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

My snug little office, surrounded by books and piles of paper …

What’s your favorite library and why?

Our own, actually. My husband is an English professor and has a fantastic book collection, so I usually find what I need right here in my own living room.

What’s your favorite bookstore and why?

I don`t have a specific, favorite bookstore. In really love to explore new bookstores wherever I go, and to me a bookstore is like an oasis, where I can relax and feel good for a while. Especially in airports.

Do you have any pets?

Yes, a big dog who is half Lab half Great Dane. His name is Mr. Darcy.

What are you reading right now?

Jamie Ford`s wonderful novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Tell us a secret no one else knows.

I think I`ve become addicted to hot chocolate.

What’s the first thing you notice when you meet someone?

Whether or not they smile.

Have you ever won anything?

When I was four years old (I think) I won a huge teddy-bear at an amusement park. I still remember carrying it around and barely being able to see where I was going, it was so big.

What’s on your to do list today?

Call my mother, work on my next novel, and clean the house before my in-laws come over for dinner.

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in September via a virtual book tour.  Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online? 

The virtual world is the ideal meeting place for book lovers like me, who like to be cozy at home rather than buzzing around the globe in search of likeminded people. 

Thank you for this interview, Anne. Good luck on your virtual book tour! 

You`re welcome. Thanks very much for having me!


Leave a Reply