Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
In short: I’m an author, an engineer, a teacher, a baker, and a homeschooling mom of two amazing children.
Long answer: I’m Anita: a middle-grade fiction writer.
I grew up reading books, loving books, and mostly living in the books, and whenever I came out of them, I spent my time daydreaming, making up stories, and sharing them with my family and friends. As a young girl, I loved mysteries, and especially the Nancy Drew series. I read them to bed and often slept reading them.
I still enjoy a great mystery book in which you connect with the story’s characters and solve the mysteries with them. I love riddles and poems too. Many a time, I make up funny rhymes and poems for my children and make them laugh.
After working for a software company for four years, I moved on to teach in a school as I enjoy spending time with the children.
I love to bake and also earned the Blue-Ribbon-Baker Award in the year 2019.
Currently, I’m living with my husband and two children in El Paso, Texas. El Paso is beautiful, hot, hot, and mostly hot. What best can you do on a hot summer day in a place like El Paso, other than reading and writing a great story and escaping into a different world altogether? Well, the days at El Paso remain warm most of the year, so it’s always a great time to escape into the world of stories.
I’ve written ten+ children’s books, but the publishing journey is starting now. 🙂
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My recently published book is Ethan Murphy and the Quest for the Minal.
It is the first book of the ETHAN MURPHY series.
I started writing this book when my children wanted me to write a story with riddles and codes. They wanted to share the journey with the characters and solve the mystery themselves. They loved the story.
They wanted more. So, I went on to write the next book.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think I’ve any unusual writing habits, but I would like to share just one funny thing: I have a writer’s brain. And that brain keeps writing scenes, even when I’m not at my desk. On a few occasions, I have stopped in the middle of shopping to take down notes on my mobile so that I can write them down when I reach home.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I enjoy reading mystery books, and when I was in grade school, I was very much hooked on Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. Even now, I enjoy a great mystery.
Currently, I love books written by Trenton Lee Stewart and Jessica Renwick.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m editing the second book of the Ethan Murphy series. At the same time, I’m writing the third one. I know that middle-graders love to read the next book of the series they enjoy. So I don’t want to disappoint them, and I plan to release the second book in the summer of 2021 and the third soon after.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m very new to marketing and promoting books. However, I’ve created an Author’s Facebook page to connect with my readers. I’m so glad to share with you that I’ve received a great response from my family and friends.
At the same time, I’m thankful that pretty-hot.com is also helping me promote my book.
I plan to share posts related to my upcoming books and release on Facebook. I’m new to Twitter and Instagram, but I plan to share updates there as well.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m a novice to the book publishing industry but not to writing.
I have only one piece of advice for new authors: write, write, write, and for a change, write some more.
Writing every day can help you improve your writing and storytelling skills.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In my life, the best advice I’ve ever received is to ‘never give up.’ I’ve taken it pretty much seriously. 😉
Anything you put your heart into, you can achieve that, and all you have to do is never give up and keep trying. If you aspire to become an author, write a lot, and never give up.
Well, it holds good for every field of life.
What are you reading now?
I love mysteries or anything mysterious. No wonder my favorite middle-grade book is Mysterious Benedict Society.
But currently, I’m reading an adult fiction by Sandra Brown: Envy.
And also, a middle-grade fiction by Jessica Renwick: The Haunting of Lavender Raine.
I sometimes read more than two books at a time, but it’s just two right now.
Did I tell you I also love to read anything written by Julie Klassen? Her books are sweet and engaging. I have one of her books on the shelf to read next.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Soon after the release of the Ethan Murphy series, you can expect to read a middle-grade sci-fi fiction with time-travel since I have already completed the first draft of the book.
Even though I enjoy writing middle-grade fiction, I plan to write a series for elementary children.
And as much as I love to write adventure, I plan to write contemporary fiction for middle-graders.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Oh, am I supposed to choose just one? Or can I choose my favorite books of all time?
Well, I love each and every book written by Julie Klassen. I also love Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
Kane and Abel to start with for Jeffery Archer, then name all his other works too.
Well, I’m sure you got my point. I think I should stop naming now. 😉
Author Websites and Profiles
Anita Mishra Website
Anita Mishra Amazon Profile
Anita Mishra’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account