Today we’re thrilled to celebrate the prolific and talented Anita Hughes and her latest (sixth!) novel, ISLAND IN THE SEA, which is about a young, female music exec who is sent to the Spanish Island of Majorca to make an aging songwriter fulfill his contract. Here’s the blurb:
Juliet Lyman is a senior executive at Yesterday Records. Music is her passion and she’s very good at her job. That’s why her famously philanthropic boss Gideon sends her to Majorca, Spain to work with a very tortured, but talented client. Lionel Harding is one of the best song writers of the 20th century, the multi-Grammy award-winning lyricist of the third most recorded song in history. But now he’s 42 and six months overdue on the his latest paid assignment. Juliet is not leaving Majorca without either new lyrics or a very large check.
To Juliet, business comes first. Emotions are secondary, and love isn’t even on the menu. But to Lionel, love is everything, and he blames Gideon for his broken heart. He’s determined to show Juliet that nothing is more important than love, but Juliet is just as determined to get Lionel to create the music that made him famous. If she can sign up local talent, even better. Her new friend Gabriella has a voice like an angel, but she’s not interested in fame. Her grandmother, Lydia, wants the world for Gabriella, and she wants Juliet’s help to give it to her.
As her professional and personal lives start to mix for the first time, Juliet is forced to reevaluate her priorities. Gideon hasn’t been totally honest, and love may be the only thing that gives them all what they need.
Anita stopped by the Tall Poppy Blog to talk about her first novel, what she loves most about her job, and her favorite 6 pm ritual …
Where do you love to be?
I love to be at the beach (which is lucky, because that’s where I live). I don’t actually go in the water (as my children never fail to remind me) but I love the view of the ocean. It is gorgeous and can make a bad day a good day, instantly.
When you were a teenager, what did you think you’d be when you grew up?
When I was fourteen, I wrote a full novel, and with my mother’s help, (those were the days of carbon copies) I sent it off to a prominent children’s book editor at Harper & Row (As it was called then). She sent me a revision letter, but I became a cheerleader and didn’t follow through. So I guess I have always wanted to be a writer, but the allure of high school fun got in the way.
What time of day do you love best?
I absolutely love six pm. I have a schedule where I write all day – though with frequent breaks to pick children up from school and go to the grocery store, etc. At six pm, I close up the laptop, make a cup of coffee and sit down with whatever book I am currently reading. I feel like I have accomplished something and I always loved to read!
What’s your next big thing?
I am very excited because I have three books coming out this year. SANTORINI SUNSETS, set on the Greek Island of Santorini, comes out on August 2nd and CHRISTMAS IN PARIS will be published on October 4th. I just completed next spring’s book: WHITE SAND, BLUE SEA, set on St. Bart’s. So there are a lot of things to be happy about!
What is the best perk of your job?
The best perk of the job is definitely connecting with readers and talking about books. I could talk about books (not necessarily mine) all day long, and it is always fun to hear what other people are reading. When I get an email from a reader saying my books transported them, I am thrilled!
Thanks for stopping by, Anita, and all the best to you and ISLAND IN THE SEA!
About Anita:
Anita Hughes is the author of ROME IN LOVE, FRENCH COAST, LAKE COMO, MARKET STREET and MONARCH BEACH, all published by St. Martin’s Press. She grew up in Sydney, Australia and attended Bard College and UC Berkeley’s Masters in English and Creative Writing program. She lives in Dana Point, California with her family. Connect with Anita on her website, or on Facebook and Twitter.
