Indie Author Spotlight: Anna P
Experiences with Self-Publishing, Authenticity, and Representation.
Celebrate the end of the Love in Wildes series with Almost Always!
By: Leah Thakur
Indie author Anna P (@annawriteshere) will tell you that her books are diverse stories with heart and heat. When I discovered Almost Love in 2024, I found this description to be wonderfully accurate. I instantly fell in love with the way she creates characters that feel so real, and with her ability to craft such authentic and vulnerable stories. With Almost Love, I read all 453 pages in a day, simply because I could not put it down.
Anna’s characters are Brown, queer, fat, sex-positive, and struggle with real life issues. They feel like your friends, your partners, your family, they feel like you— I’ve found a piece of myself in every character she’s written. Her writing is like a warm hug and a lazy Sunday morning. The love stories she weaves are so relatable but so swoony at the same time. They’re also deliciously steamy!
As a huge fan, I was so lucky to meet with Anna over Zoom and ask her some questions I’ve been burning to find out the answers to and to talk to her more about her newest book, Almost Always.
Leah: What made you want to become a writer?
Anna: So there are a couple of reasons. One is that I come from a family of journalists, and the idea of telling these stories about people who don't have a voice to do it seemed just so interesting and exciting to me. I did study journalism and then I did my Master’s in creative writing, and that really made a huge difference in terms of being able to tell stories.
My mother will tell you that I started reading and flipping through pages of books when I was ten months old, so I think it’s just something that has always been a part of me. And then I also have this incredible imagination, so it’s just something that I always had to do. Then, when I finally found the courage to do something with it, publishing seemed like the best option.
Leah: So, why romance?
Anna: When I started reading, I was reading a lot of Enid Blyton and similar stories, which eventually became Sarah Dessen books. And I thought it was so exciting to see what life was like for American kids! Then, as I got older, it was Nora Roberts. But, in 2018, I discovered Kindle Unlimited and the first author that I read was Kandi Steiner. I have been obsessed with her books since then and I do want to give her a lot of credit for actually making me want to write romance because her stories are so beautiful.
And who doesn’t love a romance story, right? Whether you’re watching a rom-com or reading a book, there’s much hope at the end because they get their happily ever after. Even after they go through all of these things, they still get their happily ever after. Why would you not want that?
Leah: What's been the coolest part about writing?
Anna: I think the coolest thing is having people read my stories and then tell me, “Oh my God, I relate to these characters or their journeys or their struggles.” A lot of authors do write from experience, so all of my characters are going through things that I go through. So, in some books, if someone says “I can relate,” or “I love it,” or “I love her or him,” I'm just like, so that means they love a part of me, which is hugely validating for me because I grew up in this environment where I was told that I wasn't enough.
Leah: All of your books are so soft but also feature pretty heavy topics. Why did you choose to include these topics in your books and how do you balance the heaviness with the romance?
Anna: I set out to write stories about real people, and real people have problems. I am a Brown, fat, queer woman who struggles with all of the things that my women go through. I have faced homophobia and racism, and even today I struggle with my body, and it’s normal. It’s not fun, but it’s who we are.
I come from a generation where my grandmother put so much pressure on me. It’s so important to give voice to these demons because it's therapeutic for me to talk about. And there’s having readers see themselves in your stories, seeing your characters being able to talk about the stuff that other people don’t talk about when society tells you nobody cares. But people do care! I love hearing about other people growing from their struggles, and I like talking about mine.
All of these people are little bits of me, and it doesn't matter what gender you are, you will see a bit of yourself in these characters. And I think that is important. Romance is such a great platform to talk about the hard stuff. And it's accepted because 99% of romance readers feel the exact same way the characters do. And I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We're all perfect in our flaws, but we have to accept and talk about them.
I didn’t really plan for that to be my brand or something that I was doing, but with my debut, I wrote about some really hard stuff that I went through and people related to it and liked how I handled it. So I said, okay, let’s see all the things that I can talk about that are important to me and people I know who have gone through stuff like this.
People talk about leaving politics out of romance and I’m like no, absolutely not! It’s such an important thing to talk about, no matter which country you come from!
Leah: Your books contain quite a few spicy scenes, but some of your characters struggle with sex in different ways. Why did you choose to include that in such a swoony yet sexy series?
Anna: I am someone who has never been comfortable with my body when it comes to sex or intimacy of any kind. So, coming back to the fact that I'm writing stories about real people with real struggles and real experiences, I think that it's important to show that sex can be difficult. The first time you sleep with someone, it might not be so easy. There are conversations about contraception, protection, and STI tests that have to be had, but you might not think of them in the moment.
I’m gray sexual and sex is the last thing that I want in a relationship. And if I can’t be honest with myself while I’m writing these stories, then the sex scenes just feel like fan service. My sex scenes need to have a reason for being there. With Daisy and Rafferty for example, it’s a childhood-friends-to-lovers slow burn, and I think everyone is going to be upset with me, but just because they have history and they love each other doesn’t mean that they’re going to have sex right away. They’re building something.
My other characters, like Oleander and Oakley, have trauma attached to sex, and Clementine has no experience with men but experience with sex. They’re very human characters. I’m really proud of the sex scenes I write, but don’t come to my books for just that. My books are about these people growing into these relationships and building up to the sex in a very organic and natural way.
Leah: Why do you include soft and domestic scenes and dates in your books? And how do you find the balance between these slice of life moments and the plot points moving the story ahead?
Anna: So I did a podcast recently with We Read Smart about why I write dates into most of my books. Most of my characters are strangers, and I feel like if they are going to end up falling in love and having their happy ever after, they need to get to know each other. And getting to know each other through dates is always a good idea because you are in this, you're in a public setting and it's awkward, but also cute. In Almost Maybes, Oleander and Jackson play 20 Questions on their first date, which is a fantastic way to get to know someone. Like, you just ask them the most bizarre questions and you can; it's like a personality quiz almost. And I think the couple of dates that I have been on, I've never been asked any questions about myself. These dates were meeting eligible bachelors to get married to when I was in my early twenties, and they only talked about themselves! They were like, “You are marrying me. So here's who I am.” And I'm just like, who cares? Because you're not asking me who I am and I don't want to marry you!
So the minute they reach that stage in their dates where the feelings switch, then you don't have to send them on, you can send them on dates even after they're a couple, but it stops becoming get-to-know-you dates, but being more about the couple just being. Sitting on the couch and watching TV and stuff like that. Almost Home is probably the softest of all the books. And in that, there's a lot of domestic stuff, which is something that I really enjoy writing because you get to see them in their rawest form and you fall in love with that raw form. That's what entices me to romances.
I want to see— and I keep saying this— real love stories and real characters, and real characters that would go on these uncomfortable and awkward, but also sometimes cute and swoony, dates because it feels like a good way to get to know somebody. And that's why I do it. And finding the balance is sometimes really hard, but so far I've done a good job. I'm really proud of this.
Leah: Your debut, Almost Maybes, just got turned into an audiobook! Tell me all about that.
Anna: Oh, wow. So Audio in Color opens up applications to romance authors of color from all over the world and I think the year that I won was probably their second or third time. And I was just like, oh, should I fill out the application, and my mom was just like, what do you have to lose?
So that day I filled out five different forms, but Audio in Color was the only one that got back to me. There were so many applicants, and out of that, ten of us were picked. And even now, sometimes I think about it, I'm just like, whoa, that's insane.
Then Lyric Audiobooks, who produces the audiobooks, got in touch with a list of narrators that they thought would be perfect. And this is the thing that really surprised me, was that all the judges and everyone at Lyric Audiobooks reads the books that are submitted! So they sent a list of narrators, I listened to their samples and chose who I wanted, and then you just kind of sit back and the producers do all of the work for you. It’s a really simple process.
And it was just so unreal. The first time I heard my words being said by someone else I got so emotional. And I am an extremely emotional person and I have not cried a single time a book is released, but I cried when I listened to the audiobook.
I think everyone should just take a chance on things that they don't think that they could do. Even if you think you're not going to get something, what is there to lose? Just take a shot and magic things happen.
Leah: Who's your favorite character you've written and why?
Anna: If I had to pick one, it would be Lachlan from Almost Home, which is book three. Everyone talks about him being my best hero. And I do agree! I was reading the book back the other day and I was just like, wow, did I write this guy? Like, how is he real? Like what the hell? He is really special.
He's an author, a bestselling author of fantasy novels. He's got depression. He was abandoned as a baby and adopted by an older woman and he was raised by her. So he's got a lot of trauma and there’s been a lot of grief in his life.
But he's probably, like, the best of them all. And he's very briefly mentioned in Almost Always! But I think Lachlan first, and Clementine would probably be my second.
Leah: If you could have one of your books turned into a movie, which one would you pick? And who would you cast to play your characters?
Anna: So I would probably pick Almost Maybes, simply because I feel like I can visualize it as a movie already. When I was writing the book, Dylan O' Brien was Jackson. All that scruffy bedhead and just, you know, he’s nerdy. And Gina Rodriguez was Oleander, but obviously she's not Indian. Then I was thinking of Geraldine Vishwanathan, although she’s not the size I imagine any of these women being. But she's so beautiful that I would just cast her in all of my books, just because I love her and I think she’s amazing.
Leah: Which of your couples would you most like to go on a double date with?
Anna: Oh, boy, I think Ginny and Gavin from book four, Almost Yours, simply because they have history. But their history is not like Daisy and Rafferty, it's, like, traumatic history. They were so fun to write, and I call them my rage babies because they're just angry with each other for the first half of the book and it's perfect.
Frankie and Milo would also be fun, but I feel like they'd be too obsessed with each other to really pay attention to me and my date. So we will let them live in their little smut hut, and I will just pick someone else.
Leah: You have a cricket romance coming out this year. What are you willing to share about the book so far?
Anna: So, what I’ve shared so far is that it’s set in Chennai, in the south of India, which is where I live and I love my city. It’s the first book in a series of romances featuring siblings and sports. It’s an age gap and she’s older; she’s also a boss babe and owns her own company. It’s also a black cat x golden retriever, because I seem to have a weakness for this, and he falls first, super hard. It’s also open door. I’m hoping to release it in May!
Anna’s final installment of the series, Almost Always, released February 24th, but I was lucky enough to receive an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) earlier in the month, and truly, I could not read it fast enough. The book’s trope list includes single dad, dual timeline, childhood-friends-to-lovers, slow burn, second chance(ish), and “it’s always been you,” which Anna weaves into a beautiful tale that, at its heart, is about loving yourself, learning to accept love from others, and creating family. I am so excited that the world gets to meet Daisy, Rafferty, and Callahan and it was a joy to ask Anna about the book!
Photo cred: @wisterialeah
Leah: What is your favorite scene in Almost Always?
Anna: Oh, the greenhouse scene. (We giggled here, iykyk!) That is one. The other scene is actually the one where he's rating her outfits, which is technically after the greenhouse scene, so really that whole chapter. I was just like, oh, this is so cute— they went from being slutty to being cute. It was fun to write, though, because I was giggling the whole time.
Leah: Where did the inspiration for Callahan come from?
Anna: I have a godson who's only four years old, but I imagine he's going to grow up to be like Callahan in a lot of ways, and so a lot of his personality comes from my godson. He’s just so uninhibited about the world. He just cares about ice cream and dogs and flowers and tutus and painting his nails, and these things are so normal to him.
So he’s this kid who’s just happy with his life, but he’s also so alone because the only person he has is his dad. I sort of channeled this when I was a kid. I had both my parents and my younger brother, so I wasn’t as alone as he was. But I think sometimes we forget that kids have these moments where they just feel so alone, and how do they tackle it? So, why make this kid all dramatic when I could just make him love his dad and this dog, and fall in love with this person who comes into their lives so unexpectedly.
Leah: Why did you choose to include tattoos as such a significant part of this book?
Anna: I've always been so fascinated by tattoos because I feel like, for most people, tattoos tell a story and it's significant to them. And some tattoos are just random pieces of art, but a lot of it connects to them and their story and their souls and their hearts. And I think that the fact that something that's sometimes so small can mean so much is so powerful to me. So, I try to give my characters tattoos because each tattoo on their body is connected to a part of who they are.
With Rafferty, his tattoos are all for Cal and Daisy, and I think that it shows you so much about that person. I think that it's so important because they hold these things so dear to them that they want it on them at all times. My best friend, she's got a tattoo sleeve, full black-and-gray, and it's an intricate piece of art, and sometimes when she's talking to me, I'm just staring and she's like, are you even listening? I'm like totally, totally, just keep talking. And I've known her for 13 years but I'm still so fascinated by her!
So, I feel like every character who gets tattoos, in some way, is just a small dedication to her. I haven't told her that because she'll say oh, what rubbish, but I’m being genuine!
Leah: Can you share some fun facts about Daisy and Rafferty that didn't make it into the book?
Anna:
Cheesecake is the way to Daisy's heart.
She's quirky and fun, awkward and sometimes childlike.
Rafferty has a fear of fire, but challenges it every single day.
He's been fixing up his motorcycle for years and finally finishes it in Wildes so he can take Daisy for a ride. (Imagine if I made him a hot single dad firefighter AND a biker. I'd ruin myself.)
Leah: You bring up Ava Hunter and other romance books that Daisy owns in the book, so I have to ask, who is Daisy's favorite author?
Anna: Ava Hunter is very special to me. I get to beta read all of her books before they go to print, which is awesome, and I started out as one of her ARC readers when she started out, so she’s become a really good friend!
But I think if Daisy was to have a favorite author, it would be Kennedy Ryan. She's actually another huge inspiration for writing stories with hard topics and tackling things that people don't want to talk about, and all of her books are so powerful. I think Daisy would probably love and cry over Kennedy Ryan's books as I have; I think it makes sense.
Leah: All your books feature beautiful examples of Brown, fat, and queer characters that are very sex-positive, and they deal with mental health struggles. There's also on-page therapy in many of your books, so where do these themes fit into Almost Always, and what do you want readers to take away from the story?
Anna: I'm a huge believer in therapy; I think therapy more than anything else can change your life. Love does not solve everything. It can solve some things, it can help you deal with a lot of stuff, but I put therapy into my books because it’s such an important thing to talk about. We need to be more comfortable talking about it and mental health.
I feel like Brown people and People of Color in general sometimes don’t think of therapy as a problem-solving thing. It’s thought of as something that makes you different. But, I think People of Color need to be more accepting of the mental health struggles they go through. We all come from different backgrounds and different cultures, and while all of my books are about Brown people, I want all People of Color to be able to see themselves in these stories.
Daisy is Brown, she’s queer, she’s divorced, she’s got all these mental health struggles—my precious flower! She grew up with a bad mom, and her dad did the best he could, but she was bullied and struggled with an eating disorder, and the only way she was going to heal from this trauma was with professional help. But she’s so real! You know someone exactly like her. That’s the reason why I tell these stories and write characters like her. I think it’s important to show that for all our imperfections and our beauty, we are messy and flawed and that’s okay. That’s what makes us who we are.
Leah: How does it feel to end the Love in Wildes series?
Anna: On one hand I’m really excited that it’s over because I’ve been writing these books since 2021! So finally, after four years, I can say goodbye. But at the same time, it’s so sad because I’m saying goodbye to these characters that have been with me since I decided to start publishing. This is the first time I’ve put myself out there like this, and I put so much of myself into each of these characters. All of them have a bit of me, and I’m releasing myself into the wild, backing away, and not looking back. I’m not stepping away from Wildes yet, but I am ending this group of people. It’s bittersweet, but I also think it’s time.
Leah: What did you learn from writing and publishing a whole series?
Anna: One of the things that I learned about myself, very specifically, is that I am stronger than I gave myself credit for. When you’re an author, you’re putting yourself out there and people are going to say horrible things about you, and you have to ignore it. Or people are going to say really nice things about you, but you have to take all of it with a grain of salt, even if it feels good to have people say nice things. It really tested me and my mental health at every step!
But it taught me storytelling, it taught me writing, and it showed me that there is a bigger world out there if I want to explore it. I’m not done learning about writing and publishing; this is just the first step! Romance novels teach us so much about ourselves and the world. They expose us to so many different kinds of people.
As a self-published author, I feel like I have so much more freedom in terms of the stories I can tell. I can write whatever I want and nobody can stop me, and that’s probably why I don’t want to be a traditionally published author. I don’t think I’d be able to tell the stories that I want to and get to show the world to people in a way they might not have experienced before.
Make it stand out
Anna’s books will touch your soul and leave you with a story and characters to think about even after you close their pages. Full of Brown, fat, queer, and vulnerable characters, her books give us all the opportunity to see ourselves in writing. Daisy and Rafferty’s story is especially captivating, reminding you to “sit under the stars” with your loved ones. You can find Almost Always and the rest of Anna’s books here!
