Kia ora,
Give a warm welcome to a fab author and very nice person. Come on, get that cuppa and come over and learn about Anne Barwell. 

Here’s Anne …
I’m Anne Barwell, and I live in the Wellington region of New Zealand. I share my house with two sibling kitties, Byron (yes, like the poet), and Marigold who I’m constantly shoving off my chair so I can write.
I’m also a musician and play piano and violin so music – and cats – often feature in my books. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, watching TV – usually while knitting or cross stitching – spending time with my kids and grandkids.  I also try to get out for walks and in the garden as the weather and time permit.
I play violin for a community orchestra, and have regular catch up with friends, in between working at a public library, so life is busy. 

Favourite genre/s to read or write? 
I love paranormal/urban fantasy though I also have a soft spot for a well written historical, preferably with a touch of romance.

Please tell us about your latest work: 
Divided Road releases on the 29^th October, and is part of this year’s Road to Rocktoberfest series. It’s an MM (male/male) contemporary romance, mostly set in Upper Hutt and Napier in New Zealand, with an excursion to the (fictional) Rocktoberfest music festival in the US.
Not a paranormal in sight, but if you’ve read some of my other NZ set books, you might recognise someone who isn’t quite what he appears to be. He figured as he was already there… and this is the 3^rd book he’s snuck into. There is music and cats, though. 

Blurb:
The chance of a lifetime or their final performance?
Owen Stanton has been a member of the Kiwi band Flightless since high school. So far, he’s managed to walk the fine line between playing fiddle for the band and pursuing his classical violin career. 
An opportunity arises to audition for a prestigious string quartet, and Owen takes his family’s advice to go for it. After all, it’s not like he’s going to make the cut, right? And if he does, the decision won’t have to be made until after the band’s highly anticipated performance at a popular New Zealand music festival. 
Jared Murphy joins Flightless when their keyboard player faces a family crisis and needs to take a break. Soon he and Owen are writing music together and creating something beautiful between them. It’s a shame it won’t last. After all, Jared’s only standing in.
When the once in a lifetime invitation comes for the band to play at Rocktoberfest, decisions need to be made, even if taking the right path may end up in divided roads. 
Divided Road is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2024 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see what trouble our bands get into next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for? Kick back, load up your kindle and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!

Universal Link: Series Page:

Do you like chocolate fish? 
Yes. 

What’s your main character like? 
There are two MCs in Divided Road. Owen’s a violinist torn between a classical and rock career, with his parents encouraging him to go for the former. He works in a music shop in between playing with an orchestra and in the band.  He’s also close to his gran, and often asks her for advice. 
Jared is a pianist who is asked to fill in for Flightless when their usual keyboard player has to step down for a while. He and his sister, Brigit, own a café called The Strawberry Scone, and Jared’s day job is a barista. 

Would you go to the pub with them?

Totally. Their band does a lot of pub gigs so I’d be sure of great music, followed by good conversation

Would you have them over for dinner?

Yes. Being a musician too, we’d have plenty to talk about.  Owen also has a cat called Bach, and Jared’s cat is called Dolce. His gran’s cat is called Kije – there’s a pattern there lol.  They both love to read.

What music do they listen to?
The band’s music has a celtic/80s vibe, but with Owen and Jared both being classically trained they listen to a mix of rock and classical and everything in between.

What type of car do they drive?
Owen rarely drives his car, apart from when he has to go a distance. Otherwise, he tends to ride his bike.  He drives a late model Toyota Yaris, while Jared’s is an older Honda Civic Hatch.

Are they a series character?
No, this is supposed to be a one-off, although it’s part of the Rocktoberfest world. However, another couple of characters think they’re getting their own book. 

What piece of advice would you give a new writer?
Keep writing. Don’t wait until you have time, make time, even if it’s just 500 words here and there, or your book will never happen. 

What part of writing do you find the hardest? 
Finding time to write, amongst the business of life, and the day job sucking my energy levels during the week.

Have you ever had lolly cake?
Yes! My mum used to often make it

Pantser or outliner? And why?
A bit of both. I used to outline way more, and then the characters kept changing things as I write so now I know the beginning, end, and some signposts along the way, and then start writing to see what happens. 

Do you write in silence? If you don’t write in silence do you prefer music and what type of music? 
I prefer to write with music in the background, although I zone out and miss a lot of it. I turn the radio before I start, usually a classic rock station, but occasionally I’ll play a CD depending on what I’m writing and whether I want it for vibe, or to specifically refer to. 

Do you like to listen to audio books?
Only when I’m walking, otherwise I miss most of it when my brain wanders off like yours. 

Have you ever visited New Zealand?
I live here, so that’s a yes lol

Dogs, cats, guinea pigs, or some other type of pet?
When my cat of 18 years passed away my daughter convinced me to get a pair from Outpawed which fosters cats and kittens. Marigold and Byron were 5 months old when they moved in, and are a bonded pair, although they’re fighting more as they get older. And then settle in together for mutual washing and cuddling. Go figure. 

Where do you write? 
I have my office set up on my kitchen table, so use the breakfast bar for eating. Its location means I can have dinner etc cooking in the background and keep an eye on it while I write. 

Thank you for playing along!
Thanks for having me!

Social Media Links:

Website & Blog—Drops of Ink:
Facebook:
Facebook Page:
Facebook group:
Instagram:
Twitter:
Bookbub:
Newsletter: