The Sixth book of Callaghan Brothers series Beyond Affection by Abbie Zanders entered and is still holding in Top 50 Kindle Amazon Bestselling list. The romantic story gathered huge positive feedback with average 4.8 stars from more than 100 Amazon reviews. We’ve got a chance to take a deep look into the novels and characters of our next guest Abbie Zanders. Let’s welcome her in the following Q&A.

– What is your book Beyond Affection about?
– Beyond Affection is the 6th stand-alone book in my Callaghan Brothers series. Each one focuses on a different brother, and tells the story of how they met the women they believe were destined for them and them alone. This book is Shane’s story.

Shane is one of the quieter brothers, an ex-SEAL and lawyer by profession. One night, while guest-lecturing in an Ethics class, he is intrigued by the pretty blonde who has fallen asleep during his recitation.
Lacie McCain is a gentle-hearted Kindergarten teacher, working towards her Master’s degree by taking night classes. She is mortified by what has happened, but takes it all in stride with a sense of humor.
Shane and Lacie know early on that they were meant to be together, but Lacie’s friend Craig doesn’t agree. Lacie is used to Craig’s overbearing interference and puts up with it because he was a longtime friend of her brother Brian (currently MIA overseas), and the widowed husband of her former best friend.
When Lacie refuses to heed Craig’s warning to stay away from Shane Callaghan, Craig takes matters into his own hands. Shane and his brothers – all ex-SEALS who now work covert ops off the books – must save Lacie from Craig’s delusional clutches, and discover what really happened to her brother.
– How did you decide to write the story?
– I got the initial inspiration for the series years ago, when I moonlighted in a local Irish Pub nights and weekends. From there, the ideas grew and the Callaghans were created. Each brother emerged as time went on, his distinctive characteristics evolving with each subsequent story. I didn’t have a plan, really. They just kind of happened.
Shane became the quiet, semi-psychic one. When I tried to picture his perfect woman, Lacie appeared.
– What was the biggest challenge during the write up process?
– For this book in particular, the biggest challenge was trying to write the story without crossing some serious lines of social acceptability. The characters must deal with some very dark, very real issues such as stalking, obsessive behavior and implied heinous acts. I often felt as if I was walking a very thin line, and tried to present it so that the reader filled in many of the blanks on their own. The story can really have several different interpretations, based on what each individual reader makes of it.
– Tell us something more about your main characters Shane and Lacie? Are they close to someone from your real life?
– Truthfully, no. They are purely products of my overactive imagination. But if they were real, I’d want to hang out with them.
– How much time did you need to finish the story and to publish it?
– It took about four years to get the story into its current form. For many years, I wrote solely for myself as an escape from reality; I never planned on publishing any of it. Shane’s story is one of dozens I’ve written over the years. Periodically I re-read previously written stories, editing, tweaking, and adjusting until I’m satisfied. Once I decided to publish, it took about a month to do final content edits on the completed story, proofread, etc.
– Did you expect such success by Callaghan Brothers series?
– Never in a million years, not in my wildest imagination. I’m still rather shocked by it. Grateful, but shocked.
– Give is some insight about your novel Five Minute Man?
– Five Minute Man is my first published work. It was a wonderful outlet for the sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek side of my personality. I started with a framework loosely based on some of my own personal experiences (computer programmer wanting to write romance full time, regular Girls Nights Out with my best friend of 30 years, and a general skepticism for romantic notions) and the story took on a life of its own.
– Who are you (Would you describe yourself with few sentences)?
– Wow, this is a difficult question to answer. I guess I would describe myself as a wife and working mother who is grateful for the chance to live her dream of writing for however long I can. I have an extremely short attention span, and find it impossible to do only one thing at a time. I want to evolve as a writer and a person, and to travel to places I have only dreamt of and write stories about them.
– What are your writing habits?
– That’s easy. I steal a few minutes here and there, whenever I can, wherever I can. If I’m not writing, I am thinking about writing, at least in the back of my mind. It is the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing before I crawl into bed at night.
– Are you satisfied by the sales of your books?
More than. I’m still having trouble accepting the fact that there are others who actually seem to like them.
– What are you doing to promote your book by the best possible way?
– Not enough. My life is very chaotic, and I don’t have as much time to put into after-publication considerations as I should. I do a lot on Facebook. I’m not sure how word is spreading, but I can’t take credit for it. I am awed.
– When we will see your next novel?
– The seventh book in the Callaghan series is scheduled for release at the end of April 2015. There are least four more in that series after that. It is my plan to publish one new book per month for as long as I can. Because I have been writing for years, I have lots of stories waiting to see the light of day, and am always creating new ones.
– You promise to your readers a happy ending of the books. Why you think that a novel must finish in a positive way?
– It’s a personal preference of mine. I am an avid reader, and tend to get emotionally involved. If a book ends badly, I feel depressed, sometimes for days afterward. I want my books to be a temporary escape from reality. When a reader is finished, I want her/him to have a smile on her/his face and be glad she/he chose my book. I want them to want to read it over and over.
– Why you decide to go self-published instead of searching for traditional publishing?
– Several reasons. Fear of rejection and the near-absolute certainty that no one would want any of my books. The time, effort, and cost involved. The fact that I’m really not very good at doing what other people tell me to do. The desire to keep my stories my own. Even if I didn’t believe my books would sell, they would still be mine, not someone else’s idea of what they should be.
– If you may ask yourself one question in the interview what it will be? (Don’t forget to answer)
– What do you want to say to your readers? Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for making my dream come true.

Learn more about Abbie Zanders at her Web page
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Take a look at her books:
The Realist: A Contemporary Love Story
Five Minute Man: A Contemporary Love Story
Dangerous Secrets: Callaghan Brothers, Book 1
Beyond Affection: Callaghan Brothers, Book 6
All Night Woman: A Contemporary Romance