Anna Pedko

What was your favorite book as a child?

The Little Mermaid forever. Ariel is stubborn, defiant, rebellious; she always does the opposite of what she’s told. That was me as a kid! And her pack of friends always seemed adorable, maybe because I didn’t have many friends myself. Their loyalty drew me in. Also, I always envied her ability to just swim away from awkward situations.

What was the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?

It started after I read a book where I adored the characters but thought the plot and their development were terrible (imho). So I wrote a fanfiction fix. Then more and more ideas kept flooding in, already about my own stories, and I realized I’d never felt more excited about anything. 

That’s when I realized: writing is what I was born for. 

Books shape culture, and I wanted to add my voice to unravel emotions in stories that surprise, entertain, and sneak in a bit of philosophy, too.

Right now, that dream means editing my contemporary romance novel, where I’m exploring sisterhood, love, and that one man she thought she knew until he serves her with a lawsuit...

What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?

Immigrating. Equal parts terrifying and thrilling. Terrifying: the cost of living. Thrilling: discovering a new culture and meeting so many kind, generous people. (Also thrilling: realizing my grocery bill could buy a small island back home.)

Do you listen to music while reading or writing?

Yes! I adore classical piano — it calms my thoughts and drowns out background noise.