On Writing Author Interview: Tia Bach

To avoid pre-conceived notions which can sometimes be connected with certain genres, the number of books published and/or an author's appearance, none of that information will be revealed until the bottom of the interview.   So pour a cup of coffee, have a seat, and check out this interview - see how much, or how little, you have in common with this published author.

ON WRITING:
What is your favorite part of being a writer?
Finding the right words. So many times I know what I want to say, can feel it with every fiber of my being, but I need the words to reflect that intensity. When I find the right ones, it’s a wonderful feeling.

What is your least favorite part?
Writing when I’m not in the mood. I believe the more you write, the better you write, so I try to write whether the muse is with me or not. It’s so much easier when she graces me with her presence.

Name one obstacle you’ve had to overcome.
Guilt. I have three daughters who are 11, 9 and 6. I can’t always force writing while they are at school, and it’s hard to write with children running around. I try and strike a balance and ask them to respect the muse from time to time.

Is there a specific part of your writing you’re working on to improve?
It changes constantly. Sometimes I focus on grammar and punctuation, other times character development or storyline. More than anything, I try to focus on writing, getting the words on the page. Without that, you have nothing to work with.

What part of your writing makes you particularly proud?
When readers like it and take the time to tell me. I’m an avid reader, and I completely understand differences in opinions. Rarely does a book bind everyone together in thought. So it’s always a treat when a reader likes my work and wants to make sure I know.

What does your favorite main character have in common with you?
She’s got spunk, and she’s not easily deterred from her goals. I gave her more spunk than I have, but I’m striving to be more like her.

Do you do a lot of research for your projects or do you only write about what you already know?
I always start with what I know and research from there.

How do you use the internet for your writing?
Beyond research and fact-checking, I blog. I try to post something three to four times a week to keep the writing juices flowing.

If you’ve won any awards for your writing, what impact do you think that has had? 
It’s a nice compliment, and I appreciate the awards I’ve received. In some ways, though, it adds pressure. I thought the first book would be the hardest, but I went into it so blind. The second is where the pressure builds. It’s like having children. You are terrified with the first kid because of what you don’t know, more terrified with the second because of what you do know.

What one marketing tool have you had good success with?
My blog, it allows readers a chance to hear my voice before buying my book. I’m an avid reader, and I love reading author blogs. It’s also a great way to get out excerpts or other writing samples, such as flash fiction.

What good writing habits have you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out?
Write every single day. Even if you just keep a journal next to your bed for random ideas, exercise the writing muscle.

Do you have any bad writing habits that you’d advise writers to avoid?
I edit as I write. I can’t help myself. It’s a much better idea to let the words flow and let them sit and breathe awhile before trying to perfect them.

Do you have any strange writing habits?
I speak out loud as I type. I like hearing if the words make sense, but it adds to my problem of editing as I write.

When you’re not writing, do you read, and if so, what?
I’m an avid reader and love to read across genres. I’ve been involved with book clubs for years, and it’s a great way to read outside your comfort zone. I pride myself on finding redeeming value in almost any book.

What are you trying to accomplish with/through your writing?
I want to get the ideas out of my over-full brain.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do you have for young writers?
Trust your gut, but I believe those words of wisdom help you in all things. Listen to your heart, but run it past your brain first.

What advice do you have for someone looking to get published?
Don’t take no for an answer. It might be a temporary delay, but there are so many great avenues open to writers these days. Research and talk to other writers, then choose a path.

Any thoughts on what this author writes?  How many books published?  Here's a little more information about the author...
 
How many published books are to your credit?  1

Do you have an agent?  No

Are you self-published?  Yes

How many different companies have you published with?  One

How long have you been writing?  Since I was a teen.

Do you write full-time? If not, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?
I do freelance writing and editing part-time. I am a full-time mother. I haven’t found the magic balance between writing and being a mother. I simply do my best.

So, any thoughts?  Here's the full scoop:

In the words of award-winning author Tia Bach:  I’m an author, blogger, avid reader, and mom to three girls (11, 9 & 6). My first novel, Depression Cookies, is an award-winning coming of age tale co-written with my mom.

I started my writing career as a Staff Writer for my college newspaper and later a corporate technical writer for a wholly-owned subsidiary of IBM.

Tia is author of the award-winning women’s fiction title Depression Cookies.  You can find Depression Cookies online at  Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

You can learn more about Tia at her blog http://depressioncookies.blogspot.com and website at http://depressioncookies.com

 

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?
A follow-up to our award-winning Depression Cookies
A Young Adult novel

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being a writer that you’d like to share?

I love this quote: “And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise.  The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” Sylvia Plath

Is there anything else you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd like added to future interviews?  Let us know...drop us a comment below.

On Writing Author Interview: Coral Moore

To avoid pre-conceived notions which can sometimes be connected with certain genres, the number of books published and/or an author's appearance, none of that information will be revealed until the bottom of the interview.   So pour a cup of coffee, have a seat, and check out this interview - see how much, or how little, you have in common with this published author.

ON WRITING:
What is your favorite part of being a writer?
My favorite part of being a writer is inventing characters. It’s also my favorite part of being a reader, connecting with characters and following them on their journeys.

What is your least favorite part?
I’m not very comfortable with promotion, so I’d have to say that’s my least favorite part.

Name one obstacle you’ve had to overcome.
I think my biggest obstacle is my own mind. It’s easy to read that first draft and see it as unsalvageable, so that’s my big struggle.

Is there a specific part of your writing you’re working on to improve?
I have a pretty spare writing style, so I’m always working on more evocative descriptions.

What part of your writing makes you particularly proud?
When someone tells me they enjoyed a story I wrote, I feel tremendously proud. Since I’m very recently published, looking at my book page still gives me a little thrill, too.

What does your favorite main character have in common with you?
Wow, that’s a great question. Candor is a trait I share with most of my main characters. My main characters don’t tend to lie or evade their responsibilities.

Do you do a lot of research for your projects or do you only write about what you already know?
I do many hours of research, but most of it doesn’t make its way into the story directly. I like to use it as a spice to make my characters and world richer.

How do you use the internet for your writing?
The most honest answer is probably too much! However, since that’s probably not the answer you want, I use it primarily for research, and also as a dictionary and thesaurus. I also keep backups of all my writing ‘in the cloud’ because I’m terrified of losing my work.

If you’ve won any awards for your writing, what impact do you think that has had? 
I haven’t won any awards… yet!

What one marketing tool have you had good success with?
It’s a bit early to answer this for me, but I think the act of connecting with (and not so much selling to) potential readers is a powerful tool that we can all use successfully.

What good writing habits have you developed that you think would be helpful to someone starting out?
One habit I’ve developed is not to delete anything. When I decide to remove a scene or line, I put it into a spare parts file and sometimes if I’m stuck I go back there looking for inspiration.

Do you have any bad writing habits that you’d advise writers to avoid?
I do a lot of rewriting while working through my first draft. I wish I could stop because it makes my first drafts take much longer than they probably should.

Do you have any strange writing habits?
I chew a lot of gum while I’m writing, always minty flavors. No idea where I picked up that habit.  (FYI – they say that chewing gum stimulates the brain – so this is actually a very good habit!)

When you’re not writing, do you read, and if so, what?
I read a lot and my tastes are varied. I like Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Thrillers, Mysteries—I think that about covers it. *grin*

What are you trying to accomplish with/through your writing?
I just like to tell stories. I find it fun and rewarding in its own right.

ADVICE TO OTHER WRITERS
What words of wisdom do you have for young writers?
Keep working at it. I know it sounds trite, but that’s really the best piece of advice I’ve got. Write lots of words and keep writing.

What advice do you have for someone looking to get published?
I would say that you should take stock of why you’re writing before you decide between self-publishing or traditionally publishing. Do some research on the benefits of self-publishing and really consider if you can go it alone.

Any thoughts on what this author writes?  How many books published?  Here's a little more information about the author...
 
How many published books are to your credit?  1

Do you have an agent?  I do not have an agent.

Are you self-published?  I am! (Yes, I am quite enthusiastic about that.)

How many different companies have you published with?   1 – my own

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing off and on for twenty years, but I just seriously started working at it in August of 2010.

Do you write full-time? If not, what is your other job? And how do you balance work/writing?
I have a full-time, non-writing job as a marketing analyst, basically a spreadsheet monkey. It’s really difficult to balance them, but what I try to do is set a time every night that I do nothing but write or writing related work.

So, any thoughts?  Here's the full scoop:

Coral Moore has always been the kind of girl who makes up stories. Fortunately, she never quite grew out of that. She writes because she loves to invent characters and the desire to find out what happens to her creations drives the tales she tells.

Prompted by a general interest in how life works, her undergraduate schooling was in biology. She follows science news and enjoys conversations about genetics and microbiology as much as those about vampires and werewolves. Coral writes speculative fiction and is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Writing at Albertus Magnus College.

Currently she lives in Connecticut with the love of her life, who offers both encouragement and kicks in the tail when necessary. Also in residence are two mammals of the families Canidae and Felidae.

Author Coral Moore’s new Urban Fantasy titled Broods of Fenrir – is available for purchase on Amazon.com

THE FUTURE
What are you working on now?
I have another novel completed that should be out in the spring of 2012 called Elements of Rebellion which is a traditional fantasy.

PARTING WORDS
Anything else about being a writer that you’d like to share?
I love being a writer and I encourage anyone that thinks they have stories to tell to try it out.

Where can people learn more about you?

My website: http://www.chaosandinsanity.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/coralm

Is there anything else you'd like to know about this author, or any questions you'd like added to future interviews?  Let us know...drop us a comment below.