Author Interview - Tamelia Tumlin
Meet Tamelia Tumlin...
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| Tamelia Tumlin |
My interview today is with romance author Tamelia Tumlin who is in the middle of a virtual tour for her latest book, DEADLY IMAGE.
Tamelia sold her first piece of writing to Dogwood Tales Magazine while taking a creative writing course in college. That short story, titled "The Traveler," was the feature piece for that edition. A career in elementary education and a wonderful son consumed her time for some years afterward, yet the yearning to write never went away. She now pens fabulous romantic tales with to-die-for heroes and spirited heroines in her spare moments.
Tamelia has worked with several online publishers, but currently writes for Steel Magnolia Press. Juggling motherhood, teaching and writing is a challenge, but one she welcomes while pursuing her passion. Her novels range from sweet and sassy to dark and dangerous. As a disclaimer, I should also tell you Tamelia is my niece by marriage.
JB: Weclome to the blog, Tamelia. It's a pleasure to have you with us!
Thank you for the warm
welcome, Jennifer. It is an honor to be here today. I’d also like to invite
your readers to visit my website www.tameliatumlin.com
for a chance to win one of two $10.00 Amazon gift cards I’m also giving away at
the end of my book tour.
JB: Readers enjoy a personal glimpse of what a writer is like as a person. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I’m an elementary
teacher by day and a writer by night. In between, I’m a proud mother of my ten
year old son. I also enjoy reading, writing and traveling. My son has a large
US map on the wall where he collects hat pins from each state we’ve traveled
to. So far we have most of the Southeast covered. It;s about time to work on
another region.
JB: How would readers find out more about you?
I've recently revamped my website, www.tameliatumlin.com, to make it more
reader friendly. My books, blurbs
and current projects are listed there as
well as my blog, "Tamelia’s Tidbits," where I share quirky posts about my
very busy life.
JB: When did you
decide you wanted to write, and what triggered that decision?
I have always enjoyed
reading. In my early teens I used to read the Silhouette young adult line.
During this time you were writing and selling books and my mother was trying
her hand at the craft as well. So at fourteen, I thought I had enough knowledge
to give it a go too. After all, I loved to read. How hard could it be? I wrote
a teenage romance targeted to Silhouette's young adult line. Of course, the
book never saw the light of day and it was rejected as it should have been.
However, I received something very valuable with that experience even though I
didn’t realize it at the time; the knowledge that I could write and finish an
entire book on my own and a rejection letter which was full of encouragement
from the editor and a critique of my work as well. The fact that the rejection
letter was not a form rejection was a milestone in itself. That it had
suggestions and encouragement was pure gold--it just took me several years to
realize it. I still had quite a bit to learn about writing, but because one
editor many years ago saw promise, I had the courage to hone my craft and
pursue my dream.
JB: Where and at what time do you write?
My favorite time to
write is late at night after my son has gone to bed and I know no one should be
dropping by for a visit. I generally pen my stories on the couch with the TV on
low. For some reason, I seem to need background noise in order to concentrate--which
is ironic, now I think about it, since I expect my son to do his homework
without any distractions. Hmm, maybe I need to reconsider that rule. Maybe he
takes after me and needs some “white noise” in the background too.
JB: What is your
must-have book for writing?
Kate Walker’s 12 POINT GUIDE FOR WRITING ROMANCES. Kate is a well-know Harlequin author and she has
some very good advice in her book on how to craft romances.
JB: Tell us any quirks you might have about the writing process.
I generally start with
a small idea and write a very bare-bones outline of how my story will play out;
I usually only know the beginning and the ending and a few other details. I do
fill out a short character chart with just a few notes on each character and
add to it as I write. I spend a lot of time staring at the computer screen
tossing around ideas in my head and hoping they will magically appear on the
screen in logical order on their own. Of course, they never do. Sometimes what
I write is drivel, and I have to take out chunks and start over. This may
seem like a waste of time, but it actually helps me flesh out the story and get
to know my characters a little better. Everything I write isn’t necessarily
what the reader needs in the story, but it is what I need to dig a bit deeper
into the plot or character growth.
JB: What genre(s) do
you write?
I’m a romantic at
heart, so romance is the main genre I write in--but with the occasional paranormal
sub-genre thrown in here or there.
JB: Among those
you’ve written, which is your favorite book and why?
JB: Do you ever
think of writing in other genres?
I enjoy writing
romances and I do like to dabble in several sub-genres of romance, but the only
other genre I’ve considered writing is chick-lit. My writing voice tends to be
a bit humorous and I think chick-lit could be a good match. Of course, there
would probably be a thread of romance running through it.
JB: Can you tell us a bit about your latest release?
DEADLY IMAGE is my
Inspirational Intrigue. I’ve always loved reading Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired
Suspense stories so I decided to write one similar to that line. The story is
about a young widow whose daughter is missing. Although she is desperately
trying to find her child, the evidence keeps pointing back to her. As the
heroine faces her past, she discovers everything she had held dear was a
deception. With her faith shattered and her daughter missing, her only hope
lies with the hero, a special CARD agent assigned to her case. The hero has a
few issues of his own to deal with, but he really wants to believe the young
widow is innocent. Still, he’s determined to find out the truth, no matter what.
JB:
Any new projects, works in progress?
I'm currently working on the next novella in The Gatekeepers series. This is my paranormal series involving four dragon shifters who guard the portals of their realm here on earth. The first story, A DRAGON'S SEDUCTION, was well received by readers. It's available now through Amazon.com.
JB:
Do you have any advice or words of wisdom to share with aspiring writers?
My only
advice is to never give up. Study the market, study the genre and pursue
your dream.
JB: Thanks so much
for taking the time from your busy schedule to let us know what’s happening
with you and your writing. Warmest wishes for much success with
your career!
Thank you for having
me. It has been a pleasure talking to you and sharing with your readers.
Special Notice! Leave a comment below for a chance to win one of two free ebook copies of DEADLY IMAGE that Tamelia will be giving away in honor of this stop on her book tour!
Also, look for Tamelia at the following locations--and don't forget to register for those two $10 Amazon gift cards she'll be giving away on her website!
Also, look for Tamelia at the following locations--and don't forget to register for those two $10 Amazon gift cards she'll be giving away on her website!
Labels: A DRAGON'S SEDUCTION, A TIME FOR HEALING, Chick-lit, DEADLY IMAGE, free ebooks, Harlequin, Kate Walker, Steel Magnolia Press, Tamelia Tumlin, teacher, writing
posted by Jennifer Blake at 8:46 PM
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