author interview Archives - Addicted to Writing

Interview with Author and Coach Tiki Paige

Posted on May 6, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

You know I love interviewing lovely authors on this blog, and today my guest is Tiki Paige. She’s had quite the life, and she continues to have great adventures both in and outside of her books.

Enjoy!

Where are you from and where do you live?

I’m a true international soul that belongs everywhere and nowhere. I’ve traveled the world when I was younger and I still continue to explore this wonderful planet that I’m so proud to call my home. I was born in Africa, I grew up in Europe, lived and worked in Asia and found love in America. I currently live in Dubai and I’m immensely grateful to have had the chance to live on four continents.

When did you start writing and when did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

I started writing when I was eight years old, after I became very fond of pencils and notebooks. My grandma taught me how to write cursive and I was always impressed with her patience and perseverance. She was a talented storyteller and a wonderful teacher. I started writing through doodling and drawing comics and later on began turning short stories into mini novels as I used to call them. Wherever I go, I carry a notebook and a pencil case full of various pens and pencils, because I’m always jotting down my thoughts, enthralled by the world that I see around me.

What do you write?

I write contemporary romance and non-fiction. My non-fiction books are writing guides and journals as well as travel and personal development books. In my romance novels, you’ll always find gorgeous heroes and strong, independent heroines.

Let’s talk about your latest book. Can you tell us about Let’s Just Call It Love? What’s it about? What inspired it?

Let’s Just Call It Love is a contemporary romance novella. Our heroine, Tessa, who is a quality control executive and a writer/blogger for the airline magazine is on her way to Iceland but soon learns that her flight plans change. Here’s the blurb:

Getting stuck on the same flight as her ex-fiancé is not part of Tessa Reynold’s plan. She was on her way to Snowland, and now she’s headed for Dubai. Her mind is a mess and she must not do anything stupid. Only, her hormones dictate otherwise.

Enter Jack Smitt, a successful entrepreneur who offers her a lifetime’s worth of adventure in just a few short days.

Stuck between her past and a tempting present, Tessa must decide: allow herself a weekend of extraordinary enjoyment in a world of romance and excitement she’s never seen before or simply hide under the covers of her tiny hotel bed, and weep over her failed relationship with the jerk who shattered her heart in pieces.

Since I’ve been a long-time resident of Dubai, I’ve had the chance to explore every corner of this part of the world. My favorite places are found in nature and there are many wadis (valleys or channels that are filled with clean water in the rainy season) that took my breath away the first time I visited them. The inspiration for the story is actually set in Oman, a famous wadi many people know about but only a few explore because of the cave that I described in the book. UAE and Oman are fantastic places to visit to quench your thirst for adventure.

Can you tell us about your coaching?

I’m a certified holistic life coach and I spent over five years working with women, helping them find peace and harmony in their lives and accomplish goals that were once only written on paper. I was a very active blogger and a workshop facilitator. I enjoyed working as a life coach but somewhere along the way I realized that while I was doing a fulfilling work and helping others, I forgot to listen to myself in the process. I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer and that I would turn my writing into a full-time, thriving career. But with a busy coaching schedule, my writing was only reserved for blogging and magazine articles. And this wasn’t enough. I needed to express myself deeply, I needed to go back to the world of fiction and that’s when I decided to stop life coaching. I now coach writers who want to become authors.

You also host a fantastic podcast, which I’m honored to have been a guest on. How did you decide to start? What’s your favorite thing about hosting/having your own podcast?

Wow! Thank you so much! Yes, my podcast, Simply Romance, just launched a few days ago, on my birthday! I’m so excited. And it was a great pleasure to have you as a guest. Thank you!

I’m a devoted podcast listener and I’ve always wanted to be a host. I spent half a decade traveling the world and interviewing people for their dream job. So, I said to myself, if not now, when? And I am so happy that I did it. I can’t wait to bring so many amazing writers like you on the show and help all the beautiful souls out there who may just be starting out on their writing journey.

Do you have tips for authors who want to start their own podcasts?

Write down what you want. Research. Research. Research. Make a plan and stick with it. If you see it’s not going the way you wanted, tweak it. Ask for help. Don’t wait and don’t stop. You’ll learn along the way.

Do you have tips for writers who struggle with finding ideas or getting unstuck during certain scenes, etc.

Absolutely. One of my favorite hacks that I learned during a writers’ retreat is to take any book you like and simply start copying the sentences. You take a pen in your hand and open a notebook and simply start writing. I know it sounds like a daunting task but it won’t take you more than ten minutes to realize that you no longer need to copy someone else’s sentences but start writing your own. It’s as simple as that and it works every time!

And then there’s editing and marketing. Do you have a specific process and/or tips you’d like to share with authors?

I love editing . . . other people’s work. I love writing my stories but editing thousands of times before sending it to my editor is daunting and time-consuming. This is the part I do not enjoy but I never half-ass anything so I keep working until it’s done. Also, reading your story starting from the end always makes sense. It helps you find mistakes you otherwise never would have seen if you started from Chapter 1 as we all usually do.

Who are your favorite authors? And why?

I grew up reading Japanese, European, and American literature. There are so many authors whose work I fell in love with, to name a few: Dante Alighieri, Jane Austen, Herman Hesse, Jules Verne, Leo Tolstoy, Sei Shonagon, Ernest Hemingway, Yasunari Kawabata, Daphne du Maurier, Oscar Wilde, Françoise Sagan.

In my teenage years, I became very fond of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s books after I got To Be the Best for my birthday. I also liked reading Sandra Brown, Julie Garwood, Jude Deveraux, and Linda Howard.

I read about 30 personal growth books a year. On my website, I have a whole page dedicated to personal development books. The list keeps growing and I know there are many I haven’t yet mentioned.

Where can we find your books and writing?

My books are available worldwide but the best place to find them is on Amazon. You can also visit my website tikipaige.com to find out more about my books and my writing journey.

Can you share some non-writing related facts about yourself?

I love tap dancing and will forever be infatuated with the sound these shoes make. My favorite time of day is early morning and I love cloudy, rainy days. This is when I’m most productive. I also love sunshine and the sea and Dubai is so generous with sun and sand activities. I love kayaking and simply spending a few hours out at the sea, just drifting, jotting down moments I experience during that time and breathing in the world around me. When I’m not listening to podcasts while driving, you’ll find me listening to music in many different languages from all over the world. I’m a big Mother Earth and animal advocate. I’ve lived through hardship and devastation and I know how precious life is. I’m so grateful to have such a wonderful family and amazing friends in my life.

Where can we find you online?

Come say hi on Instagram @tikipaigewriter or visit tikipaige.com

Any parting words?

Keep writing and keep working on your dreams. Hang around people who’ve done it and who know what they’re talking about. If someone tells you that becoming a successful and thriving author is impossible, thank them, turn around, and continue walking your own path. If you keep working and keep writing, you’ll learn that your success is inevitable. Someday, you’re going to be someone’s favorite author.

Interview with Novelist Trudy Myers

Posted on April 7, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

For this post, I interviewed American author Trudy Myers. She writes in different genres and has some great insights into the writing life.

Where are you from and where do you live?

I grew up in the midwest of the US, mainly in Nebraska and Colorado. When my husband and I retired, we moved to our current home in Groveland, Florida. That’s just an hour’s drive from the theme parks of Orlando.

When did you start writing and when did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

I started putting stories down on paper in the fourth grade, about age 10. I’ve been writing pretty nonstop since, but it was only after I retired from my day job that I started getting published by other small presses.

What do you write?

Mostly novels. Short stories are difficult for me, because I keep wanting to introduce complications, and before I know it, it’s not a short story anymore. As for what genres I do write, it’s really whatever strikes my fancy. My first two stories published were paranormal, then a fantasy. Then I wrote two romances, and now I’m working on a soap opera romantic science fiction series.

I write under two different names; my own (Trudy V Myers) and a pen name I use for romances (Linda NMI Joy).

Let’s talk about your latest book. What’s it about? What inspired it?

The science fiction series I just mentioned was inspired by Star Trek, the original series. I loved the idea of a spaceship traveling around, having adventures. But with people being people, I was sure there would be some kind of drama between crew members as well. So I introduced a new communications officer on a well-established ship.

She came from a heavy world, so she was stronger than most of the other crew women, and she also had a lot of unusual beliefs about men, due to her father’s heavy-handed upbringing. The crew does have adventures, but she has her own internal adventures trying to fit in with the crew.

Do you have tips for writers who struggle with finding ideas or getting unstuck during certain places in their stories?

I usually start with a character. I give them characteristics that make them ‘different’, and then I start building a world around them. That usually introduces another character or two, and possibly a problem that needs to be solved. If no problem presents itself, I have to complicate the world to create a problem.

As for getting stuck at some point, I’ll try different methods. I’ll re-read the last chapter or two, looking for a place where I can turn the story in a new direction. I’ll wonder if I’ve got the characters acting true to themselves. If I’ve got a hot-headed warrior woman, she wouldn’t suddenly turn tail and run. You have to let the characters be themselves.

And then there’s editing and marketing. Do you have a specific process and/or tips you’d like to share with authors?

I generally put my rough drafts through 3 edits. In the first one, I concentrate on finding inconsistencies and plot holes and fixing them. In the second edit, I study each scene to make sure it’s necessary. A long rambling scene that only introduces one or two facts that are important will be eliminated and those important facts moved to other scenes.

In the third edit, I check my grammar, my punctuation, spelling, word use, etc. It sounds like I’m doing a lot in my third edit, but I’m lucky that I have a pretty strong understanding of grammar and punctuation.

As for marketing, I’m still trying to figure out what works. There are lots of people out there with good ideas. You have to decide what you can do, and ultimately, what will work for you.

Who are your favorite authors? And why?

Robert Asprin, Connie Willis, Esther Friesner

I love some comedy in my reading. I grew up reading for enjoyment, and comedy really appeals to me.

Where can we find your books and writing?

My books that are published by MoonPhaze are on Smashwords.com, which offers several ebook formats. If you are looking for a physical book, rather than an ebook, try MoonPhaze.com. On both of these websites, try both names for me, Trudy V Myers and Linda NMI Joy.

I also have a weekly blog at TrudysUniverse.blogspot.com. It is an eclectic assortment of whatever subject I researched that week. When I retired, I started thinking of writing science fiction and realized my science knowledge was woefully out of date. So I subscribed to 3 different science magazines to try to catch up.

Sometimes I do a little more research on a particular subject and report on it in my blog. Lately, I have been reporting on various animals from the last ice age.

Can you share some non-writing facts about yourself?

I also have hobbies, such as making ‘bumpy foreheads’ for those who want to try being an alien warrior from Star Trek. My husband got me into this, as he wanted to be one, and didn’t know where to get a forehead. It’s a lot of fun, but can be a lot of work.

I also crochet, knit, sew, and do leatherwork, when I can find the time.

I like cats. Dogs are okay, but I’m a cat person. Unfortunately, allergies keep me from having one.

Where can we find you online?

On Facebook, look for Trudy Myers.

I also handle Twitter posts for MoonPhaze, @MoonPhazePub

Any parting words?

Thank you for having me. It was fun to answer your questions. (A couple of them made me stop and think, always difficult early on a weekend morning.)

Interview with Writer Liza Brock: Author of the Novel Hot Chocolate in Wonderland

Posted on October 3, 2019 Written by Pinar Tarhan

For my second author interview this summer, I talked to my friend Liza Brock, author of Hot Chocolate in Wonderland about her publishing and creative journey. Liza and I both wrote for OC87 Recovery Diaries and met first online when we were invited to the publication’s writer’s retreat by our wonderful editor there, Gabriel Nathan. The retreat took place in Cape May, New Jersey, and as the five international guests, we started a WhatsApp group where we bonded. We were already close by the time we met at the retreat, and we how to see each other in person again soon.

On to Liza:

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’ve been married for 15 years and a mumma to 3 children, 14, 12 & 9.

We live in Brisbane Queensland Australia.

I have travelled the world and love living in Hot Climates. I don’t do cold!

My favourite place is Istanbul, Turkey, without a doubt. Germany, Singapore and the rest of Europe. I’m not a fan of the United States. I lived in Los Angeles for a year and I didn’t enjoy it at all. I do however like New York but who doesn’t? Right!

I’ve had a very diverse career working within the entertainment industry from the age of 15, as an actress, successful recording artist, TV Presenter and business owner of a theatrical agent representing Australian Actors here and in LA. I now own an online e-commerce eco-friendly business and I’m a passionate Vegan.

How/when/why did you start writing?

In 2011, I started writing after a long arduous bout of depression. I’d been clinically depressed for over 6 months and was admitted to hospital.

During my stay, I was put on medication that worked. All of a sudden it felt as though the cork of a champagne bottle had exploded. My creativity was bursting. Oh, how I’d missed the creativity. (I guess after 6 months lying on the floor depressed, that will do that to you!) before I knew it, I’d written a novella in a space of 2 weeks.

The title changed three times.

‘Insanity and Beyond” (Toy Story reference)

‘Louise May, Truth love and Madness.’

And……… tell you later on.

My twice-named Novella stayed sitting on my laptop scared stiff.

But I knew, I needed to tell this story. I contacted a friend who is a writing consultant, and we got together. He was the first person ever to read my Novella. It scared the shit out of me.

Anyway, he helped me find my voice and gave me the license to be me. It stayed like that for a couple of years. Not published.

When I came out of the hospital and subsequently was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I jumped onto as many bipolar Facebook forums as I could. Must admit, I was pretty agro at my diagnosis and added a few unpleasant truths here and there.

The editor of one of America’s award-winning bipolar online magazines (bphope.com) reached out and asked me to be there international blogger, which of course I did.

I spent two years blogging with them and during this journey, another online mental health company reached out and I wrote an essay for them. This lead to being flown to America on a female writers retreat and a short film doco being shot about my personal journey with bipolar depression.

It was really strange the way my writing career began. As weird as this sounds, it literally found me. I was not seeking to be a writer, I just had opinions and all these opportunities started to come my way.

I also had an English writer reach out and I contributed to his book, ‘The Recovery Letters’, that was published by Jessica Kingsley Publisher in the UK and USA. Subsequently, this book has won an award. Not because of me, lol.

Can you tell us about Hot Chocolate in Wonderland?

What’s Hot Chocolate In Wonderland? Ahh! well – there it is. The 3rd title of my book.

Hot Chocolate in Wonderland (aff. link) was my novella turned into a novel. I have a writing mentor and he worked with me to restructure the book and encouraged me to write more about Louisa’s life journey before her depression.

Hot Chocolate In Wonderland is a semi-autobiographical heartbreakingly funny look at one woman’s journey into the void of depression and bipolar disorder, with two of the worst alter Egos you could possibly ask for.

Think, Bridget Jones Diary, Meets, Silver Linings Playbook with a touch of Ab Fab.

What was your publishing journey like?

Where to start?

I have published 3 books now. I created a workbook diary for people struggling with depression, anxiety, etc.. This is called ‘THE HAPPY MIND WORKBOOK’. I created it and published it via Lightning Source which is now owned by Ingram Spark. My wonderful husband did all the graphics for it and the hardest part is getting all the specs right and proofing etc. It was sold in Hard Copy however most of my customers were in the US and to post my book from Australia is way expensive. So, I made it only available via e-book.

The Second Book, The Recovery Letters, was one of those land in-my-lap invitations.

The publishing contract was in place and all I had to do was contribute my piece.

OC87 recovery diaries is an online publisher that reached out and I submitted my essay. The Editor in Chief, (Gabriel Nathan) worked with me to fine-tune it. Very easy wonderful process.

Now. Hot Chocolate in Wonderland has been one hell of a journey.

I was determined to get a writing agent and to be traditionally published. I had that stuck in my head. A part of me and, I’m sure other writers think that, unless you get ‘traditionally published’ you’re not really published! or worse still, you’re NOT a writer.

Well, I know that’s how I felt.

I submitted my work for 2 years to agents. My mentor said after 100 agent rejections, then think of self-publishing. Well, I got to around 60 and my ego couldn’t take another rejection so I decided to self publish via Ingram Spark.

This was a very good idea. It’s fantastic to finally after many, many years, have my book out for all to see.

Do you have any tips for writers reading this?

Yes. Don’t be afraid of anything. We are all writers and unique in our own way. Don’t compare yourself to any other writer. (you’d never write a thing)

Read! read and read SOME MORE! THIS IS THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN.

Find a mentor, someone who can give you solid advice.

Give your book to people, get them to read it, ask them to tell their friends and spread the word. Don’t be backwards coming forward. Writing is ART.

Your ART.

Let people read it.

Mentors are not that hard to find. Reach out to someone you admire within the industry. It’s surprising how ‘open’ particular the more mature successful people are to help out a new writer.

Self Publish, don’t be afraid – like me. It’s not a failure. It’s awesome. This is the way it all seems to be heading.

Beware: of Vanity Publishers!

Vanity Publishers are a new breed of publishers that basically will rip you off. They advertise online asking people to submit their work. They then will come back with a contract to publish, however, they will want anywhere from $5K+.

It may work for some people but I can tell you. You do NOT need to pay that. Do it yourself as mentioned. They simply are a con artist and rip you off.

If you do self-publish, make sure you pay for your book to be professional FORMATTED and get a smashing book cover!

I see self-published books with no appealing cover. Your book cover sells your book.

Go to fiverr.com and employ someone with great reviews. They’re out there. And they’re cheap.

And that’s that.

I wish you joy and many many, stories to float around in your head.

Where can follow you on social media?

INSTA @hotchocolateinwonderland

FB: Hotchocolateinwonderland

email: hotchocinwonderland@gmail.com

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Interview with Author Carmen Radtke on Her Novel “The Case of the Missing Bride”

Posted on November 16, 2017 Written by Pinar Tarhan

October went in a bit of a blur. I took a translation project that I grossly underestimated in terms of both time and money, which in turn “reactivated” the nerve entrapment in my wrists.

But worry not, I’m back, and I’ve interviewed a great writer for my return post, Carmen Radtke. My good friend Radtke’s page-turning and addictive mystery The Case of the Missing Bride was released on September 5, 2017, and has been giving readers a new favorite author ever since.

So without further ado, here’s Carmen with my most pressing questions. Enjoy!

How and when did you start writing?

I’ve always written, since I discovered that I could use a pen and paper to make up poems (when you’re seven, any rhyme will do) and stories (the hamster and the stolen diamonds could’ve become a classic had I but known about the concept of a second draft).

Is it any wonder I became a newspaper journalist, sticking to facts and deadlines so tight I rarely got to explore the concept of a second draft?

Most reporters want to write a novel one day, lavishing time on crafting one immaculate sentence after another. Me too. Which is why, with impeccable timing, my first novel was partly written under my desk, while I typed away like a woman obsessed between earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Can you tell us a bit about your book?

The Case of the Missing Bride is set in 1862 and tells the story of a group of young, impoverished Australian women, travelling half-way across the world, to marry prosperous Canadian miners. When one of the brides is missing after a stormy night, it’s thought of as an accident, but one girl knows better and embarks on a secret mission to find a killer.

These women really existed – I found a short paragraph online, during an idle research into “imported brides.” They set out in high hopes from Melbourne, but when they reached San Francisco for a stopover, they vanished without a trace. I can’t imagine a world where this would have ended well for them. Maybe that is why I couldn’t let it go. In my novel, at least I can save most of them, and give them some of the happiness the real life did not hold in store for them.

What genres do you prefer to read and write? Who are some of your favorite authors?

As a reader, I’m polygamous, voracious and insatiable. I love historical fiction, mysteries, grittier crime, comedy, thriller, some fantasy and science-fiction … After moving half-way around the world twice, I still have the complete works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Rex Stout, Ngaio Marsh, plus Janet Evanovich, Dick Francis, Terry Pratchett, Tony Hillerman, Elizabeth Peters … On second thought, in about two-thirds of the books on my shelves, there usually is a crime of some kind involved.

Strangely enough, my next novel also features crime of some kind. A Matter of Love and Death (Bombshell Books) will be released on 29 November, under the pen-name Caron Albright. It’s historical again, set in Australia in 1931, during the Great Depression and comes complete with a plucky heroine, a dashing nightclub-owner, artists and crooks.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a screenplay – a contemporary Romantic Comedy makes a change from the crimes of the past and the heartbreak of current events. If I get stuck or bored, I – like most writers – have a file, loosely labelled ideas.

Where can we follow and read you online?

You can follow me on Twitter: @carmenradtke1, connect on Facebook (Carmen Radtke) or visit my website https://scribbler25.wixsite.com/mysite.

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