What is the hardest part about writing?
For me, the hardest part is actually having the time to sit down and do it. As for most people these days, life is very busy and just gets in the way of doing what I love, which is writing! Most writers say that you should write every day, but that can be difficult. I try to designate certain days as writing days so that I know a whole week cannot get by without me spending at least some time in my writing chair.
Where do your stories come from?
Many of the scenes in my books have resulted from a nap or a good night’s sleep. I’ve either dreamt them or woken up with the whole scene like a movie, ready in my mind. Then, I just have to describe what I see. So I tell people who want to write to make sure they get a nap. This works for writer’s block too!
What was the inspiration (motivation) behind the book? (Why did you write the book?)
I started this series when I was teaching at a Catholic school. I had one student who was a voracious reader, especially of fantasy adventure books. I wanted to write a series of adventure novels that were in line with the values that we were teaching. I wanted kids to know that faith isn’t something separate from the rest of their lives, so one of the biggest challenges for the main character in the first book is figuring out how to balance her calling with the rest of her life.
What do you hope this book accomplishes?
I hope that readers realize that it is okay to think about God and talk to him in their everyday lives, not just on Sundays.
Who (or what) is your greatest encourager when you write and why?
I am truly blessed in that my family is my best support group. I have an aunt who is also an author and she and I support each other on the writing journey, discussing plot lines and characters. My husband and children are wonderful as a first audience for my stories and my parents are also great encouragers.
Any tips for upcoming authors?
Don’t give up! It’s easy to question yourself and doubt that your writing is good enough. Find good beta readers to give you honest feedback and don’t get discouraged. Join a critique group to help you refine your skills and just keep at it!
How can readers connect with you?
I’m on Facebook, have a FB site for the series at https://www.facebook.com/TammyYoungCoteMerlinMartha
and Twitter @TammyYoungCote.
My author website is http://tammyyoungcote.com/
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