Hollywood Portal is BACK - Alive and Ready to roll out the Author Interviews that I did over the past couple of months. School and reading books are keeping me busy that's why I can't come up with blog posts over the past few days. There's loads of great books out there. *Bookworm* I'm really thinking to convert this blog into a BOOK BLOG. What do you think, readers?
Well. Let's just kick it off already with my interview with Ms. Tammara Webber and get to know more about her.
Part 1 of the interview:
1. Can you tell us more about yourself? I was an undergraduate academic advisor when I began writing the first book I published (Between the Lines). I resigned to write full time when I was about halfway through writing Easy. I grew up in Texas and met my husband in high school; we were best friends for months before we began going out. We have three kids and four cats.
2. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
I don’t have a true favorite – I like many authors, and when I have time, I like to try new (or new-to-me) authors. I do love Jane Austen – she wrote romantic realistic and complex fiction, very character-driven, and her insights into the way people think and behave was so spot-on. Most astounding of all – she wrote a hero who still makes women swoon 200 years later.
3. What books have most influenced your life most?
I love English authors – Charles Dickens, EM Forster, Jane Austen. Each of them wrote from the heart and what they knew, and I strive to emulate that. An essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson inspired me to write fiction again – it was something I gave up for a while. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen made me want to write YA.
4. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? Any person who inspired you in creating your own line of books?
I’ve written (outside of school) since I learned to write. When I wasn’t writing fiction, I wrote poems, essays, memoir stories and blog posts. I suppose I could say I was inspired to go the self-publishing route by Amanda Hocking. I studied what she did and tried to follow it as closely as I could.
Second part of the Interview, which mainly focuses on her book Easy and the writing process.
1. How did this book, Easy, came about? How did you come up with the title?
I began seeing Jacqueline’s story in my head. I read and write romance, and didn’t think I’d ever write an “issues” sort of book. Once I got the idea for this story, however, it just wouldn’t go away. I’d originally intended to focus much more on Buck’s rumors about Jacqueline – hence the title – but I ended up cutting a lot of that during revisions. It just wasn’t the right focus and detracted from the real storyline. I’d already done a cover reveal – which announced the title, of course. I saw no reason to change it.
2. When did you start writing this? Is there any dream behind it or any inspiration for this? Are the scenes in the book somewhat based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I began writing it while editing my third book, in late 2011. I tried to put it off to finish that series, but it just wouldn’t go to the back burner. I didn’t “dream” any of it, but I would sometimes wake up in the morning with a particular scene in my head. I am a survivor of acquaintance rape, though my case was different than any portrayed in the book.
