TGIW! Greetings, booklovers!
I'm thinking Spring, but Mother Nature isn't exactly cooperating. With everything from tornadoes to blizzards plaguing the US Midwest, I'm more than ready to meet a new author and indulge in caffeine and book talk. Today's guest is author Tracee Lydia Garner, who writes romantic suspense suitable for all ages.
Welcome, Tracee! What may I get you to drink?
TG: I love coffee but if I don't have any Coffee Mate, I'll forego it and drink tea. Both of those with lots of sugar in it and I still, amazingly, don't have diabetes. LOL
Ally: We can perk up your coffee with anything you like. While I prepare our mugs, please introduce yourself to readers.
I'm thinking Spring, but Mother Nature isn't exactly cooperating. With everything from tornadoes to blizzards plaguing the US Midwest, I'm more than ready to meet a new author and indulge in caffeine and book talk. Today's guest is author Tracee Lydia Garner, who writes romantic suspense suitable for all ages.
Welcome, Tracee! What may I get you to drink?
TG: I love coffee but if I don't have any Coffee Mate, I'll forego it and drink tea. Both of those with lots of sugar in it and I still, amazingly, don't have diabetes. LOL
Ally: We can perk up your coffee with anything you like. While I prepare our mugs, please introduce yourself to readers.
BIO:
Tracee Lydia Garner is a Virginia native, and a best-selling and award winning author with a total of eight books. For almost twenty years, she's had a career in health and human services for a small nonprofit and works full time. Her latest book, Fatal Opposition, is the third in the Parker Brothers trilogy about five adoptive brothers and the current state of our troubled foster care system.
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I speak conversational Spanish, and I believe I'm the reason my alma mater now charges ten cents a page to print in the computer lab. When I was in college printing (any amount) was free. I would print out my first book, chunks at a time. The printer would be busy and other students would wonder who was hogging the printer and taking so much time to print "all those pages," it was about 120 pages (a novella at the time). I would stand there with them and be "Oh my God, I don't know who is doing this). LOL When they left I'd take the pages because it was my book. LOL After graduating, I'd have the opportunity to go back and teach a continuing education/adult courses and saw they now charge ten cents per page to print deterring any printing hogs who exist, um, such as myself."
Social Media:
Website: www.Teegarner.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/TraceeLGarner
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/18rfp5h
Twitter: @Teegarner
Blog: http://teegarner.com/blog/
Tracee Lydia Garner is a Virginia native, and a best-selling and award winning author with a total of eight books. For almost twenty years, she's had a career in health and human services for a small nonprofit and works full time. Her latest book, Fatal Opposition, is the third in the Parker Brothers trilogy about five adoptive brothers and the current state of our troubled foster care system.
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I speak conversational Spanish, and I believe I'm the reason my alma mater now charges ten cents a page to print in the computer lab. When I was in college printing (any amount) was free. I would print out my first book, chunks at a time. The printer would be busy and other students would wonder who was hogging the printer and taking so much time to print "all those pages," it was about 120 pages (a novella at the time). I would stand there with them and be "Oh my God, I don't know who is doing this). LOL When they left I'd take the pages because it was my book. LOL After graduating, I'd have the opportunity to go back and teach a continuing education/adult courses and saw they now charge ten cents per page to print deterring any printing hogs who exist, um, such as myself."
Social Media:
Website: www.Teegarner.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/TraceeLGarner
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/18rfp5h
Twitter: @Teegarner
Blog: http://teegarner.com/blog/
INTERVIEW:
Ally: Describe your writing process. Schedule, priorities, etc.
TG: I usually write as much as I can and then edit much later, like near the end and I edit ONLY on paper. What comes to me most is dialogue and I don't feel there's a lot of dialogue over all in my writing but it's snippets of conversation that help launch what's going to happen on the page.
I have a list of books in order of their tentative releases, books all the way to 2021. I'm up to ten books that are written in various stages, even some partials over 100 pages. Currently, I have a series of four siblings, after that a fun island trilogy about the Durant brothers that own/operate the only full service African-American resort. I also have two non fiction books that I'd like to release. One is The Art of the Side Hustle as I've managed to work full time for many years and publish my books on the side. The other an event planning/entertaining book that will include 7 - 10 events, one of them, a full color, step by step book release/launch party as one of the events and a writer's conference which are two events that aren't covered as part of the line up in the event-entertaining books I love to read. My goal is to make one of the best-seller lists and to transition into writing/speaking/teaching full time.
I am doing those three things now but only as time permits. It's not a full time gig and in the next five years, fingers crossed, it will be a reality.
Ally: Wow! I'm impressed with your energy and planning! How much time does that leave for editing? Talk about how you go from first draft to release of a typical book.
TG: I'm a pantser so I am usually able to get to page 250/300 before I began to fizzle just a bit.
I will print out all 250-300 pages written and then I'll edit it on paper.
I will also make separate notes that include a timeline AND a character sheet that allows me to ensure that everything is working, that people's names aren't too close together or confusing and the list also includes ages and basic data about each character.
Everything I cut goes into a new word document that I'll keep for a while until the book releases and then I'll have a purge party. I also keep all the edited pages for a bit and then I have a shred party, it's a part of my process that feels fun too, like a cleanse or closure/wrap party that they do in film and television - I also get to make a longed for purchase as a gift to myself for finishing a book (or getting it to the editor) - times like this, I wish I drank so I could purchase a bottle of wine. :)
I will make all the changes from the edited paper version and input them into the word doc version.
I send to my freelance editor.
I address her changes, questions and concerns and make final changes.
I send to a fresh other freelance editor of mine (this step doesn't always happen, depends on the severity of the edits) and I input what I feel I need from his/her comments as well.
I'll read a final time and them I'm ready to move forward with my publishing process/checklist.
Ally: Does your real life show up in your writing? In what ways?
TG: Absolutely, so much so that I have made a conscious effort, going forward, NOT to put myself in my books. But in many books, I wrote about women in nonprofit sectors and it's hard for me to get away from that. If I could find a way to brand that, I'd love to tour and build a following on stories of hope for the modern day social worker but in some ways they may enjoy more interesting careers rather than ones they are already in. :) LOL Have to rethink that brand strategy.
Ally: Let's shift focus and talk about the book you're featuring today. Describe the main character and tell us why readers will care about him.
TG: James Parker is the current hero in my third book in the Parker Brothers' Series, Fatal Opposition. I think his story is universal for many young people on the brink of a bright future with a looming dark past. Ahead of James are two roads. He's a foster care kid and thus he's received a wonderful family that gave him love and opportunity but there's the part of him that always wondered about the who/and why of the abandonment he suffered. James is also talented, as he's also about to embark on a multi-million dollar contract with the national football league and with his adoptive mother's recent passing, and despite the awesome foundation she built for him and his other foster brothers, he must soothe the yearnings of knowing about his past and this may be a fatal mistake that threatens everything and everyone he loves.
Ally: What is the next book on your release list? Anticipated date?
TG: Later this year, I'm planning to release the start of a new series about the Jameson Family, with four siblings each with their own book. Two of those in the series are reissues, released in my early twenties and the rights have been reverted back to me from my publisher. I'm finishing the second half of the series, thus two will be new. The first in the series, Whatever May Come, is about the youngest daughter, Tisha Jameson who moves to a small town in order to escape her overbearing family and a scandal that rocked the school where she taught.
Ally: We've talked a lot about your writing, now let's try a few short answer questions about you.
Ally: Describe your writing process. Schedule, priorities, etc.
TG: I usually write as much as I can and then edit much later, like near the end and I edit ONLY on paper. What comes to me most is dialogue and I don't feel there's a lot of dialogue over all in my writing but it's snippets of conversation that help launch what's going to happen on the page.
I have a list of books in order of their tentative releases, books all the way to 2021. I'm up to ten books that are written in various stages, even some partials over 100 pages. Currently, I have a series of four siblings, after that a fun island trilogy about the Durant brothers that own/operate the only full service African-American resort. I also have two non fiction books that I'd like to release. One is The Art of the Side Hustle as I've managed to work full time for many years and publish my books on the side. The other an event planning/entertaining book that will include 7 - 10 events, one of them, a full color, step by step book release/launch party as one of the events and a writer's conference which are two events that aren't covered as part of the line up in the event-entertaining books I love to read. My goal is to make one of the best-seller lists and to transition into writing/speaking/teaching full time.
I am doing those three things now but only as time permits. It's not a full time gig and in the next five years, fingers crossed, it will be a reality.
Ally: Wow! I'm impressed with your energy and planning! How much time does that leave for editing? Talk about how you go from first draft to release of a typical book.
TG: I'm a pantser so I am usually able to get to page 250/300 before I began to fizzle just a bit.
I will print out all 250-300 pages written and then I'll edit it on paper.
I will also make separate notes that include a timeline AND a character sheet that allows me to ensure that everything is working, that people's names aren't too close together or confusing and the list also includes ages and basic data about each character.
Everything I cut goes into a new word document that I'll keep for a while until the book releases and then I'll have a purge party. I also keep all the edited pages for a bit and then I have a shred party, it's a part of my process that feels fun too, like a cleanse or closure/wrap party that they do in film and television - I also get to make a longed for purchase as a gift to myself for finishing a book (or getting it to the editor) - times like this, I wish I drank so I could purchase a bottle of wine. :)
I will make all the changes from the edited paper version and input them into the word doc version.
I send to my freelance editor.
I address her changes, questions and concerns and make final changes.
I send to a fresh other freelance editor of mine (this step doesn't always happen, depends on the severity of the edits) and I input what I feel I need from his/her comments as well.
I'll read a final time and them I'm ready to move forward with my publishing process/checklist.
Ally: Does your real life show up in your writing? In what ways?
TG: Absolutely, so much so that I have made a conscious effort, going forward, NOT to put myself in my books. But in many books, I wrote about women in nonprofit sectors and it's hard for me to get away from that. If I could find a way to brand that, I'd love to tour and build a following on stories of hope for the modern day social worker but in some ways they may enjoy more interesting careers rather than ones they are already in. :) LOL Have to rethink that brand strategy.
Ally: Let's shift focus and talk about the book you're featuring today. Describe the main character and tell us why readers will care about him.
TG: James Parker is the current hero in my third book in the Parker Brothers' Series, Fatal Opposition. I think his story is universal for many young people on the brink of a bright future with a looming dark past. Ahead of James are two roads. He's a foster care kid and thus he's received a wonderful family that gave him love and opportunity but there's the part of him that always wondered about the who/and why of the abandonment he suffered. James is also talented, as he's also about to embark on a multi-million dollar contract with the national football league and with his adoptive mother's recent passing, and despite the awesome foundation she built for him and his other foster brothers, he must soothe the yearnings of knowing about his past and this may be a fatal mistake that threatens everything and everyone he loves.
Ally: What is the next book on your release list? Anticipated date?
TG: Later this year, I'm planning to release the start of a new series about the Jameson Family, with four siblings each with their own book. Two of those in the series are reissues, released in my early twenties and the rights have been reverted back to me from my publisher. I'm finishing the second half of the series, thus two will be new. The first in the series, Whatever May Come, is about the youngest daughter, Tisha Jameson who moves to a small town in order to escape her overbearing family and a scandal that rocked the school where she taught.
Ally: We've talked a lot about your writing, now let's try a few short answer questions about you.
- a. favorite book - Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing - Judy Blume
- b. book you're currently reading - Year of Yes - Shonda Rhimes
- c. favorite movie - Dirty Dancing
- d. What comes to you first, character or plot? - character, always
- e. A guilty pleasure - failed romantic/sci-fi television series, LOL - episodes of Beauty and the Beast (any version but especially the CW version with Jay Ryan (lasted only four seasons) and Kristin Kreuk AND Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (the Teri Hatcher/Dean Cain version)
Fatal Opposition (Parker Brothers #3)
Genre: Romantic suspense with faith elements
Rating: sweet
Cashell Bruer has lived a sheltered life. When she meets handsome NFL rookie James Parker on her birthday, she's smitten. With him, she can truly begin to live. But will he want her when he discovers she has a heart condition? Not to mention her new job involves polishing his bad boy image!
James Parker has it all, a family who chose him, and a coveted spot on an NFL team. When lovely, spirited Cashell keeps turning up in his life, he wonders if she's the one to share it all. But what if her only interest in him is status? And even worse, what if his search for his real family ends up putting her in danger?
The road to happiness is filled with setbacks, roadblocks and brick walls. Will the two of them weather the storm to find love and happiness?
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Czm70IdsrY
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Opposition-Book-Parker-Family-ebook/dp/B076YKX7QK/
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fatal-opposition
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fatal-opposition-tracee-lydia-garner/1127509630?ean=9780998109954
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