I'm pleased to welcome Tammy Maas today...
Tammy Maas is a writer who moonlights as a domestic Goddess.
Her debut Novella, A Complicated Life in a Small Town, was published on 2-27-2012. Tammy ghost writes for several online
clients. She was published by Oatmeal Studios, and was a writer/photographer
for Houston County News. Check out her blog at: http://animaasity.weebly.com.
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What motivates Tammy
Maas the author? Why do you write?
I don’t write to make money or because I think it will
make me famous, I write because it gives me satisfaction at the end of the day
that I have used my God-given talents to the fullest. I enjoy writing and
people enjoy reading my work so it’s a win-win situation for me.
When did you know you were a writer? Was it always your
destiny or did you stumble upon your craft by accident?
I fell in love with writing in the 3rd grade
and I knew that someday I would write a book. But life gets in the way
sometimes and food and earning a living become a bigger priority than dreams or
what we would really like to do. Thankfully my husband believes in me and
suggested I stay home and write on a full-time basis. I have never been
happier.
What is your favorite genre to write and
why?
My favorite genre is mystery. I’m the type of person that
watches a movie or reads a book and figures out right away how the story will
end. When I write I make sure others like me will not be able to prematurely
figure out the ending.
How many hours a day do you devote to writing? Do you have
a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?
The hours a day I spend writing are nothing compare to the
hours per day that I spend researching or going over scenarios in my mind. Once
I have it straight in my head, then I sit down to write. But I have to make
sure my to-do list completed when I sit down as when I start writing it’s
difficult for me to stop. It consumes me until everything I have to say is
safely inside my laptop. Some days I work 4-5 hours on a book and other days I
won’t write at all.
Is there a certain aspect of the story you begin with? Do
you create the characters first or do you come up with the plot?
I typically like to have a plot before I have characters.
Sometimes I will write different pieces and will then insert them into the
story when it’s time.
Tell us about the most intriguing character you've
created.
The character in my debut novella, A Complicated Life in a
Small Town, is morbidly obese, bedridden and too big to be moved. She has
Prader-Willi Syndrome which is a genetic disease that causes people to never
feel full. She also has some mental issues.
What did you do when you found out your first book had
been contracted?
I hugged my dog and then called my husband as I was
dancing around the kitchen.
Has there been a person or influence in your life that has
helped you reach your writing goals?
My husband is my rock! He pushes me to write and gives me
the encouragement I need. Following dreams is not always an easy task, but my
husband has given me the time, space and support necessary to pull it off.
Do you have any words of inspiration to aspiring authors?
What advice would you offer a writer trying to publish?
Never give up and don’t
believe everything you hear. At 10pm on a Saturday night I sent my
manuscript to 8 publishers. Within 30 minutes I had a reply and within 10
days I had a contract. It may take some people years to get published but
it doesn’t take everyone that long.
Tell us about your current release.
My debut novella is: A
Complicated Life in a Small Town and it was released on 2/27/2012. The book is
fiction and a mystery sprinkled with romance and humor. The story takes place
in Monticello, Iowa.
The road to hell really is paved with good
intentions. Bitter that she was robbed of her childhood, at age eighteen, Lydia
Lawson severed all communication ties with her alcoholic parents. Her father
commits suicide one year after she leaves home. Twenty-three years later she
receives word that her mother is dead and that she has inherited more than just
the family home. Lily, a twenty-one-year-old, morbidly obese half-sister with
Prader-Willi Syndrome, is found in the basement, too big to move out of the
home. Lydia sets out on a life-changing journey trying to help Lily, trying to
find Lily s father and trying to find herself. In the interim, she falls in
love with Tommy Porter who remains with her right up to the climatic,
mind-blowing reveal at the end.
Do you have any upcoming projects in the works?
Yes! I am working on the sequel to A Complicated Life in a
Small Town.
Where can readers connect with you?
Facebook: Tammy Maas
Twitter: @animaasity
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