Visiting us today is a new author to our blog, Tara Chevrestt. I had the privilege to read two of her stories- Style Me Sexy and Plotting to Win. My thoughts on these are shared in separate review posts today if you’re interested. Her likeable characters, well developed plots and upbeat writing voice left me wanting more of her work. Well let’s get comfy and settle in with our favorite cuppas for a chat with Tara.
Howdy Tara! Nice to meet you!
Living in the northern United States, I get to experience a true fall season and all the fun activities that come with it.
Do you experience a true fall where you live? What is the best part of fall for you?
I live in the northwest United States, so yes, I do. The best part for me is the changing of the leaves and seeing the Rocky Mountains…in the first part of October, the mountains become half and half…the top half is white with snow and the bottom is red and gold and green and there appears to be a line halfway down as one becomes the other. It’s also not too hot, not too cold.
We’re between Halloween and Thanksgiving for big US holidays. Do you get into either of these holidays? Any fun experiences with either?
I’m not into holidays. I like my birthday ‘cause I get spoiled rotten that day. LOL. Thanksgiving, I eat turkey and all that, but a big part of me feels guilty for it. I mean, the white man did just come over and steal the land from the Native Americans. Should we really be celebrating that? Halloween—no. I did enjoy Christmas when I was a kid. My mother and I would head to Montana and go snowmobiling and sledding with my aunt, uncle, cousins, and my grandmother would cook up a storm. My pants would no longer button by the time I went home.
Were you a reader when you were a kid? What was your favorite story or author while growing up?
I loved Nancy Drew. I was always reading. Even in the car, I had a book and a flashlight.
Did any particular author or authors influence your desire to write or influence your writing style?
Christina Courtenay was a huge inspiration to me when I first started writing. She had much encouragement and advice and I wanted very much to be like her.
Writers have told me that they love it when readers really ‘get’ their books. Other than a five-star rating and a gushing review (not that those are bad things), what tells you that a reader really gets your stories?
Sometimes I get a PM, especially regarding my memoir, from deaf/hard-of-hearing people who want to tell me they “get it” and they live it every day and they thank me for telling my story. That makes it worth it.
What’s your favorite part of writing? Or a fond writing experience?
I like to write the funny bits. I love to laugh, even if it’s at myself. Or when I have a really funny typo, like sh*t instead of shirt or ship or something. :p
You’ve written several stories now. The two I read were both delightful contemporary romances. In your Plotting to Win story, your characters had to write outside their comfort zone. If it were you, which genre would be outside your comfort zone and yet one you would like to try writing in?
I think horror. I like it but I don’t read much of it. It would be a challenge.
And continuing with a question influenced by the Plotting to Win story, the characters had to meet certain challenges in the game show. If you had to compete, which challenge would be your most difficult as a writer and which the easiest?
Writing 50k in a week would be hard on just about anybody. LOL. Actually, I had a problem with my first-ever cover art. I didn’t understand that the artist had to use stock images. Felicity’s experience with the cover artist is MY experience. That was a challenge for me. Easiest? Working with an editor, as I’m one myself.
I’m well aware that books are like an author’s babies so I won’t ask which is your favorite. But… Can you tell us about a favorite scene or moment with a character that still has you smiling?
In a book that was once available, Maiden Behind the Mask, I really loved the flatulent horse. I don’t think I’ll ever grow up. I’m in my thirties and I still laugh at farts or flatulence. Even the word cracks me up. As a deaf person, I need the closed captioning on the television and every time flatulence appears in parenthesis, I laugh so hard I cry.
Do you have a present work in progress or a future writing project that you’d like to share with us?
No. I have “retired”.
It was a Delight to have you stop by, Tara.
Thank you for having me. J
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Style me Sexy sounds like a book I would like to read.
It’s adorable and it is one of those reads that can be read in one sitting.
What a delightful interview! Nice to see someone’s inner child still laughs at “flatulence’ besides me! The cover of Style Me Sexy reminds me of new love!
I have a quirky sense of humor too, Dianne! Sometimes its just bad for me to read books in public. This cover is nice- better than the first one IMHO.
Unlike Tara, I wasn’t reading as a kid. I pretty much despised reading until I got to college. I was very ambitious at school and took every piece of advice given to me and ran with it. One of those pieces of advice was to read something for your own pleasure in addition to the books you have to read for school. I became an avid reader after that. Thanks for the giveaway!
mestith at gmail dot com
That’s good advice Meghan about reading for pleasure mixed with duty. It’s one of the ways I reward myself for getting my chores done. ;D
Good luck for the giveaway!
Really nice interview. Like an author with a sense of humor. Now I’m going to have to put it on the TBR list. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
Thanks for stopping by, Cassandra! Good luck!
Style me Sexy sounds like a book I would like to read.
Unlike Tara, I wasn’t reading as a kid. I pretty much despised reading until I got to college. I was very ambitious at school and took every piece of advice given to me and ran with it. One of those pieces of advice was to read something for your own pleasure in addition to the books you have to read for school. I became an avid reader after that. Thanks for the giveaway!
mestith at gmail dot com
That’s good advice Meghan about reading for pleasure mixed with duty. It’s one of the ways I reward myself for getting my chores done. ;D
Good luck for the giveaway!