Today I am so pleased to welcome Tamryn Eradani to Joyfully Jay. Tamryn has come to share some questions and answers about her latest release, To Seek and to Find. She has also brought along a tour wide giveaway. Please join me in giving Tamryn a big welcome!

Where do your inspirations come from?

My inspirations come from all around me – from real life, from the TV shows I watch, the music I listen to. Characters and scenes and lyrics all bounce around in my head until I latch onto one and say ‘what if’. What if this song is about best friends who grow into adults who fall in love with each other? What would that story look like? What if this side character had a chance to be the main character of their own novel? What would that story look like? Every story I write begins with a question, and whether I write a short story or a novel or something in between, I’m always writing to find the answer.

When did you start writing?

I started writing when I was a kid, but when I really started to love it was when I was in middle school. I don’t remember the book series I was reading, but it took me until 7^th grade to realize that just because I picked up a book didn’t meant I had to finish it. Learning that it was okay not to love every book I read made me more critical of what I read and in turn led me to try writing my own books, because I figured if I was the one writing it then of course I would love every word. That hasn’t proven to be true, but I did fall in love with writing.

What is your favorite genre to read? Why?

It depends on the day and on my mood. There are some days where I want a contemporary young adult novel, something that’s fun and engaging (especially on days when the sun’s out. There’s nothing better than a fun book on a sunny day). But there are also days where I want a light-hearted romance or gritty dystopian novel. And then there are the days where I lean more towards nonfiction. I love books where writers are talking about writing – right now The Writing Life by Annie Dillard and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami top my list of favorite writers on writing books.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

I do a bit of both. I need enough of an outline to have path to where I’m going (I get lost very easily otherwise) but I need enough freedom to let the story breathe. Too much outlining and I get stuck, all the fun of discovery sucked out during the outlining process, but too little outlining leads to me getting mired down in scenes and subplots that’ll have to be deleted later.

Do you have a special time/place to write, or do you write whenever/wherever you can?

I write best in the morning, and I prefer to write at a table, but I can write wherever and almost whenever. I have found that my productivity is vastly different depending on when and where I write. Mid-afternoon is the worst time for me so, naturally, it’s the time slot that I’ve been writing in the most these past few months.

What is your favorite snack?

Carrots are my favorite writing snack which probably sounds absurd, but when I’m writing, I like to have something within reach to nibble on while I write, and I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter what I put there – I’m going to eat it. M&Ms? I’ll go through the whole bag. Pretzels? Same thing. So I figured, why not work on the whole vegetables are an important part of the diet thing? So now I eat with a plate of carrots next to my computer. Grapes are another good one.

Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand?

Computer all the way.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

I guess it depends on the book and what else I’m doing at the time. I try to write 3-4k a day and if that’s all concentrated on one project then I can knock out a first draft of a novel in a month.

Do you ever get writer’s block? If so, how do you deal with it?

This is when I break out my notebook. Sometimes when I get stuck, I just need to start writing things out by hand. I’ll copy down the last two paragraphs I typed and then keep writing and usually that can get me unstuck. In some cases, I get blocked because I’m trying to push the story in the wrong direction. That usually takes me a couple days or even weeks to figure out and then correct.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Dialogue tags.

And description.

You’re not Hemingway.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Write. Every day. I find that writing and running, both things that I enjoy, have a lot in common but one of the most important similarities is the importance of routine. If I wake up and it’s raining and I talk myself out of running then the next day I’m much less likely to go out and run and then the next thing I know it’s been two weeks since I put on my running shoes and getting back into the habit of running again is tough. Writing’s the same way for me. I need to do it every day or else I lose my motivation.

What do you think makes a good story?

Characters. I love stories that have rich, dynamic characters that make me say, ‘I wonder what they do in their spare time’. I like characters that make me continue to think about them even once I’ve put the book down.

Blurb

“Project: Notice Me” is a win-win for Kyle. He’ll do a series of demonstrations at the club and have a good time with people he knows and the fledgling Doms who are new to the scene and looking for encouragement from an experienced Sub. And maybe along the way, he’ll attract the attention of the new Dom at the club, the one with terrible taste in fashion, but who has the most intense focus Kyle has ever seen. He wants the entirety of the man’s attention on him. The clothes are optional.

Bio

Tamryn studied English and Creative Writing in school but has been writing since she could first hold a pencil. Recently, she’s turned her focus towards writing erotica. She enjoys writing stories where sex comes first, then feelings, because doing things out of order can be fun.

Tamryn has spent the past few months writing the Daniel and Ryan series with a lovely view of mountains out her window, and she’s now searching for a new mountain range to serve as her backdrop as she begins her next project.

Giveaway

Tamryn has brought a $10 NineStar Press gift code to give away to one lucky reader on her tour. Just follow the Rafflecopter below to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

• By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
• By entering you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions set out by Rafflecopter for entries.
• Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
• Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
• By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
• Void where prohibited by law.