MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR TAMMY L. BAILEY

 

 

What’s your name and what genre would you consider your books to be?

Tammy L. Bailey. I write both contemporary and historical romances.

 

Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?

My latest release is a historical Regency romance, A Mistress for Penndrake. The Marquess of Wesley is out for blood when he discovers he’s being blackmailed to marry a woman he’s never met. As he plans his revenge, his less than honorable intentions take an unexpected turn.  Heartbroken at fifteen, Miss Kate Holden is determined to lead a spinster life until she receives a  letter warning her to stay away from Lord Wesley.  However, the warning arrives too late as she finds herself in the constant company of the rake himself.

I usually come up with story angles while I’m exercises or halfway between sleep and awake…when I don’t have something to write it down. Of course, I’m always rolling ideas around in my head to see which one sticks. Sometimes the premise will change if it doesn’t fit where I want the characters to go.

 

 

How did you get interested in writing this particular genre (historical novels, mysteries, sci-fi, children’s books, etc.)?

After watching Jane Austen adaptations of “Pride & Prejudice” and “Persuasion.”  I was hooked.

 

What kind of research did you do for this book?

I do a lot of research online and then check out reference books at my local library. I’ve also use beta readers who are an expert in this period to help me with inconsistencies.

 

What’s a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal?

I work as a Nursing secretary M-F from 8 am to 5 pm. I usually don’t get a chance to sit down and write until after 7 (after helping the kids with homework, dinner, laundry, dishes, etc.). When I do sit down, it’s upstairs in my loft, in my comfy chair. I’ve tried sitting writing goals, but they were always unrealistic with my schedule.

 

 

Do you have a new book in the making and if so, what’s the name of your upcoming book?

I’m currently working on the second book to my first self-published historical romance, Mine, Forever and Always. Readers wrote how they wanted to know about Jane and Mr. Waverley’s story, so I’m trying to make that happen.

 

 How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

Sometimes I feel the character’s name themselves. With historical romances, I have to be careful and not come up with a name that is too modern. One of the beta readers will even give me suggestions for better names that fit the period. 

 

Where do your ideas come from?

 I’m influenced greatly by movies. Sometimes, I’ll watch the actors who I want to place in my book. After watching, Lost in Austen, I had to build a character for Tom Mison who plays Mr. Bingley in the movie. He is the character, Lord Edmund Rushwood, in my debut novel, Lord Bachelor.

 

 

 

Is there a genre that you’ve wanted to experiment with?

After watching Star Wars, The Last Jedi, I came up with the idea of a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal. I’m still experimenting with this one.

 

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

Finding the time and reading negative reviews. Unfortunately, I tend to read all my reviews and reading the negative ones will sometimes make me rethink writing. Fortunately, I’m starting to weed out which reviews are constructive and which ones are are not.  

 

What do you think of book trailers? Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your book?

 I love making book trailers. Currently, I have book trailers for my contemporary romances. The videos and pictures are easier to find and incorporate into the video. Also, I just completed a book trailer for A Mistress for Penndrake.

 

 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Retired, writing full-time.

 

Have you always liked to write?

I’ve always like writing. I wrote very short stories in high school and some poems. I never saw myself as ever becoming published, though.

 

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Probably the quote from one of my favorite songs, “I hope you dance”: “Don’t let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter.” There will be people who will never like your books. Keep writing. There will be people who will send you rejection letters. Keep writing. There will be people who will give the book you poured your heart into for months a one-star review. Keep writing. There will be moments when you will doubt every word you write. Keep writing!!

 

 

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

Being a veteran, I would like to help other veterans who suffer from anxiety and PTSD through music therapy. I’ve studied and researched music therapy and believe it could help alleviate some symptoms of anxiety.

 

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

Unfortunately, I do read all of my reviews. I never respond to the reviewer, even if I believe the review is harsh, misleading, or untrue. While some reviewers can be passionately positive, others (though not many) can be passionately negative. If the reviews are constructive, I will appreciate what they had to say. Otherwise, I move on and keep writing.

 

What is your least favourite part of the writing / publishing process?

I think the final edit because I feel my manuscript is never perfect enough to put out there. There is always something I want to change. Eventually, I have to tell myself it’s time to let go.

 

 

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a follow-up to a self-published historical romance novella I wrote last year. I don’t have a title, yet.

 

 

 

Can you give us a few tasty morsels from your work-in-progress?

Sure. Here is one scene from the yet-to-be-named book. It may be subtitled, The Matchmaker Series.

 

First Draft, Unedited

Where did he go?

 Before she thought of another question to ask herself, she heard a clump of footsteps on the runner carpet in the hall. She scrambled to the darkest part of the room and smashed her lips together. She’d barely had time to exhale before a hand clamped over her mouth and the other spread across her midsection.

 “Do not move. Do not breathe. Do not blink.”

Jane’s knees buckled, forcing her captor to pull her hard against him. He seemed to sense her struggle for air and loosened his fingers against her cheek if only a little. 

A thunderous heartbeat later, two men entered the room. In the shadows, they didn’t notice her or the man who held her with unrelenting strength.

“Once Prinny is dead…”

Jane sucked in as much air as her circumstance would allow, causing the man holding her to tighten his grip once again. Through their layers of clothing, she felt his chest and abdomen muscles pull taut.  Oh, she wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to bite down hard on the hand that held her mouth closed.

“What part of do not breathe did you not understand?” He warned, his hot whisper skimming across her right ear. 

Obeying his command, with a rising temper, she stood statue still inside his vice-like hold, praying for someone to rescue her. Of course, the first man who popped into her head had to be Mr. Waverley.

Even in her current state of distress, Jane chastised herself. Mr. Waverley, of anyone she knew, was the last person she could imagine capable of any rescue attempt. He would most likely run away first and then negotiate her release later.  Not that Mr. Waverley was a coward. He was just too inconspicuous to do anything but comply. Of course, if the men were ladies, he might attempt to strike up a flirtatious conversation with one of them.

If only she’d thought of this before accepting the invitation to the Waverley ball. So far, she’d not only been disappointed in Mr. Waverley but herself.

“You should not have wandered up here,” the man said in the lowest tone possible.

She tried to scoff at her capture’s obvious comment. Of course, she should not have done a lot of things leading up to this point.

***

 

 

 

 

Why did you choose to write in your genre? If you write in more than one, how do you balance them?

I’m a huge fan of Jane Austen, that’s why I love to write historical romance. Since I also write contemporary romances, finding the balance can be tricky. I think if I’m making my historical romances seem too modern, I’ll sit and binge watch period dramas. “Pride and Prejudice,” “Persuasion,” “North and South” (English movie), and “Jane Eyre” are a few of my favorite Period Dramas.

 

Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?

Some of my favorite authors are Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Johanna Lindsey, Lisa Kleypas, Teresa Medeiros, Amanda Quick, and Judith McNaught.

 

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

This is a very hard question to answer because there’s something I love about each one of my characters.

 

 

 

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

It’s both energizing and exhausting. Since I work full time, I tend to write until two or three o’clock in the morning, sometimes on workdays. The energizing part is creating a story I believe readers will enjoy and lose themselves for a few hours.

 

 

What is your writing Kryptonite?

Time.

 

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I guess I try to do both. My ideas are not always conforming to what’s popular; however, I always want to write the best possible story the readers will enjoy.  

 

 

If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?

Trust Your Journey…You Never Know Where It Will Take You.

 

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

 

Name some of your favorite non-American actors:

Thomas Jouannet, Tom Hiddleston, Pierre Kiwitt, Matthias Schoenaerts, Richard Armitage, Tom Mison, Hugh Jackman, and Alejo Sauras…to name few.

 

 

Where can your fans find you and follow??

 Readers and fans can always find me at:

Website: www.tammylbailey.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tammylbaileyauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tammylbailey

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tammylbailey.author/

 

 

Thank you for taking your time to do this interview ❤️