FAQs
How long have you been writing?
-
Hmm….well quite a long time actually, but I really became serious about it in 2020.
What’s your ideal writing day like?
-
Wake up at 4 AM, hit the office by 5 AM, answer odds and ends emails and take care of various volunteer duties and hopefully start writing by 6 AM or so. I usually go cross-eyed by 3 in the afternoon. In the evening I am completely worthless and usually prefer to read, clean the house, sit on my front porch and enjoy nature.
How long does it take you to write a book?
-
That’s a tough question. I wrote my quilting books in a week to two weeks.
-
I wrote my unpublished novels that the world will never see between 1 month and 1 year’s time.
-
The 3 books I am working on now for future publication, well one I’ve been working on for 6 months. Another one I have been working on for a year. The third one is in the finished first draft stage and that took just over 2 months.
How long does it take you to write a blog post?
-
That depends on if I have a topic or an idea. If I know what I would like to write about in a blog post and the idea is already formed in my brain, I can usually whip it out in an hour or so. If I have a topic, I would like to write a blog post on, I usually research for as long as needed, gather my thoughts and opinions, and then set out to write it. That can take anywhere from a few hours to weeks. If I’m bored or need something other than writing on my current manuscripts, I can usually get a blog post done in a couple of hours, and then after I finish it, my mind is usually refreshed enough to get back to working on whichever manuscript.
-
On a side note – the old blog that I had from 2012 to 2020 did not transfer over to my new blog here on this website. I lost every single post and picture, so the blog that I have here on my website now is a do-over. I had 6 posts that I could find on my hard drive from the past out of the 500 or so that were on my old blog. Life goes on. I cannot cry over spilled milk-so I begin again!
Where do you write?
-
I write anywhere. Mostly I write in my office. My office has a beautiful view of my backyard, so it’s quite easy to spend hours in there.
-
I like to write sitting on my front porch swing or in my rocking chair on the back porch.
-
I also love to pack up some supplies, toss on a pair of hiking boots, traipse off into the mountains and find a delightful spot to sit and enjoy writing with pen and paper.
Why do you write?
-
I’ve never really thought about that. I like to tell stories. I like to create worlds, and settings and imagine characters. I like to imagine and create worlds I would like to live in or experience.
-
I guess what it boils down to is I’m a creative soul. I have stories in my head and I want to share them.
-
I also get a kick out of creating characters that may resemble someone I know or knew in the past and then putting them in trouble or into a dilemma and having the character do the complete opposite of what my “human” character would probably do. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Don’t make me mad, you may just end up in my next book.” Well, that saying is completely true!
Do you always know the entire story, including the ending, when you begin?
-
I’d like to say yes-I know it all. In reality, I set out with an idea and write up a huge outline. Then I set out to write the story, but 9 times out of 10, the story changes. I usually stick pretty close to how I want the story to end and begin. It’s the middle that goes every which way as I’m writing it typically.
Do you have a favorite character in the books you have written that are yet to be published?
-
I have a current favorite character in one manuscript I am working on right now. Her name is Grace. She is a bad-ass cop, living in, you guessed it, West Virginia. I love her because she is just such a complex character. She has a good and a bad side. She’s emotional, she’s tortured by her past and she’s split between doing right and wrong. The only thing I dislike about her right now is her name. It is a lovely name but just too “sweet” of a name for my character. Another character in this unpublished book alongside Grace is her granny. Well, let me tell you, granny is a character. Granny is yet to be named because I’m searching for that perfect name for a 70-year-old woman, who’s opinionated and hysterical but doesn’t know she is. She’s adventurous, attracts trouble, and still wants to date! Granny is a bright lipstick-wearing gal, always has her hair done, and doesn’t leave home without her heels. She also has a knack for getting on Grace’s last nerve.
Why did you pursue a career in writing and leave the quilting industry?
-
Short Version – I needed a change. I was tired of some things happening in the industry and wanted to distance myself a bit.
-
Long Version – I filed for a divorced and moved from Illinois to West Virginia. I had a major car accident that nearly ended my life, 14 days after my divorce was final in the early part of 2015. I lived obviously, then I nearly lost my leg. It took 5 years of recuperation and operations and I’m still not where I used to be or want to be. Anyhow, that was a life-altering moment for me. I realized life can end and/or change in a split second. For a few years, I had a hard time moving, working, standing, walking, and just functioning basically.
-
I stopped designing quilts and moved into writing the stories I want and need to tell. I realized I could make a career out of writing when several people over a time span said to me: “you should write a book about your life” or “you should really write a book” or “Gosh, Tara, I don’t know how you come up with these ideas but you need to write a book.” Sometimes I take a while to listen to advice, but I eventually get there.
-
After I closed my quilting business, I was so relieved. I no longer felt I had to keep coming up with the best and most elaborate or the most creative quilt. I now quilt for myself and I love every minute of it.
-
I enjoy writing 100%. I am a person who enjoys spending time alone, don’t get me wrong, I love people and getting out and doing things, but I’m also a person who has no problem staying home and doing my own thing.
Do you miss quilting professionally and running your prior business, “Quilters Ridge”?
-
No, I do not miss quilting professionally. I miss seeing a few of my friends in the quilting industry regularly. I miss my customers. I do not miss the long hours, the feeling of always having to be on “go” and always designing and coming up with “the next big thing”. I do not miss traveling to and from minor or major quilt shows.