TANGINA ANN
- GUEST AUTHOR -
G'day folks,
Today, I interview an author who was once a Nashville goat farmer.
Welcome, Tangina Ann ...
1. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING JOURNEY.
I was an air force brat but spent most
of my childhood growing up in small town Pennsylvania. I have never been
someone to like cities. Nice to visit
wouldn’t like living there. A girl
friend from high school invited me to stay over her place. come over she said we’ll have loads of
fun. Yea what she didn’t tell me is that
I would-be lying-in bed trying to sleep listening to police and ambulance
sirens and people below yelling and calling each other names most of the night.
I’m like how anyone can stand living here.
I got up in the morning and asked Patty about all the noise that was
happening all night and she looked at me and said what noise?
I
actually started writing my first two books when I was in my late 20’s. I would write a page or two that was more of
an outline of what I was wanting to write about. Because of family & work I couldn’t find
the time to dedicate to writing until
the end of 2012 I found myself unable to walk and more times on my hands that I
knew what to do with. While waiting for my feet to heal I decided to
finish my first book Short Stories in the Life of Little Girl Blue. After being told you're wasting your time.
You’ll never get published. I submitted
my book to several publishers and received an Email from Publish America later
Known as American Star books Congratulating me and a contract to publish my
book and later 4 others as well
2. WHAT TYPE OF
PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR JUST
SHOOT FROM THE HIP?
Ha
that’s a tricky one… I get an idea about
a book and sometimes it goes somewhere and other times it goes nowhere meaning
once I have an idea about a book and what it’s going to be about I start
writing and the chapters come in to play as I go along. Putting things in an outline really doesn’t
work for me.
3. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY
MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
It’s a
form of escape it gives me a way to take my mind off everyday life. I love creating characters and bring them to
life and living through them.
4. WHAT IS THE HARDEST
THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
Finding a publisher/agent…. When I wrote my first book, I was told you’ll
never get published. You're wasting your
time. To my surprise they were wrong I
got published right out the door and published my first 4 books through Publish
America, later known as American Star Books. Since they have gone out of
business though it seems there are more publishers that charge you to publish
your book then actually pay you. It seems that you almost must be already well
known before any paying the publisher will even look at you.
5. WHAT WERE YOU IN A
PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER?
First
and foremost I was a mother but professionally I was a CNA until was in a couple of accidents that
happened within 30 days of each other (None of them were my fault) I was told
that if I kept up with that line of at work I would end up in a
wheelchair. I worked in a factory making
coils for radio speakers, hearing aids etc…
2006 to 2014 I owned and ran a goat ranch. I started writing late 2012
to present.
6. WHAT ARE YOU
WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
I just finished my latest The Increase of
Knowledge then and now. Available now
online on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and on Lulu links will be included at
the end of this interview.
7. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
The
Bible … Social Justice
8. WHAT GENRE DO YOU
WRITE?
Mostly
fiction but are based in some cases on real life. two books Bugs and Gooner meets her match are
written more for children. Gooner Meets
her match is not available right know but I’m working on getting it back online
9. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS
FOR NEW WRITERS?
Don’t
give up. Things can look discouraging at
times but if you’re doing what you love to do.
Keep doing it. If you can’t find
a publisher right now, try Self-Publishing.
Lulu, amazon have free
publishing, but you need to read up on them to see which one is right for
you.
10. DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?
Occasionally but when that happens, I just walk away from what I am
working on and take a break & come back
later to see if something comes to me.
11. DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED
WRITING SCHEDULE?
It’s helpful if you can have a set
schedule but that isn’t always possible.
I like to set down in the morning and work on my manuscript, but
sometimes appointments come up that may get in the way of that. So, you would if time allows sit down when
you get back from running an errand.
12. DO YOU HAVE A
FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE?
I
like to work at my desk listening to Youtube in the background.
13. WRITERS ARE
SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?
Sure,
I am one article I read some time ago before I wrote my first book said a
writer should write from what they know about and that has stuck with me.
14. OTHER THAN
WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
God
and Family first and foremost. If you’re
asking about other hobbies, I love doing what some call Wood- Art, listening to
music, Animals are a weakness of mine.
15. IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT
BE? WHY?
Two people…. Jesus because I don’t go anywhere without him. My
daughter because I know that girl would have my back. It would not be easy, but we would survive.
16. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD
LEADERS?
I
wouldn’t even think to tell anyone how to rule their country apart from
persecution of Christians and other People of Faith needs to stop. There is one leader I would like to address
however, I will do my best not to say what I am actually say what I’m thinking
and repeat the rumors of what some are saying you actually did on how he
handled this Covid 19 outbreak. You Sir,
you need to pay for the death & suffering that was caused by your actions
or lack thereof. You’re not going to
blame the USA or any other country for that matter we all know where it started
and who was responsible for letting it spread.
17. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
Who
knows what the future holds? For now, I
will go one with my life working toward getting back to normal and keep on
writing.
18. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS
ON BOOK TRAILERS? DO THEY SELL BOOKS?
I
think they have as much impact as any other commercial.
19. DID YOU EVER THINK
OF QUITTING?
Everyone
gets discouraged at times, but I never thought of quitting.
20. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE
‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER?
I
once asked someone at a book signing one time how many books do you have to
sell to be a success, she said have you sold any books I said yes. She didn’t
ask how many books I sold she just said if you sold one book, you’re a
success. I have to say that that isn’t
the only way you can measure success; among other things I have been on the
front of a magazine 3xs. Invited to a Gala & received an award. Was invited to the next Gala being held by
Focus on Women magazine but depending on what is going on with this Covid 19
whether it is even going to happen. The point of me telling you all of this is
not to necessarily brag but to bring home the point that none of these things
would have happened if I had never become a writer. 2016 Featured Guest writer
for Blackheath Dawn “Promoting your work & yourself” Wrote a revised short
story for Windmills and Paper Boats “The Good Teacher” Wrote a chapter for The
Better Business Book Vol 4 “Down but not Out”
21. WHAT SHOULD READERS
WALK AWAY FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?
That would depend on which book you were reading.
22. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
HAVE YOUR BOOKS MADE INTO MOVIES? EVER WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY?
Sure, what writer wouldn’t like that?
23. HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO DESIGNING A BOOK COVER?
Quite a bit, when I first start writing a book, I come up with something
I think would help tell the story and start putting it out as a teaser but more
often than not the cover I start with isn’t the one I end up using.
24. WRITING IS ONE THING. WHAT
ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS?
A website is a good place to start it’s
one way to get noticed and most people will feel more comfortable with doing
business with you, social media I am currently on just about every social media
outlet I can find. I advertise with All Author as well as a few
others.
25. ARE YOUR BOOKS SELF-PUBLISHED?
Most
of my books are currently self-published.
26. WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST?
Dishonest, untrustworthy people who say one
thing and do another.
Scammers
27. WHAT WOULD BE THE
VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE?
See ya here, there or up in the air.
28. WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU
HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO SHARE?
I don’t know with exception of this Covid 19
thing I think I’m doing pretty good right now. I have everything I need. A nice home – nothing.
Clancy's comment: Well done, Tangina Ann. Keep going, and stay safe.
I'm ...
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