Terri: Believe it or not when I was in elementary school, I loved to read The Hardy Boys and The Nancy Drew mysteries. In high school, I can remember reading Sydney Sheldon's steamy novels. As an adult, my favorite authors are Alice Walker, Terry Blackstone, Barbara Kingsolver, and Iyanla Vanzant. I love reading fiction novels that teach me about different cultures, races, and ethnicities. Unfortunately, I have a short attention span, (lol) so the book has to be a page turner with lots of twists. This is the style I like to emulate.
Q: What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Terri: I have a husband and three children who count on me to be there every day. I am so thankful to God for each day He gives me to spend with them. Before I lift my head from the pillow, my mind has already formulated a to-do list. If you're a busy mom, you'll understand how much we must accomplish each day. Yes, we make it looks effortless but it is certainly challenging. After God, my family is my top priority and its my job to keep everything running as smoothly as possible for them. I start my day with a prayer of thanks. Next, I prepare my children for school, then it's right to my computer for another day of writing, responding to my readers, promoting, scheduling... and the list goes on.
Q: How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Terri: Since I have become friends with various authors, I try to support them by reading and reviewing their work. I also use social media and websites like Pinterest to discover what's new.
Q:What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Terri: I rely heavily on word of mouth. We have become a nation inundated with social media, television, cell phones, and radio, all jockeying for our dollars. Like many other readers, I've been disappointed when the hype of a book (clearing throat -Grey Series) receives so much attention and fanfare only to be a let-down. I don't ever want my readers to feel that way, so I let others speak for me. I love interviews because it lets the reader know more about me. I also love sharing my work by way of live readings. I enjoy performing these and my readers do as well. I don't pressure my readers by constantly bombarding them with pleadings to purchase my books. I let my work speak for itself and pray that God will lead my stories to the right people.
Q:Describe your desks.
Terri: I write in two different places. The desk in my kitchen is made of an unforgiving Granite stone. It's extremely hard and I've learned it puts too much pressure on my wrists. But working in my kitchen has its advantages. When I'm hungry or stuck on a tough chapter, I don't have to go far for a snack. (Can you see how that can also be a negative?) I also have a small desk in my bedroom which looks out into the backyard, where my kids play and where the willow tree is planted in remembrance of my dad. The property is lined with large Leland Cypress and Pine Trees. I enjoy them most in the winter when snowflakes adorn the branches, turning the backyard into a winter wonderland. It's a a very peaceful view and the place where I've done some of my best writing.
Q:Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
Terri: I grew up in a very small town called Waterbury, Connecticut. Some years ago, it was rated the worst place to live, because of the lack of jobs.The Timex Watch Company, where my grandfather worked for years, had closed shop along with a slew of other manufacturing plants. The town died and drugs, corruption, and crime moved in. As a child I was very aware of my surroundings and sensitive to people's emotions. That's why In high school my career choice was to become a psychologist. I had a knack for understanding human behavior. I guess that's why most people say my characters feel so real.
Q:When did you first start writing?
Terri: I can remember writing short stories in the seventh grade. My best friend and I would write "junior harlequin," romance novels (usually centering around a juvenile crush). I also wrote poems and letters for Mother's Day and birthdays. One year while visiting for the holidays, my mother surprised me when she pulled out a poem I had written to her in the 8th grade. I read it aloud and was pleasantly surprised. I don't recall writing it, but you know what...it was pretty good.
Terri: I write in two different places. The desk in my kitchen is made of an unforgiving Granite stone. It's extremely hard and I've learned it puts too much pressure on my wrists. But working in my kitchen has its advantages. When I'm hungry or stuck on a tough chapter, I don't have to go far for a snack. (Can you see how that can also be a negative?) I also have a small desk in my bedroom which looks out into the backyard, where my kids play and where the willow tree is planted in remembrance of my dad. The property is lined with large Leland Cypress and Pine Trees. I enjoy them most in the winter when snowflakes adorn the branches, turning the backyard into a winter wonderland. It's a a very peaceful view and the place where I've done some of my best writing.
Q:Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
Terri: I grew up in a very small town called Waterbury, Connecticut. Some years ago, it was rated the worst place to live, because of the lack of jobs.The Timex Watch Company, where my grandfather worked for years, had closed shop along with a slew of other manufacturing plants. The town died and drugs, corruption, and crime moved in. As a child I was very aware of my surroundings and sensitive to people's emotions. That's why In high school my career choice was to become a psychologist. I had a knack for understanding human behavior. I guess that's why most people say my characters feel so real.
Q:When did you first start writing?
Terri: I can remember writing short stories in the seventh grade. My best friend and I would write "junior harlequin," romance novels (usually centering around a juvenile crush). I also wrote poems and letters for Mother's Day and birthdays. One year while visiting for the holidays, my mother surprised me when she pulled out a poem I had written to her in the 8th grade. I read it aloud and was pleasantly surprised. I don't recall writing it, but you know what...it was pretty good.
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