She's never wanted to do anything but...write. Indie Interview with @taraquanauthor
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Meet Tara Quan
Genre: Fairytales/Fantasy
Best Known for: Undead Fairy Tales
Globetrotter, lover of languages, and romance author, Tara Quan has an addiction for crafting tales with a pinch of spice and a smidgen of kink. Inspired by her travels, Tara enjoys tossing her kick-ass heroines and alpha males into exotic contemporary locales, fantasy worlds, and post-apocalyptic futures. Armed with magical powers or conventional weapons, her characters are guaranteed a suspenseful and sensual ride, as well as their own happily ever after.
Connect with Tara
Thank you for joining us today!
How did you get started writing, and why did you want to write?
I started writing because J.K. Rowling wasn’t releasing her books fast enough. Back in the day, there was a huge gap between Book 4 and Book 5 of the Harry Potter series. As I waited on tenterhooks for her next release, I started dabbling in fan fiction. One could say I was once a Dramione girl.
What made you decide to go the "indie" route?
I tend to write novella length books. Catching Red is my longest work, and it’s 50,000 words long. After doing a bit of research, I discovered a number of small-press erotic romance publishers who were actively looking for manuscripts at my preferred length and heat level. Almost all of them accepted un-agented submissions. It seemed logical to send some of them a query email. After my first acceptance letter, the proverbial ball kept rolling.
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Tell us about the books you have available now, and about those that you're working on.
Catching Red is inspired by Little Red Riding Hood and set in a post apocalyptic world full of zombies. It’s the sequel to my debut novella, Tower in the Woods, which is a retelling of Rapunzel. Both works can standalone and feature kickass heroines born into a feminist cult called the Women’s Independent Territories Church (WITCH).
Book 1’s heroine, Nel Zapur, is a sniper who rescues a mysterious stranger, Dane Prince. Scarlet “Red’ Ryding is a knife-wielding scout on a mission to return to her grandmother, the cult’s leader. Her run-in with Covert Agent Marcus Woodsman eventually leads to the cult’s destruction.
I’m taking a break from the zombie wasteland to write a short straight-up paranormal romance between a warlock and his familiar set on Halloween. I’m only half way through the drafting stage, so who knows what will come of it.
Of the stories you have out now, which is your favorite? Do you have a favorite scene or character that stands out?
I don’t know about other authors, by I always like my latest work best. Practice makes perfect, and I feel my writing improves with each story. Because of release schedules, the most recent story I wrote actually came out a month before Catching Red. A contemporary romantic comedy, Delicious Delay is a modern-day Sheikh romance set entirely in an airport lounge. Suffice it to say, writing it was a ton of fun.
What would you like to tell your readers? What would you like to say to potential readers?
I write to entertain, and my goal as an author is to bring a smile to your face. I’m a fan of romance, humor, and happily ever afters, which is why I love fairy tale retellings. My books also tend to be a little tongue in cheek. I have excerpts of all my works on my website, and most ebook outlets allow you to sample the first chapter or two. Check them out and decide for your self if any of them might be fun.
There are many, many indie books and authors out there right now. How do you work to stand out?
I don’t, to be honest. I’m an avid reader of romance, and I write stories that I would enjoy myself. I’m crossing my fingers there are other people out there with similar tastes in books.
What's your favorite part about being an author (both as writer and publishing books), and what's your least favorite part?
My favorite part is writing. I’ve never wanted to do anything else, and it’s nice to have a “job” that’s also fun. My least favorite part is the submissions process. Waiting for a thumbs up (or down) is pure torture.
Any parting words?
I just finished Operation Owl, which will come out as part of Decadent Publishing’s new multi-author Beyond Fairy Tales series in a few months. Set in modern day D.C., this multicultural romantic comedy has a geeky hero and heroine, and they’re my favorites thus far.
Thank you, Tara!
Bella
