Hello hello! I hope you're doing well :)
After skipping the Author Interview section last month in favour or sharing some short Halloween-themed stories (although I may have forgotten to share all of them... oops), I'm back this month with the wonderful T. L. Brown, author of two linked paranormal series that I am a huge fan of.
If you're on my newsletter, you may remember that Tracy did an interview for me a few months ago, but a lot has happened since then, so I'm delighted to have her back to give you an update - or introduce herself and her work if you missed her the first time around!
But enough from from, I'm going to hand over to someone much better suited to telling you all about her work.
Take it away, Tracy...
Hi Tracy, welcome back! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed for my blog :) Please introduce yourself to my readers
Thanks for inviting me back for a new interview, Saffron! So much has changed since the first Q&A, and I’m glad to share this update – especially since the first book I published, Door to Door (ebook version), will be free on Amazon on December 1, 2022, from 12:00am – 11:59pm, Pacific Standard Time in the USA.
Door to Door (Paranormal Mystery), by T.L. Brown.
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08LQWJSL3
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LQWJSL3
Hi readers! :-) My name is Tracy Brown, and I’m the author of two different series: the Door to Door Paranormal Mystery series (Rated PG-13) and the Bellerose Witchline series (Rated R). All books are penned under the name T.L. Brown.
Door to Door, the first book in my mystery series, introduces main character Emily Swift – an average woman who turns 30, receives her late father’s travel journal, and embarks on a wild journey. Emily learns she can travel from place to place, and even world to world, simply by stepping through the “right” door. She deals with murder, a stolen book, a magical gemstone, and a terrorist group called the Fringe. She also crosses paths with a powerful nemesis named Templeton, a morally gray character who has picked up quite the fanbase. He’s even earned his own hashtag on Instagram: #Temptington.
After finishing the Door to Door trilogy, I introduced a spinoff series called Bellerose Witchline. This adult dark fantasy series includes well-known characters from the first one. This time around, the main character is natural witch Lucie Bellerose. In book one of her series, A Thin Witchline Between Love & Hate, Lucie faces witch politics, maddening men, a desperate demon, and monsters from other worlds while she struggles to heal her thinning witchline. Templeton plays a significant role in this series, too.
I love that you have two very different series linked by the same set of characters :) Why did you start writing?
When I was younger (child, teenager, young adult) writing was a form of escapism and exploring how I saw the world. Of course, there were also stories written to work out what I wanted to do or have in my life.
And I must admit: There is a real thrill in writing about multi-layered, imperfect characters. That thrill skyrocketed after publishing my books and seeing readers connect with those same characters.
Imperfect characters are my favourite. Speaking of favourites, which is your favourite of the books you’ve written so far, and why?
Doors Wide Open, the third book in the Door to Door Paranormal Mystery series, is my absolute favorite in that trilogy. The core group of characters from that series blossomed – even though I put them through the wringer. A lot of secrets were revealed, and Templeton was laid bare. I clearly “saw” Doors Wide Open scenes inside my head as I wrote it. It was like watching a movie.
Out of all the books I’ve written – five so far between the two series – I think Crossing the Witchline (Bellerose Witchline, Book 2) is my favorite. The main character is such a deep well of emotion. Lucie’s ability to love, I think, turns her into something particularly special. She is a light who attracts so many different types of people to her: very good, really bad, morally gray, and conflicted (but trying).
I also enjoy the creative opportunities presented when writing a dark fantasy novel. I can explore some grim imagery and yes, even violence. I do endeavor to keep it relevant to the story.
I'd say you do that pretty well! Where do you get your ideas?
Recently I read a quote attributed to author Orson Scott. He said: “Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.”
I hope in the good writers’ camp.
In my house, music is usually playing – from streaming music, to listening to vinyl on the stereo, to deep dives into older CDs. Music inspires me. Each book I write has a “theme song.” Sometimes I’ll focus on a particular song or musician when writing and that concentration often leads to a pivotal scene or even a new character.
It's always fun to see your book playlists when you share them on social media or in your newsletter! What’s your favourite thing about writing?
Bringing characters onto the page and growing them. For me, and perhaps for some readers, they become “real.”
Creating characters that feel like old friends is a lot of fun :) But now, of course, I'm going to ask: What’s your least favourite thing about writing?
It used to be getting all the details of the story “as seen in my head” down on paper. Writing is wonderful but it’s also a LOT of work!
But now I have a new least favorite thing. As you gain experience as a writer, you develop tools to make your writing even better. I’d like to think each book I’ve written is better than the ones coming before it. I developed a 100+ checkpoint list in Excel of things to run against each book at the end of the editing process. This checkpoint list takes me anywhere from 40 to 60 hours to complete. Gah!
That is a very thorough checklist! And a brilliant idea :) You’re an indie author. Why did you choose that route?
Self-publishing as an indie author and traditional publishing are both valid paths. Each one requires a lot of work by the author. Simply put, the benefits and challenges of working as an indie author are a better fit for my writing and my personality.
That is a brilliant answer, and I completely resonate with that. How can readers and friends support indie authors?
a.) Buy books written by indie authors – and if a book is available for pre-sale, order it in advance! A high number of pre-sales can impact a book’s overall launch success.
b.) Tell people about indie books! Share posts about books and authors in social media. Readers love book recommendations. Help them find indies by sharing on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, TikTok, and so on! Like and follow indies in social media. Share indie posts with YOUR followers!
c.) MOST IMPORTANT: If you liked a book, leave an honest review on Amazon and on Goodreads (if you’re on Goodreads). Good reviews fuel success.
DEFINITELY leave reviews on Amazon. Reviews don’t have to include a lot of detail or many paragraphs. Just write a few sentences about why you liked the book and add your star rating. Five-star ratings are the best, of course, but always be honest!
Indie authors can’t succeed without support from readers (and other writers).
So true. And, what are you working on at the moment?
Right now I’m working on the third installment of the Bellerose Witchline books, Walking a Fine Witchline. This should wrap up the series and set the stage for the next one.
In Walking a Fine Witchline, readers can expect a lot of surprises, as well as a shocking revelation that will undo a “truth” believed in Doors Wide Open. (Remember, both of my series contain many of the same core characters.) Ironically, this “revelation” is not the biggest piece of drama! Lucie will also have to make some choices, and yes, this also involves the three men nestled into the corners of her heart.
Witches, Rabbits, Salesmen, shapeshifters, and a demon – oh, my!
That sounds fantastic, I can't wait to read it! I'm sure there's s few fellow writers in the audience, so if you don't mind, what are your favourite writing resources?
HANDS DOWN other writers are the best resources for me. You want to become a better writer? Read and network with other writers. Take writing “advice” with a grain of salt but remain open. Beware of self-proclaimed experts. Pay attention to the authors you respect.
I could not agree more, other writers are wonderful people and often so generous with helping and offering advice - which leads me on to my next question. What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Write. Write. Write. Did I mention writers should write? By the way, you might struggle and write down a bunch of crap. So what? You either edit it and make it right, or you scrap it and go on to the next story. THIS. IS. NORMAL.
Find other like-minded writers to network with – even if you write in different genres.
Know when to take writing “advice” with a grain of salt. Not everything is a pearl of wisdom. Walk away from any author or writer who makes you feel bad. Criticism can be helpful, but it should come from an open mind and a kind heart. Avoid writers who slam someone else’s writing, or the genre others prefer to write in, or the “tropes” others use. You don’t want to be associated with their bad behavior or comments anyway.
In social media, I think it’s better to focus on talking about what you like (writing / reading) versus what you don’t like. Consider this: Readers often read across different genres. Don’t unintentionally put them down by publicly insulting genres that aren’t your speed. It’s okay to say: Romance is not a genre I typically seek out. It’s not cool to say: I think romance novels are stupid. Ugh!
Mostly, I recommend checking out the writing community on Instagram. I have met some great people and found some real gems – like Saffron! Join Instagram and look up hashtags like #WritingCommunity or #FindMyWritingCommunity or #IndieAuthors.
That is great advice, and I completely agree that the writing community on Instagram is full of wonderful people :) As you know, all writers put little pieces of themselves into their work, either intentionally or accidentally. What real-life references have made it into your books?
This is always such a fun question to answer, and I have a bunch of references to choose from at this point. Okay, here’s one (but I can’t give too much):
In Crossing the Witchline, the demon is on the receiving end of a set of cruel insults -it’s actually pretty brutal. One of the insults originally comes from my brother. He used to throw around quite a bit of zingers when we were young. This particular insult is inappropriate to share in this Q&A – sorry! (Read the book, LOL!)
I have read the book, so I know which insult you're talking about - and it is brutal! You've written five books now, which would you recommend people start with?
Door to Door, by T.L. Brown (Paranormal Mystery, PG-13)
Since it’s the first in the mystery series it’s the perfect time of year to start it! Emily’s story begins on December 1st – and it’s a lot of fun! Check it out on Amazon. The ebook is priced right, and all my ebooks are currently in Kindle Unlimited. AND… Door to Door (ebook) will be FREE on December 1st, from 12:00am – 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time in the USA.
OR choose…
A Thin Witchline Between Love & Hate, by T.L. Brown (Adult Dark Fantasy, Rated R)
And if someone didn’t read the Door to Door series, can they still read the Bellerose Witchline series? Will it make sense?
Yes! Door to Door readers will have a bit of an advantage on some of the finer points and details, but this is a standalone series.
Note: The Bellerose Witchline Series is recommended for readers aged 18+ years. It includes Adult Activity, Alcohol Use, Hard Language, Intense Violence / Gore, and Sexual Situations, both consensual and non-consensual.
Both are great series, and I'd definitely recommend them. As we're coming to the end of the interview, can please you tell us where people find you online?
Website: https://writertracybrown.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/T.L.-Brown/e/B08LR3T5KM
Newsletter Signup: http://eepurl.com/huAsfz
Instagram (my fav): https://www.instagram.com/writertracybrown/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/tlbrown
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TLBrown
Wow, you are ev-ry-where, that's awesome. Any last thoughts before we wrap this up?
A big thank you to Saffron Amatti for not only asking me back for an updated interview, but for all her generous support! Saffron is a member of the special writing community on Instagram, and she has provided some of the best feedback and advice as I’ve penned my wild tales. Saffron, you are truly one in a million!
If readers have a question for me, they can find me on my social media channels or pop on over to WriterTracyBrown.com. I’ll do my best to answer!
~ Tracy
Aw, thank you, Tracy, and right back at you <3 And thank you again for your brilliant interview!
Anyway, that is my dear friend Tracy, who is herself a fabulous member of the writing community and a wonderful writer, and I'd heartily recommend checking out whichever of those links above takes your fancy and connecting with her :)
The next author interview will be in January, so as not to clash with either Christmas or the launch of my nect book (very excited, stay tuned!), and after that I'm hopefully going to stick to a monthly interview schedule.
So, if you're an author and think you'd be a good fit for my blog, please drop me a line at saffron.amatti(at)gmail(dot)com and tell me a little about yourself!
Until next time,
Saff xx
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