Author Interview ~ Tamera Alexander

An avid reader of historical fiction, Tamera Alexander’s professional background is in business management and corporate conference coordination. She’s led women’s ministries for over twelve years and is active in music ministry, facilitating small groups and Bible studies, and mentoring other women. A business graduate of Harding University, Tamera lives with her husband and their two teenagers in Greeley, Colorado. Visit her Web site at www.tameraalexander.com.

Autographed copy of Rekindled to be given away:

Leaving a comment or a question for Tammy enters you in the drawing for an autographed copy of Rekindled.

What new book or project would you like to tell us about?

Revealed, Book 2 in Fountain Creek Chronicles, releases in November and I’m excited to share the story about Annabelle Grayson and Matthew Taylor, characters we met in Rekindled. Here’s a snippet from the back cover of Revealed:

Words, once spoken, can mend a broken life…or cripple it. But words left unspoken can haunt the soul, inflicting a far deeper wound.

Annabelle Grayson has been given a second chance at life, but she can’t claim it with the cloud of her past still hanging over her in Willow Springs. After her husband dies, she advertises for a trail guide to accompany her to land waiting for her in Idaho—and a most unlikely candidate applies for the job.

Matthew Taylor is a man on the run, with consequences of past mistakes pursuing him at every turn. Meeting Annabelle Grayson the first time was unpleasant enough, but when she crosses his path again, her presence in his life—and what she reveals—is devastating. If given a single wish, Matthew would turn back time and right a grievous wrong. If given a second wish, he would make Annabelle Grayson pay.

Your first book shot to the bestseller list in CBA. Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

It was a real thrill to see Rekindled make the CBA Bestseller List in May 2006 (this report reflects sales figures for two months prior, which in this case was March, the month Rekindled released). I appreciate everyone who ran out to buy it that first month, and I also appreciate the marketing team at Bethany House. They’re a great publishing family and I count myself blessed to be partnered with them.

While I’ve always enjoyed writing and dabbled it in when I was younger, I never formally studied the craft of writing until recent years. I first considered trying my hand at writing a novel in 1999. But I need to go back a bit farther to really get to the “seed” of where all this started for me.

In 1995, my mother-in-law, Claudette Harris Alexander, shared a book with me, one she thought I would really enjoy. I was busy and let time go by without reading it. She asked me again if I’d read it. I said no, but that I would! The best laid plans, good intentions and all that… I never did get that little book read. Very unexpectedly, Claudette died that year from a brain aneurysm. Weeks passed, and as I was cleaning bookshelves downstairs, I happened across that little volume and immediately sat down and read it. Claudette was right! I felt an immediate connection with the thread of hope woven through that gentle love story—Love Comes Softly, by Janette Oke, originally published by Bethany House Publishers in 1979.

That sent me searching for more inspirational fiction published not only by Bethany House, but elsewhere in the Christian Booksellers Association market (CBA). I devoured it, and developed a strong interest then in historical fiction. A few years later as my husband and I were driving back to Colorado from Texas late one night, I finished a novel, turned to my husband and said (only joking at the time), “I could write one of those.” Without blinking, he said, “Well, do it.” Competitive at heart, I nodded and said, “Okay.” My first novel made it to the final review board at Bethany House Publishers in 2000, after which I received a very nice rejection letter. That novel is now safely ensconced in my desk drawer—right where it should be ! Writing that first story was a learning experience for me that I took to heart, then I immediately set about seriously studying this craft of writing. I joined American Christian Fiction Writers (www.americanchristianfictionwriters.com), a professional writer’s organization that helps train and equip Christian writers in the art and business of writing for publication.

The knowledge I’ve gained through that organization, along with the relationships I’ve made there with other writers, have made all the difference! In October 2004, Bethany House offered me my first contract, a 3-book deal to write historical fiction (Rekindled, Revealed, Remembered). Then just this month, I signed another 3-book deal to write another historical series with them. I feel so blessed to be doing something that I love, and I pray that God—the Relentless Pursuer—will use my stories to draw others closer to Christ.

Do you still have self-doubts about your writing?

Am I still breathing? I believe self-doubt is as natural to a writer as communicating with your characters. It’s a given, and it’s simply part of this “job.”

By and large, writing is a very solitary occupation. I love to laugh, I love sharing with and being around people. And when you're alone for so long it can become lonely, you feel shut off from the rest of the world (which you are because you’ve barricaded yourself in your office with an IV-coffee-drip until you’ve met that daily word count!!). Left on your own like that, a person can start questioning their ability to see the task through.

In walks Insecurity.

There’s something about insecurity in a writer’s life; it creeps in most unexpectedly and tends to want to set up camp. It’s funny because in the past I’ve heard from talented multi-published authors who are downright certain that the last book they’ve just turned in will likely be their last. They think, “My publisher is now going to discover I really can't write and they're going to cancel my contracts.” I used to laugh at that, thought it was so funny—before I became published. Now it has a frighteningly familiar haunt to it.

In recent weeks, I’ve struggled with that “voice” that says I’m inadequate to this task. I just keep returning to the forever truth found in 2 Corinthians 12:9. So when that voice says, “You…are…not…adequate.” I chose to respond aloud (speaking it aloud is very important), “Yes, you may be right, but His power is made perfect in my weakness. So go back where you came from.” Then I pop in one of my favorite songs, The Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns, and get right back to the task of writing. After grabbing an iced latte, of course.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

Not yet. This is still the best—and hardest—job I’ve ever had!

What mistakes did you make while seeking an editor or agent?

Not finding an agent sooner! They’re worth every bit of that 15% commission and then some!

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

To write, write, write. Every day. Keep in the habit. Don’t wait to be “inspired,” just do it!

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

“Be careful, editors will try to change your voice.”

Ugh!! Nothing could be further from the truth! Editors (waving to Karen Schurrer, my fabulous editor at BHP) take your work and make it so much better than it could ever be on your own. Sure, there are going to be discussion points. If it’s something a writer feels strongly about, then kindly express those thoughts to your editor and work through it. For me, my partnership with Karen has helped my books to be so much stronger and she’s helping me become a better writer.

Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?

Maybe not a pet peeve per se, but I always smile when a new writer is shy to share their plot for fear someone else is going to “steal their story idea.” There is nothing new under the sun in relation to stories. Depending on who you listen to, all stories fit into anywhere from 7 to 32 frameworks. What a writer does is to take a story and give it a twist, making it their own.

What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?

Knowing how to write perfectly from the get go would’ve been nice, and knowing how to do that now would also be great.

First, learning how to write takes time and lots of work, but it CAN be taught. Granted, there is innate talent in some writers but the structure of writing (plot, pacing, characterization, setting, etc…) can be taught. However there is no “short cut.” We learn to write better by first writing, writing, writing.
Second, be open to criticism. It’s hard to hear what needs to be changed, I know, but just as “one man sharpens another” so one writer can sharpen another.

Was there ever a difficult set back that you went through in your writing career?

I’m just out of the gate so haven’t experienced any difficult setbacks. Yet. There’s always time, and my own ingenuity, to get me in trouble.

What are a few of your favorite books?

Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
The Victory Club by Robin Lee Hatcher
Beneath a Southern Sky by Deborah Raney

What work have you done that you’re especially proud of and why?

I’m not sure this is what you’re after but I’d say it’s my family. A family isn’t a “work” per se, but rather a “work in progress,” and one that I only get to help with. God is the main designer in that arena. I love my husband and our two teenage children with a passion. Nothing is as important in my life as they are, or gives me as much joy.

Do you have a scripture or quote that has spoken to you lately in regards to your writing?

Hebrews 12:1,2a New Living Translation:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.

This passage challenges me to run my own race in this life. Not someone else’s, but the race that God has specifically designed for Tamera Alexander. I’m to keep my eyes on Him, instead of the race someone else might be running beside me.

Can you give us a look into a typical day for you?

In a perfect world I’m up by 6:00. Tend to Jack (our 4 month old Silky, that may take five minutes or an hour depending on how the training is going), do breakfast, get ready, do email, etc… Then am at my desk ready to write no later than 8:30. I take about 30 minutes around 11:30 for lunch but try to take a quick break every hour or so and move around. I also exercise 45 minutes per day, rarely missing. I do this mid-day to get the juices flowing again, then quit around 4:00.

Of course, on deadline, which I am now, all the above goes out the window and it’s a free for all! I write constantly, day and night, don’t cook, don’t clean the house, and my dear family fends for themselves.

Do you have a word or page goal you set for each day?

Depends on my deadline, but I try to write at least 2000 words per day. Some days more, some less, depending on what happens with the family and the new puppy!

Are you an SOTP (seat of the pants) writer or a plotter?

I’m a blend. The organizer in me, trained by years of business, makes note like crazy but I don’t plot out every scene before writing. I love (and sometimes loathe, depending on how things are going) the discovery process along the way!

What author do you especially admire and why?

Robin Lee Hatcher. She has been an inspiration to me in her writing and in her walk with Christ. She’s very open about her struggles (her book Beyond the Shadows is a great example of this openness and must read!), and I appreciate how she always looks to Christ for strength and guidance.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

My favorite thing is having written. My least favorite thing is writing. And I’m soooo not kidding! Writing is hard work and not for the faint of heart of thin of skin.

Your background is in marketing. Has that helped you for marketing your own book? How much marketing do you do? What's your favorite part of marketing?

Yes, my marketing background has definitely helped me. While I do some marketing on my own there are two things I have to keep in mind when forming a marketing plan for my books:
1) There is no way that my marketing dollars can equal my publisher’s marketing dollars. The best way I can market my book is give the Marketing Department all the information they need to design the cover that will fit my story and my target market, and to help sell the book to their buyers. Therefore, I created an extensive Marketing Form that I complete for each book. I’ve gotten great feedback from Bethany House on this form and from the Marketing people too!
2) The best advertisement will always be “word of mouth.” So my first marketing goal is to write the very best book I can.

Trivia about Rekindled’s cover (which went through several different designs before we landed on the final design): Paul Higdon and the creative art team at Bethany House did a wonderful job on this cover, and I appreciate their hard work! The dress the model is wearing is vintage 1860s which Bethany House chose from an assortment of photographs they received from a vintage clothier in California. They hired a model and did a photo shoot that perfectly captures the feel of the love story in Rekindled. The dress is also one that Jane Seymour wore in her TV series, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

I’d say it would be to wait on God’s timing. That’s something that God has been working on in my life right now. Timing. So often I’m impatient for what I think needs to be happening in my writing/family life or (on the flip side) I think I’ve already learned a particular lesson so “why on earth am I still in this situation!” If I could consistently live my life in the shadow of His throne, how much more focused and effective I’d be.

Again, this scripture helps me remember this: Hebrews 12:1,2a, New Living Translation: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.