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I'm one of those writers who came out of a
university creative writing program feeling more beat up than energized. I
knew, even way back then, that I wanted to write genre fiction instead of
literary fiction. But like a good
little English major who wanted a good grade, I spent my university years
writing poetry (which I loved, and was pretty good at), reading literature
(which I loved as well), but writing the type of fiction that met professors’ and
classmates’ expectations rather than had any sense of real passion or authenticity.
When I graduated, I felt like a poser. My enthusiasm was dampened, my voice
felt compromised, and I needed to take a serious break from writing.
I never dreamed that the break would be over twenty
years long.
That's totally on me. Life got in the way, as it
often does. I built a technology career, got married and divorced, got sick, fell
in love again. Over the years, I took the occasional writing class to keep my
hand in—finishing nothing, but rediscovering my love of genre writing. Taking
workshops for pleasure rather than for a grade, and from working writers, was an
utterly liberating experience for me. Over the years, I'd also gained enough
confidence to simply not care what other people thought about what I liked to
read or write.
One night, watching Motley Crue with a friend,
inspiration hit. I was watching all of these middle-aged women lifting their
shirts, flashing their middle-aged boobs at drummer Tommy Lee. I remember
thinking to myself, "Why are these women behaving this way? Is he half
incubus, or what?” (Incubi are mythological sex demons.)
What if he was?
That sole thought set my imagination on fire, and
led to the creation of the world that I built for the Underbelly Chronicles
series. Screw the rules, I wrote a book I wanted to read: a love story with
mystery and science fiction elements, with naughty language and love scenes and
a (gulp) rather sympathetic villain. I reveled in the writing, rediscovered my
joy—especially when the manuscript was named a 2009 Golden Heart finalist and a
Daphne du Maurier paranormal winner, and sold in a three-book deal to Sourcebooks.
I tell myself that things happen for a reason,
but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have regrets. I grieve for that young
writer, for books not written, for the career that might have been. But what
would that career have looked like had I embarked upon it right out of school?
Would there have been any fire, any authenticity, in my work whatsoever? Any
spark at all? And coincidentally, during those years I didn't write, when my
energy was going toward other things, look what happened to the romance genre,
particularly in the paranormal realm. I couldn't have written these books twenty
five years ago, and there certainly wasn’t a market for them.
So…maybe I lost some time, but I'm trying like
hell to make up for it now. Maybe things do
happen for a reason. ;-)
CHASE ME BY TAMARA HOGAN – IN STORES JUNE 2012
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| (Amz | BN | Sourcebooks | Powell’s | BAM | Sony | Kobo) |
THE SECRETS SHE'S UNCOVERING WILL BE HIS TO KEEP...
Centuries ago, when their ship crashed to Earth, paranormals of
all types settled secretly into our world, quietly going about their business
with humans none the wiser. Self–ruling and careful to stay below the radar,
all is threatened when Valkyrie archaeologist Lorin Schlessinger and her
werewolf geologist partner Gabe Lupinsky inadvertently draw evil attention to
Earth and its treasured natural resources.
As the threat intensifies, Lorin and
Gabe struggle to contain the chaos they've unleashed, and to resist their
explosive mutual attraction...
“Hogan’s sharp, funny dialogue and strong but subtle
character development elevate both the story and the fierce chemistry between
insecure, bespectacled Gabe and lusty, aggressive Lorin. Paranormal fans will
enjoy this fresh take on the genre.” — Publishers Weekly
11 comments:
Tamara, welcome to Over Coffee!
Interesting path. I'm glad you didn't stay the "good little English major but was willing to step out and write what you like to read. It takes a certain courage to do so and I like the thought that you don't care what people think of what you read or write.
A very fascinating post. It boils down to writing what inspires you, and if that's middle-age rock groupies then so be it! Wishing Tamara all the best!
Not much point writing something you wouldn't like to read is there? As a book it wouldn't be much good I would think. Thanks for sharing your story.
The books sound like so much FUN! You inspire me that you found your inspiration later in life, and that you said "to the devil with it" and wrote what you wanted. That's me exactly. Sometimes I think we get waylaid in life so we can learn what we need to know to succeed later. Best of luck to you!
Good morning, everyone, and thanks, Sia, for extending such a warm welcome. The more I think about it, the more I value the break I took between college and writing and finishing my first manuscript. The confidence, resilience and life experience I picked up during those twenty years have been immensely useful - especially when you put your imagination out there for strangers to judge!
Inspired by a Motley Crue video - now that just rocks! Literally.
Experience, if you allow it, tends to give one a wiser perception of life. Yes, we can wish we started our writing sooner. But truthfully,our living life does bring layers to writing.
I'm not saying a twenty-something doesn't have a story to tell or the ability to tell it, but life experiences takes a bit of time to accumulate and those experiences add validity to our writing and our characters.
Wise words, Sia.
Great post. Congrats to finding your voice, and writing something you loved.
COULTER- NYE- SEITZ?
" Pity".
You are doing your mobster friends a disservice by not informing them of FESSLA - KONTO MOJI.
Because DISNEY did TED SEA and TED TOTS did DISCO PUNK.
YPPOOP ?
YSPARK?
YSCRO ?
Jagger- Crow- Moore- Ladd- Lowe?
" Dots Sex Secrets" are all over the Internet on
" PLAYDOTA".
Root to Watt to " HEATU".
ZETAS are helping destroy the Queen.
And so is RICE.
Great interview!
It just goes to show, that 20 years of "marinating" is not a bad thing, after all...
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