Tina Martin was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina and developed a love for writing in high school. She pursued creative writing courses in college and in 2007, self-published her first poetry book, Love Like Yours. She now uses her prolific style of writing to pen fiction novels, the latest being, Secrets On Lake Drive (Xpress Yourself Publishing) available now. You can read more about Tina at her website: www.tinamartinbooks.com.
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Q: It’s rare today to find an author who does nothing but write for a living. Do you have a ‘real’ job other than writing, and if so, what is it? What are some other jobs you’ve had in your life? Have they influenced/inspired your writing?
I do have a day job. I am a project administrator for a computer company. I’ve also worked as a financial associate, purchasing assistant and medical biller. None of my positions have influenced my writing style. If anything, they motivate me to write more, so that I can one day work for myself and not other people.
Q: Have you always wanted to be a writer?
No, but I needed a way to express my creativity. It was either painting or writing. I chose the cleaner of the two.
Q: Tell us briefly about your book.
Secrets On Lake Drive is a story of Monica Smith and Sean Beauvais; two people who are seemingly rivals but they may be just what the other needs to have a happy, meaningful and successful life. It’s a novel based on the secrets each person carries, and in the end, those secrets may hold them together or drive them further apart.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
Well, I finished another novel that will be released after Secrets On Lake Drive, called, Another Man’s Treasure. You can read an excerpt on my website. Also, I’m writing two novellas.
Q: Do you have a favourite character? Why is s/he your favourite?
My favorite character in Secrets On Lake Drive is Sean Beauvais, mostly because I made him so dogone hot!
Q: What type of music, if any, do you listen to while you write? Do you need the noise or the silence?
It depends on what kind of mood I’m in. Since I write romance, I listen to softer songs by artists like Jill Scott, Musiq and Ne-Yo. I remember when I was writing an argument scene between Monica and Sean in Secrets On Lake Drive, I listened to Musiq’s ‘Halfcrazy’ for days. While writing a chapter in Another Man’s Treasure, I listened to Drake’s ‘Brand New’ on repeat. (Drake, I’ll thank you later.)
Q: If you could live in one of your books, which one would you live in?
I would definitely live in Secrets On Lake Drive. The book takes place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Lake Drive (that borders Lake Michigan). I actually lived in Milwaukee for 5 years. The lakefront is so beautiful; the houses on Lake Drive are out of this world.
Q: How do you balance out the writer’s life and the rest of life? Do you get up early? Stay up late? Ignore friends and family for certain periods of time?
I ignore friends and family all the time (just kidding). I do get up early and stay up late, but I have to make it happen.
Q: The main characters of your stories – do you find that you put a little of yourself into each of them or do you create them to be completely different from you?
The characters are completely different from me. I have a blast creating them from scratch which is why it freaked me out when I saw a guy sitting at a bar once who fit the description of Sean (well, except for the green eyes). It was too weird.
Q: Who is your favorite author and what is your favorite genre to read?
I don’t have a favorite author, though I will say I enjoy reading novels by RM Johnson. I’m really into romance, chick lit and mystery.
Q: When they write your obituary, what do you hope they will say about your book/s and writing? What do you hope they will say about you?
They would say (and I imagine some Englishman reading this with that heavy accent), “Tina Martin was a beautiful young woman who made us laugh and cry through her words…and though she’s gone away from us now, her writings will forever live on in our hearts. May her words give you comfort, and the lingering sound of her voice give you hope and inspiration that dreams do come true as evident from the way Tina lived her life.” (Wow, I just made that up!)
Q: Is there any particular book that, when you read it, you thought, “I wish I had written that!”?
Not at all. My ideas are more creative.
Q: In my experience, some things come quite easily (like creating the setting) and other things aren’t so easy (like deciding on a title). What comes easily to you and what do you find more difficult?
Creating the title was easy for me, but it’s difficult sometimes to slow the story down because I’m so anxious to finish. So I have to slap my hand and remember to take my time.
Q: Do you have any book signings, tours or special events planned to promote your book that readers might be interested in attending? If so, when and where?
I am blog-touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotions in August 2010. I have book signings in North Carolina, Virginia and surrounding areas soon. Check my website for the complete tour schedule.
Q: It’s one thing to write a book and another to edit it. How do you feel about the editing process? What was it like to edit your book?
I hate editing. I have my books professionally edited. I’m so close to the actual story, it’s easy to overlook mistakes, so I hire a professional editor to take care the editing.
Now, use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know. Include information on where to find your books, any blogs you may have, or how a reader can learn more about you and writing.
You can learn more about me at my website, www.tinamartinbooks.com. I think you’ll find “15 Things You Don’t Know About Me” pretty interesting.
Website: www.tinamartinbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tinamartinbooks
Blog: www.authortinamartin.blogspot.com
Publisher’s Site: www.xpressyourselfpublishing.com
