Indie Author Week……..Terry Tyler.

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Today on Indie Author week meet Terry Tyler, who I affectionately refer to as “Queen of the Coffee Cups” and a lovely lady who also happens to be a terrific writer. As with previous posts I posed the same questions to Terry and here is what she had to say.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

No.  I used to write stories alot as a child, and in my 20s, but I haven’t always wanted to be a writer as such, I just liked writing stuff, as opposed to drawing stuff or sewing stuff or cooking stuff, I suppose!  I can’t pretend it was a major yearning or obsession.  I wrote my first novel 20 years ago; I wasn’t working at the time and I just thought, I wonder if I could write a novel.  I discovered I could!  I’ve always written stuff to amuse my friends, though.  I’ve got stacks of daft sketches and funny poems and articles knocking around.  Of course, once I’d written the first novel I had those ‘getting published and becoming an internationally best-selling author’ fantasies like we all do, but I think there’s a big difference between wanting to write, and wanting to ‘be a writer’.

How difficult is it to get your books out there?

Very.  Is that enough?!  Oh, okay, I suppose you want me to elaborate!  It’s all about realising that you have to spend a lot of time on it – time that before you self-published you might have spent watching telly or in the pub or whatever.  You have to try different things, not plug away at things that don’t work, think ‘outside the box’, research, have a bit of initiative.  It gets harder and harder all the time – there must be 10 times as many self published books out there now as when I started.

How important are book bloggers and reviewers when it comes to attracting readers?

I’d just like to say that book bloggers are totally wonderful human beings, ha ha!!  To be honest I don’t know how important they are in attracting readers, as I don’t know where most of my sales come from.  I would expect they contribute a lot, though.  I remember once, a while back, Maria Savva interviewing me on her blog about my first book, You Wish, and the sales rocketed for the few days after she posted it.  Few things sell a book better than marvellous reviews – and the ones from book bloggers tend to be of a very valuable quality, because you give a little of the story and discuss its strengths and weaknesses in such a way that someone like me who reads a book for enjoyment only probably wouldn’t!  Book bloggers and reviewers – we love you, and sing your praises long and loud!

ALSO: give me a short “me” paragraph telling me about you – perhaps hobbies or interests outside of writing.

I don’t really have any hobbies as such.  Writing is what I do.  When I’m not writing I like to go for long walks, though I don’t do so very often.  I like visiting places of historic interest, but I hardly ever do that, either.  Mostly, though, my relaxation tends to involve a bed, some pillows, and a crime/historical drama/thriller TV series.  Most evenings I spend half an hour sitting in the back porch and smoking tabs whilst playing backgammon on my Nexus 7 – does that count as a hobby??!!

 

 

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I’ll be honest – I would never have picked this book up if I hadnt “met” the author on Twitter and found her to be a lovely person – its not really my sort of thing. Or so I imagined. Well I was wrong. It was wonderful – a great day’s reading. Five women and a “Wishing stone” form the basis for this story, Ruth having obtained the stone by nefarious means finds herself in all sorts of trouble! Its insightful writing and it has a great style – you immediately feel comfortable with the prose. The leading ladies are women you can relate too – My favourite was Petra but they all have everyday issues and worries. There are some twisty turns and it may not turn out quite how you expect. Lovely. I’d better get Ms Tylers other books pronto!

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This review comes from a previous contributor to this week – Mr Jack Croxall

We’ve all fantasised about being rocks stars; the bellowing roar of an arena filled with thousands of adoring fans, smashing up expensive guitars on stage, epic champagne-fuelled parties – surely it’s the dream existence? Well, in Terry Tyler’s Dream On, a group of wannabe rockers realise the music scene isn’t all glitz and glamour.

Having spent a large proportion of my formative years playing guitar in a small-time band, I immediately identified with central character and band member, Dave; his lusting over Gibson Les Paul’s and recurring daydreams of playing Wembley are very reminiscent of my (and I’m sure many others) mindset when I was practicing dodgy chords in my teenage bedroom.

Throughout the novel, the grimy side of the music industry is portrayed perfectly and the pressures of ‘real’ life versus musical ambition is an enthralling theme, transmitted through some excellent writing.

Of course, this isn’t just a novel for wannabe rockers, the characters are written superbly and there will almost certainly be at least one any reader can identify with. The book also has some excellent funny moments too; so often comedy in books falls short of the mark but not here.

Overall, a brilliant read – give it a try, you won’t be sorry you did!

Also available by Terry Tyler: Nobody’s Fault. The Other Side. Full Circle.

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To find out more about Terry click here. http://terrytyler59.blogspot.co.uk/

To follow her on Twitter click here. https://twitter.com/TerryTyler4

To purchase any of her amazing books clickety click here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terry-Tyler/e/B00693EGKM/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1374736301&sr=1-2-ent

Thanks Terry! Tomorrow to finish off Indie Authors week the lovely Sharon Sant, author of the Sky Song Trilogy and Runners. Happy reading folks!

 

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3 Responses to Indie Author Week……..Terry Tyler.

  1. Terry Tyler says:

    Fascinating interview, ha ha ha!!! 🙂 Should there also be a link to the Rolls Royce of Coffee Cups???!!! 🙂

  2. Hello Liz, loved your post, as I am a great fan of Terry’s. She’s quite right about how hard it is to sell books these days. I am going to try and follow your blog, if I can work out how to do it.

  3. LizLovesBooks says:

    Thanks Geoffrey I love Terry’s stuff too! You should be ok now I’ve added the right thingy to the sidebar. I’m not very technical! 🙂

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