Grab your beverage of choice (Mimosas for me, of course!), roll up to or flip open a screen and let some talented writers talk to you about their writing process.
This week: Tonya Burrows is in the spotlight!
Writing is her one true love. She wrote her first novel-length story in 8th grade and hasn’t looked back. She received a B.A. in creative writing from SUNY Oswego and she’s now working on a MFA in popular fiction at Seton Hill University. When she’s not writing, she spends time reading, painting (badly), exploring new places, and enjoying time with her family. Give her a good horror movie over a chick flick any day. (“And, let’s be honest, I’ll take a bad horror movie too!”) She shares her life with two dogs and a ginormous cat in small town in PA. So let me get out of the way and cede the stage, stool and microphone to Tonya:
1. Have you always written stories?
Since I was old enough to put a pen to paper. I remember telling my 1st grade teacher that I was going to be an author someday, but it wasn’t until 8th grade that I really started taking that idea seriously.
2. When did you decide to write professionally?
It’s always been my dream. I finished my first novel-length story in eighth grade and wrote seven more throughout high school. I started querying agents when I was nineteen.
3. What made you decide to go the route you chose (eg. traditional, e-pub, indie)?
Last year after my March RWA meeting, a writer friend of mine (hi, Helen! *waves*) told me about Entangled. I had just finished writing SEAL of Honor and I was ready to start querying, so I went home and checked out their website. I liked that they felt Indie, but had wider distribution like a traditional NY publisher. It just so happened that my editor had a wish list posted on their blog and one of the things she wanted was a hero-focused special ops romantic suspense book with series potential. That’s exactly what I had, so I sent in my query.
4. What is your writing process (hrs/day, days/wk)?
Since I don’t have room for an office, I write at the kitchen table and try to get all my words done while my boyfriend is at work because the apartment is nice and quiet. I try to write a minimum of 1000 words every day except for holidays or other special events like the recent birth of my first niece. I’ve found I can’t take weekends off like some writers because when Monday rolls around, I have trouble getting back into the swing of the story and end up procrastinating. If I write something every day, I don’t (usually) lose my momentum.
5. How do you write (crappy first draft then revise or revise as you go)? Why?
When I sit down to write, I usually go over and revise the words I wrote the day before to get me back into a creative mood. I also tend to skip around a lot. I don’t write in a linear fashion at all.
6. Do you get writer’s block? If so, how do you handle it?
Yes, I get writer’s block more often than I like to admit. I handle it by writing in a nonlinear way. If I get stuck on a part, I skip ahead and write a scene later in the story. By the time I go back to the part that had me stumped, I know exactly what needs to happen because I already know what happens in the next scene or chapter.
7. What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
When my characters come to life and take over the story. That’s when writing becomes easy because at that point, I’m just sitting back and letting them tell their story through me. Plus, I love it when they surprise me. I’m a plotter, but it always thrills me when the characters decide something is not going to happen the way I had planned.
8. Where were you when you got “The Call?”
Really, my Call started with an email that arrived on my birthday. I was sitting at the kitchen table at my grandma’s house, completely heartsick, in no mood to celebrate anything. Then my iPad dinged. The email that had just landed in my inbox was from my editor saying she loved my book and the potential series and wanted to talk to me on the phone. Of course, I knew what that meant and started flipping out. I emailed her back telling her I was available to talk any time and made it barely ten steps away from the computer before the phone rang. We talked for almost 2 hours. You can bet I was in the mood to celebrate after that. Best birthday present ever! {Tracey’s Note: That’s one of the better call stories I’ve heard! 
}
(If you want to know the entire crazy story, you can read it here: http://tonya-burrows.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-call-story.html)
9. If you could go back in time and tell your younger self one thing you have since learned about the business of writing, what would you tell them (you)?
Hi, younger Tonya. Relax and enjoy every word you write because none of them have been a waste of time. You will get to where you want to be someday and those words *will* help you get there.
Fun Topics:
10. Wine, liquor or beer? What’s your favorite of the spirit you chose?
Liquor. I’ve never been able to stomach beer and although I enjoy an occasional glass of wine, it makes me sleepy. My favorite brand of liquor is Malibu. Mix it with pineapple juice and it’s a little slice of tropical heaven! {Tracey’s Note: Going on the grocery list…}
11. What author(s) are on your automatic buy list?
J.R. Ward, Larissa Ione, J.D. Robb (on audio because the narrator is superb!), Suzanne Brockmann, John Sandford… and I could keep going but these are my top five. {Tracey’s Note: I’m checking out JD Robb on audiobook right now!}
12. What TV shows are you watching?
My must-watch, never miss an episode shows are Supernatural, Castle, The Voice, The Walking Dead, Doctor Who, and Face Off. I also enjoy watching Investigation Discovery and the Military Channel, but I consider them research.
13. Who is your celebrity crush and why?
Hmm, this one is a toughie. I love both Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner. As for why… have you seen The Avengers? Oh, major swoon-a-thon. Can’t wait for the sequel next year! {Tracey’s Note: There must be something in the air! That’s two for RD, Jr.}
Thanks for the interview, Tonya! You can find more info at her website: www.tonyaburrows.com, connect with her on Facebook at TonyaBurrowsAuthor and on Twitter @TonyaBurrows. Her Entangled Select, Seal of Honor, is available NOW!!!
It’s a good thing Gabe Bristow lives and breathes the Navy SEAL credo, “the only easy day was yesterday,” because today, his life is unrecognizable. When his prestigious career comes to a crashing halt, he’s left with a bum leg and few prospects for employment that don’t include a desk.
That is, until he’s offered the chance to command a private hostage rescue team and free a wealthy American businessman from Colombian paramilitary rebels. It seems like a good deal—until he meets his new team: a drunk Cajun linguist, a boy-genius CIA threat analyst, an FBI negotiator with mob ties, a cowboy medic, and an EOD expert as volatile as the bombs he defuses. Oh, and who could forget the sexy, frustratingly impulsive Audrey Van Amee? She’s determined to help rescue her brother—or drive Gabe crazy. Whichever comes first.
As the death toll rises, Gabe’s team of delinquents must figure out how to work together long enough to save the day. Or, at least, not get themselves killed.Because Gabe’s finally found something worth living for, and God help him if he can’t bring her brother back alive.
First off, can we agree that is one HOT cover? Good, now, what do you think about writer’s block? And who’s on your automatic buy list? Tell us what you think and make sure you check back next week to see which fabulous author is hanging out at the T-Spot.
Which lesson spoke to you? And what have you done, that’s out of your comfort zone, in the name of your art? Tell us what you think and make sure you check back next week to see which fabulous author is hanging out at the T-Spot.
