Five Questions with Tawdra Kandle

Five Questions with the Tawdra Kandle

 

1.     When you think of your favorite books, what is it that draws you to them and makes you want to read them over and over again? I am character-driven writer AND reader, so for me, that’s what pulls me back. Terrific, engaging characters who are well-drawn and compelling will always make me want to read more, whether it’s a re-read of the book or more books in a series. Julia Spencer-Fleming’s books are like these, as are JD Robb’s In Death series.

  

2.     Did you consciously decide to write the genre you write, or did it choose you?  Absolutely not. I write in many different genres, and sometimes I don’t necessarily know that a story will fall into a specific category until after it’s been written. The King Series was just a story that happened to be about a young girl in high school, and that is why it fell into YA. By the end of the series, the final book had moved into  New Adult, simply because the characters had grown into that sort of story. Each one has its own charm!

 

3.     If you could sit down for a drink and a chat with any writer, who would it be, and why?  I think it would have to be a drinking party, because I could never choose one. I’d love to hang out with Anne Rice, who is incredibly accessible and supportive of new writers; Annie Lamott, one of the most honest writers I’ve ever read; Nora Roberts, simply because I would love to hear her talk about her research and characters; and let’s throw in Stephen King, just because we need some male input and I can’t imagine that Uncle Stevie wouldn’t be fun.

 

4.     When you are not writing (or reading) what is your favorite pastime?  Wait, is there life outside of reading and writing? Once upon a time, when I had free time, I loved to travel, to run and to hang out with my family. These days, being away from the computer is such a rare treat that I actually love to clean in an empty house with my favorite music blasting. I also enjoy cooking, which is something that will be incorporated into two of my upcoming books. Fridays or Saturdays, I enjoy cooking with my family, just chatting and making our favorite food.

 

5.     At what point were you sure that your book was ready to be published, and how did you go about making it happen? I knew my first book was ready when it was about as tight as it could be. I had chopped and edited and polished over the two years after I had finished writing it, with a good deal of help and input from a variety of kind editors and agents. However, after spending a good deal of time with publishing people, I made the decision to go the indie route. It made sense for me, particularly because I was surrounded by incredibly talented people who facilitated the process.  Now, learning what I have over the past few years, I would never go back! I love being indie.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can learn more about Tawdra and her books on her website: http://tawdrakandle.com/