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NTRWA April 2006 Spotlight
On...
TARA WALDIE
by
Gina Nelson
After
finding out a little more about our friendly, hard-working NTRWA
Treasurer, I decided to count my blessings and never, ever moan about
not having enough time to write again!
Good morning, Tara. Tell us a little bit
of your background, where you went to school, how long you've been
writing, stuff like that.
Let's
see. First of all, I'm married to my high school sweetie and we have
three wonderful children. I run a preschool from my house, so I pretty
much have no contact with the outside world, except my poor critique
partners and the characters I create in my head. Luckily, I've always
been very good at talking to myself!
I've
been writing unofficially all my life and officially since the end of
2000. That's when I sat down and wrote a 100,000 word futuristic in a
couple of months and mailed it off to Avon. I just knew I'd be published
immediately--it was the best story...with just one little problem. There
was no (and I do mean NO) dialogue. I didn't know how to put everything
in the proper order and just paragraphed every once in a while!
Needless to say, I really needed NT. I received the form rejection
letter and immediately looked on the internet and found them. They had
just started to hold the meeting in Grapevine...about 5 minutes from my
house... and it seemed like a sign. I've made some of the best friends
of my life here and learned so much about writing.
I am
a very positive person and would love for everyone to just have more fun
with their life and not dwell so much on the negative stuff. Life is a
continuing process...we should all try not to miss out on all the
wonderful things that are happening around us every day.
Too true. Where did you grow up and go to
high school? If you’re not from North Texas, what brought you here?
I was
born in Germany--my dad was in the military and my mom's a nurse and
didn't want to miss out! I've been in Texas since I was 7. I lived in
Irving and graduated from Irving High, which is where I met Chris while
working at McD's my junior year.
Tell me about your critique partners.
I met Angi while we were working together on the
Dreamin’ in Dallas conference about four or five years ago. (Oh my
goodness, can it be that long already??!!) We hit it off right away and
she is an amazing critique partner. Terri is a bit newer...about three
and a half years ago when she first joined NT. Same thing...we hit it
off immediately. All of us are at very different stages in our writing
and it helps so much to get the other points of view.
I
have been with other critique groups and I think the main thing is to be
comfortable with each other. But, always remember the point is to write,
and the group needs to help you, not just be your friends. You can be
great friends with someone and have a lousy critique relationship with
them. It just doesn't work sometimes.
Now,
I'm writing a couple of mystery stories and have also completed a
'steamy hot' manuscript, which is sitting under the bed. That's the one
I used to get my PRO pin. I didn't think the one with no dialog should
count. LOL. Right now I am working on a couple of young adult stories.
One of them is about werewolves. How's that for hopping around
on subject matters?
Now, about werewolves. . . who's the
hunky werewolf that inspired you to write this story, or was it a
favorite author?
The
werewolf is because I love Laurell K. Hamilton. Yes, I know, not much
Young Adult inspiration in those! Anyway, I love the way Laurell has an
alternate universe within our 'normal' everyday world. That's what I'm
trying to accomplish with my YA.
Why Young Adult?
Hmmm... good question. I was writing steamy-hot like crazy and waiting
for Harlequin to get back to me on the full they had requested, then it
was like I needed a totally new direction. I mean really, steamy-hot
love scenes and then suddenly I'm writing first crush/kiss scenes. It
was so much fun again! All the excitement that young people have when
they are looking at the world around them is very cool. Where else
except jr. high and high school do you truly get to have archenemies and
superheroes? Remember the guy that held your locker open and rolled his
eyes after some evil kids tried to trip you between classes? LOL.
What do you struggle
with as a writer?
Time!
There is never enough of it to do the stuff I want/need to do. Right now
it's a big struggle to find time to write. I have been very bad about it
this last year and I am going to make it more of a priority.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Well, first of all it would have to be my family
and friends. I am very blessed to have wonderful kids, a supportive
husband and the very best of friends. I wouldn't make it through a
single day without them! I am so very proud of all of them. As far as
writing goes, it would have to be my PRO pin. It's a symbol that I can
see and touch of what I want and what I am doing to accomplish my goal
of being a published author.
~
~ ~
New to
romance writing, Gina Lee Nelson is still working to complete her
first manuscript, a tender romance set in NYC, her stomping ground for
seven exhilarating years.
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