Hello everyone! I hope you all had a relaxing weekend! Today, I would like for you to meet my new friend and Indie Author, Tiffany Luv Wright! She has just recently released her novel, “Finding Stones: Tales From A 20 Year Old Witch”, a personal project that she has poured her heart and soul into. To quote Tiffany, “I wanted to create a character that young girls and women could relate too.  A female who was strong and empowered by those around her.  It’s been a long time coming for the women of the world to have a character that can prove she is driven by purpose and a deep love and appreciation for those who encircle her at the time.  And I wanted to bring back a heroine that was not mis-guided, or torn between men, but one who relished in connections that were meaningful and lasting.” It is an absolute honor to feature her first author interview on the blog, and I hope you will comment on the post and say hi! Thanks everyone! 🙂

INTERVIEW WITH TIFFANY L. WRIGHT, AUTHOR OF FINDING STONES (TALES FROM A 20 YEAR OLD WITCH)

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a mother of 3 sons, and finally got my daughter on the fourth kiddo.  We were an Army family and lived as far as South Korea.  We ended up in Washington state for 3 years, and we loved it!  It is very mystical.  A beautiful part of the country.  I am an avid animal lover, and love red wine and have a shoe problem.  A HUGE shoe problem!

What do you do when you are not writing? Any hobbies?

We spend a lot of time in the river, fishing & swimming.  We also love to take day trips, sometimes we just get in the car and drive!  And I sew, a lot.  I love heavy fabrics and bright color patterns.

Is there anyone who has influenced/encouraged you to write? Who and how/why?

Two of my best friends, Danielle & Michelle, are huge influences.  We all love the genre I am writing in, and spend a majority of our time together gossiping and arguing over characters we love and hate! Another huge influence is my husband, without the support of those 3 mentioned, I could never have written “Tales from a 20 year old witch”.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

Two favorites, “The Ghost In The Swing”, which sadly is out of print, and Jay Bennett, “The Haunted One”.  Both oldies but goodies.  Those two books threw me into the world of paranormal.  At a very young age, I was an advanced reader, I read a lot of stories I shouldn’t have!  Ha!  Stephen King….anyone?  At age 11, not so good for bedtime, but I couldn’t put paranormal books down.

Can you give a brief synopsis of your journey to publication with your first piece of fiction? 

I went back and forth between self publishing and a traditional house publisher.   I researched and truly felt like I needed to get this novel out now.  I’m not a very patient person, and self publishing was a great avenue for me in order to get the feedback I needed now to finish the series.   Plus, I was tired of getting “you suck” letters.  I sent off to a ton of huge agents and houses, still getting emails daily.  Self publishing offers a very important lesson in writing, especially when the reviews from normal, everyday readers start coming in.

How did you choose the genre you write in and where do you get your ideas? 

I LOVE, and I mean LOVE YA and paranormal books.  Putting the two together brings out some great stories.  I read a lot, and I watch a lot of paranormal television.  Funny, my idea came in a dream.  It’s so cliché I know, but…true story.  The name Silver City was in a dream, I spent the better part of a day in front of the computer researching the perfect “Silver City” and along with what I wanted to use, which were the mines and a new invention of blood drinkers, it was a perfect fit. 

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I just sit down and write.  Then I go back over and revise.  I have incredible friends in South Korea and Germany (the two listed above) who help me by reading along the way.  Sometimes I sit down at the computer and my fingers literally do not stop typing for 10K or more words.  An outline would cause me to think too much.  Probably a sick form of ADD.  😉

How did you come up with the title for your current novel? 

My 14 year old son helped with this title, and book 2 as well.  It fit perfectly with our theme. 

What do you think your readers will admire most about the lead character Jaxx? 

I think girls can relate because while she still is emotional, she isn’t completely hung up on a boy/man.  Girls need to feel empowered by one another, and they need to put weight in to the relationships they build with one another.  Love comes later in life, it finally hits you what it is about.  And I want my younger readers to feel empowered by her relationship with the other females, while still maintaining her relationship with Chase. 

Does your character Jaxx resemble you in any way?

Yes.  I am a closed book to most.  I have serious trust issues!   I may seem open, but in reality, there are only a few who know me.  And I have a tendency to blurt out my opinion….*snickers*

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with? 

I love anything involving fantasy.  Anything that holds a legend, that intrigues and pulls the imagination out of its shell.  I’m not sure I would go back to any of the characters, because they were necessary sacrifices.  Although I’ve already gotten a request to do a prequel.  Not sure, no promises!

Have you ever considered writing a book in first person with a male lead character? 

I have actually, my husband and I outlined a story this last fall.  It is a huge possibility.

What is your favorite movie/book? Why? 

My favorite book is “The Ghost In The Swing”; it was just magical.  My favorite movie is probably The Notebook, I am not a crier, so if I feel the need to cry, I just put that on.

What is your favorite part about being an indie author? 

I love the fact that my work is out there.  That I took the initiative to put it out for all to see.  I love different concepts and anything that provokes the imagination.   Indie authors push the envelope, they force people to use their creativity and spark their imagination.  If we lose imagination as a civilization, we are doomed.  I love that Indie authors absolutely own their fan base.  They created their own destiny.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?What has been the best compliment? 

The toughest was that I needed more details; more details on the girls, and more on the parents.  I was also told that my story ended too abruptly.  Something I’ll be working on with book 2.  The best is hearing that my fans want more…more…more.  When I was sending the chapters off to reviews, BAM, I’d get an email from a girlfriend desperately wanting the next chapter.  That is a great feeling, that I’ve drawn them in.  And I made one of my girlfriends cry.  I’ve heard crying = 5 stars, lol!

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Just do it.  Just sit down at the computer, or your notebook and write.  It doesn’t have to be perfect, you can revise it later.  But when you build a basis for a story, it’s so incredible to develop and see where it takes you.  You can get it all out!  And you never know, until you’ve finished it.  My novel isn’t very long, but it was an incredible feeling to finish such a task that I had set out for myself.

xoxo

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MEET AUTHOR TIFFANY L. WRIGHT

Tiffany Wright currently resides in Marshfield, Mo., and also where she completed “Finding Stones”. She and her husband have traveled the globe while he served on a 4 year active duty Army enlistment, living as far as South Korea. Tiffany is 33, has 4 children and they are a very active and fun family.

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ABOUT TIFFANY’S BOOK

FINDING STONES: TALES FROM A 20 YEAR OLD WITCH

Jaxx had moved around her entire life, until settling in Silver City, NM., where she meets the best friends she cannot imagine her life without. She enters in to a world of witchcraft handed down in her family for centuries, and learns that sometimes you have to hold on to those friendships in the physical and spiritual world in order to continue the journey.

Gut-wrenching losses, eternal battles between good and evil, and finally able to let go of the material world, Jaxx slides in to an Underworld where witches, spirits, Immortals, Lusts, and other demonic creatures rule. She loses some of the people closest to her, and gains new relationships that are furious with love and purpose.

The evil lurking right around the corner is bad enough, but when she realizes how fine the line is between good and evil, it threatens to consume all of the love she has known. She draws her power from earthly stones, and each person has a power connected to the elemental stones destined to them. As her battle pushes on, she realizes that she has only tapped the surface of what exists in our world.

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EXCERPT FROM FINDING STONES

Jaxx looked up. Her eyes were swollen with tears. Blood was encrusted all over her face and exposed body. Her hair sitting wild on her shoulders. Even in her mess, she looked like the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. His heart skipped a beat at her presence, then it sank when she welled up again at the sight of Ariannas lifeless body. She turned to Mau, and they buried their heads on each others shoulders. Huge, silent sobs had taken over the girls. Ariannas mother stepped forward and screamed. She ran to her daughter and forced her body out of Chases arms. Landing in the floor, holding her face in her own hands, and crying out.

Jaxx ran to Chase. Landing in his arms. They both sank in the cavern floor in a heap of sobbing. Chase was speaking softly to Jaxx, moving her hair out of her face to take it in his hands. “She is still with you Jaxx” he said softly.

I know, choking on her words. It was all she could muster up the strength to say. She looked at Chase deeply. At first he couldn’t understand why, and with a silent anguish she pointed to the very back of the cavern where Gretta and what was left of Petra were lying. He felt like vomiting. Arianna was right. There was a reason she could no longer see Gretta. It went deeper than Gretta dying. It was the most unexpected and horrific thing that could have happened. Worse than any of them had predicted or imagined when beginning this trek into the dark, evil mines of New Mexico.

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YOU CAN FIND TIFFANY L. WRIGHT HERE

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Talesfroma20yearoldwitch

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/tiffanyluvwright

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Tiffluv78

Book available on:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/FINDING-STONES-Tales-Witch-ebook/dp/B008DWLPY2

Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/3915948