I am thrilled today to highlight one of my favorite authors—T.B. Markinson. You might recall that I have featured her on It’s Just Life before and you can read those posts by clicking here and here. I first “met” her when I found her somehow (that is still a bit hazy to me how I first found her!) and started following her travel blog and we forged a friendship across the pond. Today I am thrilled to offer a little interview as part of her Confessions Tour. Please join me in welcoming T.B. Markinson to It’s Just Life today.
Howdy Beth Ann!
It’s an honor to be your guest today and before we begin I want to tell you how grateful I am for all of your support and encouragement through the years. You have been there right from the start and for that, I want to say thank you.
- When you were a “wee” one, what did you think you would do when you grew up? (Not that I am implying that you are totally grown up, mind you!)
I always thought I would be a veterinarian. When I was a kid I had so many pets and I was the neighborhood dog walker. However, my biology class in high school proved that I wasn’t cut
out to be a doctor. I still have nightmares about dissections. That’s when I figured out it was best for me to have animals as friends not patients. You can’t be squeamish and save lives.
- What is the one thing you hope your readers will say at the end of reading one of your books?
Goodness this is a tough question. My overriding goal is to entertain the reader and to keep them interested in the lives of the characters. So I guess I hope they continue to think about the characters. A book has to have an ending, but I believe the characters live on.
- This is the third book that you have published—-you are living your dream of writing and that is fabulous. How do you approach each book? Do you start with an outline? Do you jot down random thoughts? Take us through your writing process.
Wait, I’m supposed to have a process. Dang, I’ve been doing it all wrong.
I know many authors like to plot out their novels. That doesn’t work for me unless my overriding goal is writer’s block. I’ve never really liked being told what to do and for me an outline does just that. I think every writer has to find what works for them and to stick with it. For me, that involves having a very general idea of a story. Then I like to get to know the characters. I wish I could say I am boss when it comes to writing, but my characters tell me what to do, which goes against what I said previously. Maybe that means only fictional people can boss me around.
- I know that you have a loved cat, Atticus, and dog, Miles. Will we ever see them in one of your books in some form??
I have contemplated telling children stories through them. Both Miles and Att have traveled quite a bit (from Colorado to Massachusetts and then to England) and I think it would be entertaining to have them travel in time during momentous historical events in the places they’ve lived. Maybe Paul Revere had a pet cat named Att and a faithful dog named Miles.
Miles
Att
- What is your favorite thing about living across the pond? On the other side—what do you miss the most about living in the good ole USA?
I’m a history nut and England is full of history. I can’t walk a block without my imagination going berserk, wondering who has also walked there. Did Charles Dickens visit this particular pub? Did Jane Austen walk down this street in Bath? I tell booklovers if they haven’t been to London, they need to add it to their bucket list. Such a wonderful place.
What do I miss the most about the US? That’s simple: the food. We go to NY each year for the US Open and the past three years since we’ve been living in the UK has been dedicated to gorging on all the yummy, albeit completely unhealthy food. I miss hot wings, fried cheese sticks, BBQ and so much more. Just thinking about it is making my mouth water.
- One piece of advice to anyone who is an aspiring writer???
This may not sound all that supportive, but my advice is to sit down and start writing. No excuses. If you do this every single day you may surprise yourself. It gets easier and easier. And the words add up quickly.
Here’s another tip. Patience. People who know me are probably shaking their heads since I’m not a patient person. I get angry when the microwave takes too long. But I’ve learned not to rush things when it comes to publishing. Take your time. If you don’t think your writing is ready for the public don’t release it. Now if you are using this as an excuse that’s a whole different ballgame and I totally understand. I held onto my first novel for an extra month out of fear.
- Anything else you want the fabulous readers of It’s Just Life to know before they go download a copy of Confessions from a Coffee Shop?
First of all, if they do buy or borrow any of my novels I would like to say thank you. I love to write and I have been telling stories all of my life. However, it wasn’t until I published for the first time that I really learned how valuable readers are to the whole process. They make everything worthwhile, even all the pain and suffering. I’ve been lucky to have met so many readers during this journey and many of them have become friends. Booklovers are wonderful people. It’s an honor to be part of the whole process, as a writer and as a reader. I feel blessed every day.
Thank YOU, T.B., for taking the time to pop over. If any of you want to know more please check out all of the information below and feel free to drop her a note. She is truly a very wonderful person.
T. B. Markinson
Blurb:
Cori Tisdale was on top of the world. A basketball star at Harvard and a promising author with a lucrative book deal.
A few years later, Cori’s life is falling apart. Her beautiful girlfriend, Kat Finn, has a shopping addiction. To make ends meet, Cori takes a part-time job at a coffee shop.
Just when Cori thinks her life can’t get any worse, an old crush appears out of the blue. Cori’s friendship with Samantha Clarke pushes Cori further into a dangerous abyss when Sam reveals two secrets to Cori and asks her not to tell a soul, including Kat.
Will this be the end of Cori’s and Kat’s relationship?
About the Author:
- B. Markinson is a 40-year old American writer, living in England, who pledged she would publish before she was 35. Better late than never. When she isn’t writing, she’s traveling around the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. T. B. has published A Woman Lost, Marionette, and Confessions From A Coffee Shop.
Mailing List:
Sign up to TB’s New Release Mailing List here. Your email will never be shared and you will only be contacted when a new book is out.
Links:
Twitter Facebook Blog Goodreads Amazon Author Page
Purchase Links:
44 Comments
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I was interested to read your interview with TB as I’ve got one lined up too. I think we have one question in common, so the rest of the interview was added insight. Nice work 🙂
Thanks so much!!! I am so glad you stopped by and I will be hopping over to your blog to see what else I can find out about her!!! I am one of her biggest fans, can you tell??
We need to agree a date for my interview, but I’m sure she’ll post it when we’ve agreed it. I’m really looking toward to reading all the other posts in her tour 🙂
I will keep an eye out for it!!!
What a delightful interview. I will have to download her books and get started.
She is such a good author and a wonderful person. I may be her biggest fan. 🙂
I really enjoyed answering Beth Ann’s questions. Thanks so much for reading.
A good interview that makes me want to read the book. What a great connection you have with the author. Amazing the relationships forged through blogging, isn’t it?
Beth Ann, your day must have more than 24 hours. I can’t believe how much you get done with blogging, reading and commenting on blogs, reading books, traveling, and now interviews! And that’s just what I know about you.
Blogging is amazing and I value the friendships I’ve made. And I don’t know how Beth Ann keeps up with everything.
I love this interview! T.B.’s pets are so cute:) And I like your advice. I don’t write many days because I feel “blah” but I will try practicing it more often. I also like that only fictional people can boss you around. That’s awesome.
Aw, Miles and Att say thank you! Do try writing every day. It really does help, even if it’s not the same project. I’m amazed by how the words flow when I keep at it each day. Best of luck to you!
Another stellar interview, you have a knack for drawing out, or rather enticing, the facts and feelings from your subject. Nicely done Beth Ann.
It really helps that she’s such a nice lady and it’s always a pleasure to chat with her.
She is special, though we have never met we have forged a bond over the last few years. She has been one of my biggest supporters and frankly I don’t know how she has the time to do everything that she does.. By the way you provided an excellent interview and seemed very much at ease with the questions. Good Luck with the new book.
It’s amazing how close we become as bloggers. If someone told me I would feel this way before I started blogging I would have thought they were crazy. But some of best friends are bloggers who I haven’t met. And I feel so lucky and enriched.
Thank you.
It is a wonderful world of bloggers. 🙂
I started writing what I considered “song lyrics” just a few years ago, when a friend suggested that I write poetry. After penning a few and exposing family and friends to them, my sister-in-law, who is also an excellent blogger suggested it and set it up for me. I think I may have burnt myself out a little, as I have tailed off considerably in my writing, but I still follow a lot of blogs and post occasionally now. I thank you for taking the time to comment, and I hope to be a blogger friend as well.
Jake.
Breaks are so necessary. Blogging is amazing but it can be draining as well. I hope you get the rest and relaxation you need to find your mojo again.
Thanks TBM.. I like to say that my Muse is on an extended hiatus. lol
I know the feeling 🙂
I think very highly of you, Jake. I have not been around the blogs as much as I have wanted to be lately—-I feel that I have neglected you but I will be back with things slow down a bit.
Oh, psshaw, you haven’t neglected me, at least I don’t feel that way. I am just amazed at what you do accomplish. You are incredible.. But slow down sometimes and take care of Beth Ann, that’s as important to your family and friends as it is to yourself.
Well done on your interview, Beth Ann — pretty much every question I’d have asked myself! I think I’d miss U.S. foods, too.
I recently returned from a trip to NYC and I gorged pretty much every day. Oh it was so nice. Now I need to get back to my nightly walks and work off the goodness.
Dieting is over rated. But I bet you will walk it all off soon!
I’m not much of a dieter, but I do enjoy going for long walks.
Nice interview. 🙂
Why thank you very much!
A new book from T.B. Marks, how exciting. A great interview too Beth Ann. I love learning about other authors. I will check out the new book.
Thanks, Darlene. She is such a wonderful person and a great author to boot.
Wonderful Interview. Cute pets! 🙂
They are adorable, aren’t they? Thanks for stopping by, Cher!
Great interview – I had no idea about the vet part 🙂
I know! I learned a lot more about her, too!
I thought about accounting once as well, but then I found out that I don’t really get along with numbers. They don’t agree with me all the time
Loved the interview and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the book.
Thanks. Have a lovely weekend!
I love this title! I can identify with the answer to the first question, right down to biology class. That has a way of changing one’s mind in a hurry. Great interview!
I was fascinated with my biology class until we started the dissections. Some of us just don’t have the stomach for it.
You’re a great interviewer, Beth Ann. I loved reading this Q&A!
I see a terrific children’s book: Miles and Att’s Excellent Adventure. 🙂
Wow, she writes fast, it seems like I was just reading Marionette!
I think she has a couple she has worked on at the same time. But yes—she is a lot faster than I am!
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