About Tara Ellis:
Author Tara Ellis lives in a small town in beautiful Washington State in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys the quiet lifestyle with her husband, two teenage kids and several dogs. Having been a firefighter/EMT and working in the medical field for many years, she now teaches CPR and concentrates on family, photography and writing young adult novels.
What inspires you to write?
I have wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. As a child, I tapped out my first story at eight years old an old typewriter. This was when I taught myself how to type! 🙂
It wasn’t until this past year that I actually fulfilled my dream, at the age of 42, to finally complete and publish a book so that it would be available for not just family to read…but complete strangers. It has been an incredible experience.
My desire and inspiration, is to create an escape; another world where you can get lost for just a little while and forget about what is going on in your life. I have always felt that reading is one of the few healthy escapism’s and it carried me through some hard times. I strive to provide solid entertainment, realistic characters that you will come to love and cheer for and to make you think. 🙂
Tell us about your writing process.
I am one of those writers that need a clear and solid outline. Without one, I get lost in my story. My scifi trilogy was very involved though, and so it was obviously more involved than the outline for my MG mystery.
After having a good outline, I will set aside time each day where I can have uninterrupted time. I light a candle, turn on some relaxation music and aim for one chapter.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Yes.
I don’t know much else how to explain it, but I will often have lots of dialogue in my head while processing a scene. For me, it’s necessary to carry it through realistically. Plus it’s just fun. 🙂
What advice would you give other writers?
Write for yourself and what YOU enjoy and feel good about. Don’t cave to catering to mainstream or adding something (like sex) just because you want it to sell. Keep it honest.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
When I discovered the self-publishing platform, I was quite excited. It’s been a long journey navigating it, but it’s worth it.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think that it is quickly evolving and the traditional publishing world is scrambling to keep up. I’m excited to see where it is all heading.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Young adult, Middle grade, mystery, scifi, thriller, dystopian
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Link To Tara Ellis Page On Amazon
