About Charisse Tyson:
I was a self-confessed, enabling, co-dependent. With God’s help I am enjoying a transformed life with my husband Tommy. We have been together for more than twenty six years and he just celebrated ten years of sobriety. I have owned and operated the famous biker bar Johnny’s Bar & Grill in Hollister, California for almost twenty years. I hope to one day sell the bar and pursue my writing career full time. In the meantime the bar continues to supply me with plenty of material for my writing endeavors.
As one of four children of a single mother, I came by my caretaking tendencies at an early age. When I became a single parent myself at seventeen, my sense of responsibility was compounded. Having a dysfunctional upbringing and an A-type personality made me an excellent candidate for codependency. Having overcome it, I like to share my many life experiences in hopes of offering help and healing to those who know the suffering that codependency brings.
I offer one on one coaching sessions to those who want to face the issue of codependency head on. Through my coaching program my goal is to help others see and accept the part their enabling behavior plays in the scope of their loved ones alcoholism. My motto is, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
I have had articles published in three major biker magazines and have contributed many essays to my local paper. Despite having only a tenth grade education, I am blessed with ability to touch people with my words. Using my God-given talent to help others that struggle with codependency has been a dream since I found recovery.
What inspires you to write?
I love to write about anything that I am passionate about. Helping others by writing about my experiences and how I survived them is important to me. I also like to make people laugh. When I can share something poignant and make people laugh at the same time it makes my day.
Tell us about your writing process.
Making it a priority to put my butt in the chair in my office was paramount in finishing all of my writing projects. It’s very easy to rationalize that you don’t have the time. When something is important to you, you make the time. The internet whether it is email or social media is a time zapper. It’s also easy to go to Google to do a little research and find that hours have slipped away. I haven’t invested in the program that locks you out of the internet for a time frame that you decide on yet. I think I’m too much of a control freak to go down that road. This goes to show that I still have a lot of growing to do.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
My first work of fiction was a lot of fun. Letting the characters take the wheel is very freeing and enjoyable. You never know how things will turn out until you write the words, “The End.”
What advice would you give other writers?
I found that marketing myself and my work is even harder than writing a book in the first place. I haven’t had a book published with a traditional publisher but from what I hear, it’s just as draining. Also being menopausal I find that if I don’t write an idea down as soon as I get it, I may never get it back. Even when I think I couldn’t possibly forget something that moved me that much, I still forget it. So write it down folks, write it down!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I decided to self-publish with Createspace. I knew people that used them and had good results. I also had a built-in market for my book because I own a famous biker bar. It was a great experience with lots of ups and downs and I learned a lot in the process. I’ll be a lot more prepared the next time around.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think the self-publishing industry will continue to grow but there will always be a place for the traditional publisher. They will need to broaden and develop their approach in order to adapt to the changes in market but there will always be a place for them at the table.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: nonfiction, fiction, Christian fiction
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Charisse Tyson Home Page Link
Link To Charisse Tyson Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit, to allow you, the reader, to hear the author in their own voice.
