Blithering Bats, Tami Jackson is Here!

Tami Jackson writes from south of Seattle, WA (USA). She is author of "Ravena & The Resurrected," http://tinyurl.com/4zuew8m, $9.99 in all e-formats

Michelle: It is wonderful to have the opportunity to work with you on this interview, Tami.
Tami: I feel very honored to be your guest, Michelle. Thank you, for hosting today. It's fun being your friend on Facebook and I feel like I've always known you, I've been following your blog for so long.

Michelle: Authors have many ways to approach the initial stages of outlining and writing their first drafts. How did you put your ideas to the page?
Tami: As a former news correspondent, I never outlined a breaking news event before knowing how the story was going to play out. I might have an idea of what the general topic would be, but I'd have to drive to location and observe whatever was happening, do the research behind the scenes, and take copious notes, before I could ever think about creating an outline. My book was written very much in that same manner. Perhaps my writing style is similar to how a wood carver begins whittling on a log by shear instinct. The more she carves, the more a unique shape begins to evolve and pretty soon the whittler feels like he's merely freeing the statue from its excess wood and bark. What gives my writing its more coherent and logical format is a very rigorous editing process. Regarding your reference to writers using pen and pad to record their thoughts, I have a Smart Phone, iPad, and computer for doing that.

Michelle: You took a different route to publication than most writers. Do you want to explain?
Tami: The entire publishing industry is racing so rapidly toward more change, I feel as though the wind is always in my hair and maybe I should keep my lips shut about it or risk catching bugs in my teeth. There doesn't seem to be a common route to publication anymore. Change is not simply in the air, Michelle. Ever since technology introduced eReaders, the electronic book market has just exploded. The old way of publishing only exists as shrapnel nowadays. Even that shrapnel is struggling to survive in the present world economy.

Michelle: How did this affect the finished product and the book's editing?
Tami: When I worked as a news correspondent, for local papers, I'd have as many as 5 editors reviewing my reports before publication, and still the paper printed errors in the story; errors that weren't in the original copy. A common saying on that job was "even editors need editors" because having editors simply means more people are tweaking the manuscript. I honestly believe that having too many editors throwing their ingredients into the pot can really spoil the stew. While I had plenty of proofreaders reviewing R&R, and I took counsel from qualified editors, I was able to maintain the book's authenticity by having the final say on the finished product.

That being said, I really like to fantasize about stodgy old editors, labouring feverishly over my work with a can of furniture polish and a dusting rag. Having a big publisher print your book is no guarantee the book will be carefully edited. It's not even a guarantee that the book will ever sell, or that the right audience will even get to see sample chapters. It is individuals (and not brick-and-mortar buildings) who strive to release a high quality and professional product, or not.

Michelle: You chose to publish in e-book form. What do you want to say to people who are reluctant to read your book because they prefer to read from hard-copy?
Tami: First? "Get with the times." (I say that with tongue in cheek because I'm the only member in my extended family with an iPad.) Meanwhile, eReader sales are soaring and they have been for a while now. Here's proof:

• From "The New York Times:" Amazon's third generation Kindle has become the best selling product in Amazon's history. (http://tinyurl.com/69j6btg)

• From "MSN:" Apple released the iPad in April 2010 and sold 3 million devices in 80 days. (http://tinyurl.com/6eo2m6m)

• From a reputable technology blog: Barnes and Noble stated record breaking post-holiday sales for Nooks, NOOKcolor, and digital books. (http://tinyurl.com/6hdmsqg)

Second? I have to ask, why would someone NOT want an eReader? They eliminate magazine and book clutter. You don't need more real estate to accommodate more bookshelves for future book purchases. You can take your library with you, everywhere you go (unless you're going swimming or sitting in the bathtub). When you buy an eBook, the download is instantaneous. There's no more waiting for the delivery truck to show up, weeks later, when maybe you're no longer in the mood for reading that particular book.

Third: People don't need an eReader to enjoy an eBook. They can peruse such from their laptop or home computer as readily as they spend hours playing Vampire Wars or World of Warcraft from there. The hot item in technology right now enables television viewers to surf the Internet on T.V. so pretty sure some people will be reading their eBooks on the big screen!

Finally, it's the twenty-first century. Educated people are aware of the environmental impact that all of our purchases make. Hardcopy books require the cutting down of trees, printing with ink creates more pollution, and shipping hard copies burns fossil fuels. (No matter how you look at it, eBooks prove much more environmentally friendly).

While I personally love the smell of a new paper book, I fully appreciate my iPad with all its capabilities. When I get tired of reading - I can shop eBay or update my Facebook page quite simply. Doug (my spouse) also loves my eReader because its back lit. That means, I don't need the night lamp on to read at night interrupting his sleep.

Michelle: This might be a rather obvious question, but why vampires?
Tami Jackson: Just thinking about vampires causes my imagination to rise above any sense of common mediocrity. Vampires represent power, victory over death, and a wonderful sense of mystery. Vampires are the antithesis of human frailty. (What's not to like?)

Michelle: Vampire fiction is very popular in the media today ...
Tami Jackson: Is vampire fiction really more popular than, say, 30 years ago? Or has the means for marketing books, movies and electronic games merely changed? Being a woman of a certain age, I grew up watching The Adams Family and The Munsters on T.V. Count Chocula cereal was all the sugary rage. Then, there was also a most compelling vampire soap opera called "Dark Shadows." "The Dark Stalker" came out in 1973. Finally, have you ever watch "Fright Night?" That teeth-chattering presentation came out in the 1980s.

Here's a link, provided by Washington State University, listing the most popular vampires featured in books and in movies since the 1920s: http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/vampirefilms.html

Michelle: Do you feel as though your book stands a chance against the Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series? Do you feel you have published “in the shadow of" her media sensation?
Tami: This question made me laugh. Instead of deliberating about whether or not Ravena & The Resurrected "stands a chance" in the boxing ring against big gloves (with all the marketing dollars and publicity stunts poured into the Twilight Series) I've got to ask: when did authors suddenly begin to compete with one another for fame?

R&R was a labor of love for me. I feel in my heart the book will be very successful because something about it sticks with the reader. Hardcore vampire fans will certainly identify with the story, and feel entertained by the twisting, turning plot. Certain aspects of Ravena Doomlah's story will also feel very deeply real - as though the story might not be fantasy after all.

The Twilight Series, with its vegetarian-sparkling vampires, was not everybody's cup of tea. My "Resurrected Series," will continue to feature more sophisticated characters, realistic relationships, and vampires that would prefer to kill a cruel imbecile than drink from an unsuspecting poodle (like vegetarian vampires do).

Michelle: Does the book draw on some of your own experiences in Seattle?
Tami Jackson: Yes. I was born in Seattle. I grew up around here. I know the city intimately. Even still, I did quite a bit of historical research before writing the scenes for Ravena & The Resurrected. The book also includes nonfiction aspects from this great city's past.

Michelle: Is there some special message you want readers to take from your book?
Tami: I just want readers to have fun and enjoy the experience of reading. My job as a fiction author is to thoroughly entertain my audience. If there is a message, in Ravena & The Resurrected, I hope it's to encourage people to think for themselves and not just follow along with the status quo, blindly.

Michelle: Do you have any more books in the making? Are you planning to release a sequel to Ravena & The Resurrected?
Tami: I am currently working on book two in The Resurrected Series. It's barely started (since I just released R&R). Since you've read my debut novel, Michelle, you know how the werewolves yearn to be released from their curse, so they can return home to their human families, fully restored. Book two begins with one such werewolf's abandoned wife and two children. (I'm not sure, yet, if this will become a book that's appropriate for a younger audience, or not. That's all I can say about that for now.)

Michelle: Last question: What advice do you have for budding authors regarding the writing process and about getting published?
Tami Jackson: Just start. A great cliché for new writers to quote as their mantra is "Rome wasn't built in a day." Begin your project and do something daily to move closer toward publication. My dad (deceased) also continues to inspire me with a quote he constantly repeated while I grew up: "The difference between winners and losers is that losers quit." If the pyramid of book writing looks too steep to climb, just take the first step. Focus on what you will accomplish today. Tomorrow you take another step and, before you know it, you've traveled a million miles all by your own power.

Thank you, Michelle, for a wonderful interview and for being a wonderful host.

Michelle: Thank you for joining me in this exclusive interview, Tami. I am excited to see this series take off for you!


~ Tami Jackson
Author, Ravena & The Resurrected
Publisher: SunTiger MOJO (http://SunTigerMOJO.com/)
email: SunTigerMOJO [at] gmail {dot} com
Follow the author to other blogs during this book tour: SunTigerMOJO.com/book-tour-author-tami-jackson-blogs.html