Friday's Fractured Features - Author Interview

Please join me for an Author Interview with Tina Peterson Scott for her Book Tour of, My Sweet Danish Rose.  

Tina Scott is a Novelist, and Watercolor Artist, among many other talents. She has authored several children’s books, and a travel guide for Denmark. She is the author of Farewell, My Denmark and its sister book, My Sweet Danish Rose, will soon be released. Tina grew up in Mesa, Arizona where she met and married, Randy, the love of her life. They have seven grown children and nine grandchildren. Tina is currently living in Anchorage, Alaska.

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1.      Tina, now that you live in Alaska, how do you keep from getting the dreaded ‘cabin fever’? "We go out every day and take mini excursions. Since Arizona has about 300 sunny days a year, it’s the lack of sunlight that is hardest for me to get used to in Alaska."
Ah, having lived in Anchorage myself, I know how you feel… but wait until summer, when the sun doesn’t go down until way after midnight. 
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2.      When did you first know you wanted to be an author? "I dreamed of being an author/illustrator when I was in elementary school. The dream came back to me when I was going to college as an adult."
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3.      What inspired My Sweet Danish Rose? Did the idea come to you out of the blue or did a person or place inspire it? "It was inspired by one of my family history stories. When I was reading through it, I was prompted to write about it. The story has evolved since that first inspiration into what I believe is a wonderful story."

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4.      It sounds so real, have you ever lived in Denmark? Or was it all deduced by research? "I’ve been to Denmark twice and while I was there, I learned a lot that helped me finish the novels. Some of the Danes I met while in Denmark told me stories of the area that I've tried to include. The rest I’ve learned through research."

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5.  What kind of music, if any, do you listen to while you write? Or do you need absolute quiet to write? "Music distracts me. It has to be quiet."

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6.  How do you know if an idea is good enough to write a book about it? How do you develop it? "I’m pretty sure that even seasoned writers occasionally have story ideas that they pursue only to discover that it wasn’t that great after all. To write a story from beginning to end takes a lot of time so it has to be an idea that I’m interested in/passionate about."

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7.  What is your process of brainstorming a story? Do you just sit down and write, waiting to see what happens next, or do you outline the whole book first? You know ‘pantster’ or outliner? Which have you done with My Sweet Danish Rose?   "I like to have a clear idea of the story’s beginning and the ending before I start writing. Other than that, I am more of an organic writer."

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8.  Do you ever experience a snag in the story, a form of writer’s block? If so, how do you deal with it? Did you experience that with My Sweet Danish Rose? "I do get snags. I’ve discovered that when I do, it’s usually because I’ve written something amiss. When I figure that out, then I start somewhere else in the novel and start writing again."

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9.  Do you use a critique group during your writing process? Do you belong to any writing groups? Why or why not? "I’ve been a member of the American Night Writer’s Association since I first started writing. The authors there are very encouraging. And I've attended a lot of writer's conferences. The ANWA conference in Arizona is an exceptional one, in price and content." I agree, they are wonderful aren't they!?!

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10.  When you’re writing, what is something about yourself people don’t know? You know, like wear a superman shirt, glass slippers, or fake mustache? Tina didn’t want to divulge the answer to this question, makes me wonder, hum, it must be – the fake mustache; OR one of those cute mermaid suits???

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11.  Tina, what words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to have their writing become books in print? "Stay focused on your goal. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t give up. It’s a tall order but it’s possible. "

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12.  What are you working on now? You have My Danish Rose being released soon, anything else in the making? "I’m currently working on a fantasy romance about a mermaid. It was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid and a vacation to Alaska."

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13.  Do you have any other Denmark projects in the works? What are your writing plans?  "I do have plans to write another story set in Denmark.  The characters won’t be related, though it will have bits of family history included."

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14.  One last question - where can readers go to find your books for ordering?  "Farewell, My Denmark is available in several places. My Sweet Danish Rose is currently available for pre-order and will be published tomorrow on January 31st."
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Farewell, My Denmark: Barnes & Noble - Kobo - Smashwords - Amazon

           My Sweet Danish Rose: My Sweet Danish Rose
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Thank you so much Tina, for your time and for letting us get to know you better with this candid interview.   "My pleasure, Thanks for having me!"

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