Mermaid. Heroine. Actress. Assassin. Princess. Dragon rider.
Tayla Jean Grossberg was all of these things as a child—she had overactive imagination. She grew up on a game ranch in South Africa, among animals such as leopards, buffalo, zebras, and giraffes.
She expanded her horizons by traveling to America and Europe. Her experiences, the people she meets, the places she visits, and the animals she loves inspire her to write novels. Now Tayla spends her time reading, writing, and continuing her crazy adventures.
The only thing she can’t do is reach the top shelf.
When and how did you
know you wanted to be a writer?
I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was a child and my mother read bedtime stories to me.
Did you have any influencing writers growing up?
Yes! James Patterson and Derek Landy were my two main influencers.
Are any of your characters based on people in real life?
Yes, several of my characters are based on/inspired by real life people. In Lapidary, Devton was based of a friend.
Where do you draw your book inspirations from?
I draw book inspirations from real life experiences, places I travel to and different people that I meet.
Do you use have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?
Yes. I have a basic outline, but it is flexible and can change throughout writing the novel.
When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?
I don’t have a photo – but sometimes I do have a mental image of the person who inspired the character.
Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?
I love drinking coffee while sitting on the couch and reading a book.
Who are your favorite current authors to read?
Leigh Bardugo
Sarah J. Maas
Chloe Gong
What are your
favorite books by others?
Ice Station – Matthew Reilly
Harry Potter – J.K Rowling
The Fault in Our Stars – John Greene
Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?
The locations in my stories are often places that I’ve lived or visited.
Do you write in single or multiple POV?
This depends on the book. Lapidary is a single POV as it is told by the protagonist, Natka.
What do you find to be your best research tool?
Google! I think anyone who’d see my search history would have several questions.
Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?
No. My pen name is my own – Tayla Jean Grossberg.
What genre do you write and why is this your preference?
My main genre is fantasy and I prefer to write it because it allows me to be most creative and unique while requiring the bare minimum, if any, research.
Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?
… The only thing that I can’t do is reach the top shelf.
My strong mindset, ambition and creativity is what makes me, me.
If you are a duo writing team, how do you share the writing process?
I am the sole author of Lapidary.
What advice would you
give to an aspiring writer?
Don’t quit! Every great author started off exactly where you are now.
How do you deal and process negative book reviews?
I ignore them. Even the best books in the world still get negative feedback sometimes, so what is the point in getting upset over it?
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Not rushing the end of my novel, is the most difficult part of writing it.
I get very excited and just want to put all of the words down as fast as possible.
What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?
Silence. I have a hard time focusing if there are too many noises, distractions, around me.
What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?
I don’t know if it helps with the writing, but I do love eating chocolate as I work.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?
Nicholas Sparks!
I’d love to spend time with him to talk about his romances in books vs. romance in real life.
What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or
drink?
I like to begin writing as the sun rises, while taking a coffee break here and there.
Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?
I don’t listen to music as I write because it distracts me.
Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
Yes! My cat used to think that it was his time to receive attention once I sat down behind my computer.
What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?
If I am stressed and have too much on my plate, I find it very hard to write and be creative.
Have you ever killed off a character that your readers
loved?
Yes!
Read I DON’T BELONG HERE, and you’ll know which one it was.
How do you celebrate after typing THE END?
I tend to stare at the screen for a long time, followed by a period of walking through the house, wondering what I am supposed to do with myself now.
Check out all my interviews/reviews for Tayla Grossberg!
https://readingbydeb.blogspot.com/2022/10/author-at-glance-tayla-grossberg.html
Connect with Tayla:
No comments:
Post a Comment