Tabitha Freeman's Blog, page 4
October 17, 2012
Free Halloween Short Story, “True Life: I’m the Evil Queen”!!!
Need a good laugh in this chillingly cold weather?
Check out my newest Short Story for free this month only on goodreads!
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16092597-true-life
October 10, 2012
Author Interview 10.1.12
Bestselling Author Tabitha Freeman Interview 10.1.2012 with book blogger and renowned author of the Paradox series, Patti Roberts, featured at
http://paradox-theangelsarehere.blogspot.com/
Author Interview – Tabitha Freeman, Bestselling Author of the Ghost Story Series
P: Where were you born and where do you call home?
TRF: Habersham County, Georgia. It’s a tiny town in northeastern Georgia.
Your most recent book, Becoming A Princess, was just released a few days ago. If you had to sum it up in 30 or less words, what would you say? It’s different from my other books. It’s a ‘tabletop’ book—one that’s more entertaining and light to read, and one that is easy to pick up, put back down for later, and pick right back up again. It’s all dialogue, so it’s effortless to fall into and become part of the story.
How did Becoming A Princess come about? It’s so dear to my heart. I began writing the story—though not in interview form—a long time ago and it grew and grew and grew into this huge, personal fairytale. I wanted to convert it into a more relatable and enjoyable read for my readers, so I turned it into something unique.
The moral of the story is “don’t settle for anything less than what you deserve” and the main character, Bets, firmly believes that everyone really does have their own fairytale. Why was this important to convey? Especially in this day and age, we really do make our own destinies…in Bets’ case, she goes through hell and back, but she is determined to understand her self-worth and not settle for anything less than her “fairytale”—whether that means a love story fairytale, a career fairytale, or whatever fairytale her life has in store for her. I think the whole concept of “fairytale” has really been cast out in a negative light—especially in our modern world. But why? Does that make Bets less of an independent woman because she believes in a happy ever after? I certainly don’t think so.
If you gave any one of your characters from any of your novels an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say? Ha! I have to jump over to the Ghost Story series for this. Nora Benedict would want to say to everyone that she knows she’s the most unlikely protagonist, but she really tries to put what little common sense she does have to use. She knows well-thought out plans are not her strong point, but she makes all her mistakes with the best intentions!
Speaking of the Ghost Story series, is that your next release? Yes, the second book in the Ghost Story series, The Unordinary, is being released next month, Nov 1!
Can we look forward to other releases this year? Hopefully at least one more contemporary fiction novel before the 2012 year is up.
Is there an author who you would really like to meet? There are plenty, but the one who will always be on the top of my list is J.K. Rowling.
What would you say to her if you met her? Thanks for amping up my childhood!
We are in the midst of the e-book age takeover. Where do YOU prefer to buy your books? A hardback book will always be my first love and my soul just lifts every time I walk into a book store or a library. But I am changing with the times, too. I like being able to carry around hundreds of books with me on my ipad, I like knowing that I can buy the book and start reading it in seconds while in my pajamas, and I like knowing that I can loan that book out and it will be returned to me in two weeks. My process on buying books now is I get the kindle version first and if I am in love with it, then I buy the hardcopy.
You are a self-published author yourself. Does the e-book takeover make this an easier challenge to take on? Definitely! The whole e-book revolution allows me to not only get my works out to the world in a short amount of time as another option to the print press, but also to get my works into the hands of a limitless amount of people in seconds. Not to mention, the option of loaning books on the kindle allows my books to make their way onto tons of other kindles as “borrows”, and so on and so on.
E-books made it possible for me to no longer have to wait on a publisher’s subjective view towards my writing to make or break my success—and then later, it allowed me to turn down those same publishers that saw my self-publish success first-hand when they suddenly decided to support my work.
Being a full-time author, do you hold onto a “day job” as well? I have been fortunate enough that my books are successful, so that I do not have to have a day job—writing is my day job!
Assuming you get the time to read, what book are you currently reading? I just finished John Locke’s book Box on my Kindle.
What are your thoughts on book trailers? I’m personally not a fan. I don’t watch or do them, but I know plenty of authors who do. I would just rather use that extra time spent creating a trailer on creating a new book.
Why do you write under a pen name for the Ghost Story series? I write all different kinds of genres. Ghost Story is YA fantasy—which some people love and some people don’t. My other works are contemporary fiction—again, which some people love and some don’t. T.R. is for the fantasy lovers, so that they know that’s the story they’ll be getting.
Speaking of pen names, do you have a nickname? Tab, Tabi—any short version of Tabitha. “Hello there, beautiful woman!” also works.
Do you ever write in your PJ’s? All the time. It’s the best work uniform.
On to quirky questions! What are your pet peeves? Unkind people.
White wine or red? Vodka.
Coffee or tea? I have an IV for coffee hooked up in my office.
Do you have a favorite food? Meat, cheese, and chocolate. The main food groups, obviously.
Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream? Chocolate anything.
What do you normally eat for breakfast, of do you skip it and get straight to work? When I wake up, first thing is coffee and then I start working. Sometimes I remember to eat breakfast, and then sometimes I look up at the clock and it’s past lunchtime.
What are 4 things you never leave home without (apart from the obvious keys, money and phone)? You know, I actually hate carrying around a purse or wallet or anything. I normally shove whatever I need in my back pocket. But, if I do carry stuff with me, I’ll always have a drink (usually sweet tea), tic tacs, super glue, and flavored lip gloss.
Sleep in or get up early? I normally get up early, but if I end up writing late into the night, I’ll sleep in a bit extra.
Laptop or desktop for writing? LAPTOP!
Where and when do you prefer to do your writing? The best place to write in my house is our study. It’s got the perfect ambiance—fireplace, books piled on the bookshelves, medieval swords, and paintings on the walls…also, my house is 200 years old, so that adds to the weird romance of being in a perfect environment to write stories.
What are your thoughts on receiving book reviews – the good and the bad? I don’t think most readers realize this, but book reviews are so important! Even a one-line review for a book you enjoyed can land that book in one more reader’s hands that never knew about it before! The most established, well-known authors will tell you that just one more review than the million they might already have is something they really need and want to see.
“Bad” reviews also are not necessarily a “bad” thing—if they are done right. Unfortunately, a lot of “bad” reviews you’ll see for books are nasty and unfair—for instance, someone didn’t read what genre the book was before buying it or they didn’t read the summary and it turned out to be a type of book they don’t enjoy reading. Or sometimes, they don’t read the full book and send a review in for the first three pages. None of this is helpful to the other readers or the author. If you don’t like a book and you review it, at least write a review that is a legitimate critique. Why didn’t you like it? What would have made it better for you? It’s like when you go into a restaurant and you don’t like your dinner.
If you’re the type of person to say, “Hey, the chef messed up, it happens, can I get something else?” and the world doesn’t end, then I would love a “bad” review from you. If you’re the person who yells, curses, and makes that chef go home in tears just because your personal tastes were not satisfied, then you are probably an author’s worst nightmare—that reader who is never satisfied with anything.
If you were deserted on an island, who are 3 famous people you would want with you? Will Ferrell, Kristin Wigg, and Anna Ferris. Because you’re gonna die anyway, why not die laughing your butt off?
One of your favorite quotes? “Even when those who move you be kings or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God you cannot say “but I was told by others to do thus” or that “virtue was not convenient at the time. This will not suffice. Remember that.” It is from the movie Kingdom of Heaven.
3 of your favorite movies? Braveheart, The Princess Bride, and Titanic.
What is a movie or TV show that you watched just recently and really enjoyed? I just watched Hotel Transylvania at a drive-in theater and it was fantastic! As far as TV goes, Once Upon A Time is back on and you can’t beat a show about fairytale characters.
Where can your readers stalk you?
My blog: http://trfreeman.blog.com/
My facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ghoststorynovel
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorTRFreeman
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0073APHT4
Official Website: www.authortrfreeman.com
Are all of your books in Print, ebook or both? All my books are and always are in both print and ebook editions.
September 27, 2012
Freebie Friday!!!
Don’t miss the first ever Freebie Friday!! Check back to the facebook Ghost Story Fan Page { www.facebook.com/ghoststorynovel } tomorrow morning for your chance to win books, merchandise, and other fun bookworm goodies!!!!
Becoming A Princess debuts today!
My newest contemporary fiction book Becoming A Princess debuts today! It’s a fun read in a unique format. Check it out here!
August 22, 2012
Interview with YABC
I just wrapped an interview with Young Adult Books Central; the go-to portal for all the best YA fiction out there!
YABC: Did you always want to be a writer? TRF: Oh, yes!
Do you have any advice for young writers?
It’s going to be a lot of work. Writing a story is not even half of it. Not to
mention, just as people will love you, people will also hate you. Take
everything with a grain of salt and never give up. You wrote a story, and if
it’s good, that’s a huge accomplishment in itself.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you
be? A Cruise Director. J
Are you working on anything now? Of
course! Always! I currently just wrapped up book two in the Ghost Story Series,
so it’s on to the third! Also, I’m working on another contemporary fiction
novel. I don’t understand the concept of writers who pen a novel and then take
a month-long vacation to the tropics. There is always work to be done!
What is your working environment like?
Very business-like, actually. My husband works for the Railroad, so I get up
every morning on “RaR Time” (a.k.a. 5 a.m.) I work until he gets home, around 5
p.m. or 6 p.m. I have a really great office in my home, but I work all over the
house, yard, whatever.
What is your working style? I treat
my day like any job—I work my butt off all day, but when it’s quitting time, it
is REALLY quitting time. I close the laptop, and it’s family time. If you want
full-time writing to really work out…you have to treat it like you would any
other “normal” career—and that includes closing the door and taking personal
time, too.
Do you believe in outlining? Somewhat.
I believe it works better for some books more so than others. For my series
books, I tend to do an informal outline, but for most things I write, I just
write with no gameplan. It makes editing a pain in the end sometimes, though!
What is your goal as a writer? My books have the same message, no matter
what their genre: hope. My protagonists fall to the very bottom of the barrel,
can be really flawed and unlikeable while they are making mistakes…but in the
end, they are totally relatable—and when you’re at the bottom, there is never
anywhere else to go but UP.
What person or person(s) has/have helped you the most in your career? One:
my husband. I never would have even published if not for him. Second: my
family. They always knew I had something there, in my writing. They always
pushed me to keep at it. Third: My high school Lit teacher. She taught me to
think outside of the box, to read books that made me really think…and to ease
up on adverbs and commas, haha! J
What’s the best piece of advice you ever had on writing? Get ready to hear
a lot of “no’s”, but always remember that one more “no” is one step closer to a
“yes”—and it shows that you worked for what you got.
What was your big break? I made
my big break. I went against the grain, decided not to sign on with a major
publisher because I wanted to do things my
way, wanted to keep my royalties, and wanted to keep my integrity in all
aspects of this business. So I worked really hard and now I have two
bestsellers in the 8 months I’ve been a published author.
How much of your writing is based on your own experience as a child or
teenager? Most of it, definitely. You have to write what you know.
Do you prefer to write longhand, on a typewriter, or on a computer? Mostly
I write on my computer, but when I longhand, I go insane. I fill up fifteen
notebooks in like a day. I love typewriters…it adds a romance to the whole
process. I just can’t go as fast as I want to on a typewriter.
What authors have influenced you the most? Beverly Cleary, Elizabeth George
Speare, Kate Chopin, J.K. Rowling, James Rollins, Judy Blume, George RR
Romero…Do I have to stop?!!
What are you reading right now? We
Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
What’s on your current reading list? J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy, Game of
Thrones series, and pretty much any new, preferably self-published authors.
What was your favorite book as a child? The
Witch of Blackbird Pond by
Elizabeth George Speare
What is your favorite book now? Currently, I really can’t get over how much
I love the Hunger Games series. I
know, I know, it’s totally mainstream, but it’s so GOOD!
What is the one book no writer should be without? The Harry Potter series.
What writing magazines or other resources do you find most helpful? I
really enjoy websites and forums where self-published, successful authors go to
share stories, to share tips, and to just share in our joy that we made this
author career work out for us without the dictatorship of a corp pub company.
What are some of your hobbies? Um…I write books?! Haha, no, I am a fan of
doing any and everything I can get my hands in! I am obviously a RR enthusiast,
and I am always traveling. I love going to new restaurants, I’m a big foodie. Also,
my husband and I are addicted to renting shows on Netflix that have been out
for like 7 seasons and starting them from the beginning; it’s the best kind of
marathon.
How does your spouse/significant other feel about your writing career? I
could not ask for a more supportive husband. He pushed me to publish, pushed me
to chase my dreams, and pushes me daily to continue on. He is the inspiration
for every love story I ever write.
What’s your favorite movie? The Princess Bride
If your book, Ghost Story was turned
into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters? Oh wow, I’ll
leave that up to the readers to decide. I don’t want to sway their
imaginations! Socrates sure would be fun to cast though, wouldn’t he?!
What’s your favorite (or least favorite) book turned movie? Favorite: Hunger Games or Harry Potter; Least Favorite: Fifty
Shades of Grey. Maybe it’ll be better as a movie than it was a book,
though, so I might go back on that one day.
What is your favorite word? Bubble. It’s just fun to say.
Where do you think the industry is headed in the next 5 years? 10? E-books,
E-Readers. The end.
What’re your favorite things about the YA industry as opposed to publishing for
adults? You are so impressionable when you are younger, with a limitless
brain, a limitless imagination! You are going through so many thresholds of
life, crossing so many bridges…this is the time when you should be reading,
when you should be falling in love with books! The YA industry reaches not only
kids and teenagers, but college students all the way up to grandmothers. You
can read a YA book when you are 15 and then pick it up again when you are 40
and digest the story in a completely different way. I knew—I always knew that I wanted to write YA
fiction.
Do you think eBooks will ever completely replace traditional publishing? Yes.
Without a doubt.
What’s the biggest mistake that new authors make? Writing your book and
thinking you’re done. You are never
done if you want to be successful in this cutthroat industry.
Book II Ghost Story Series The Unordinary Release Date/Pre-Order Dates Finally Here!!!!!
November 1, 2012!!!
***PREORDER BY SEPTEMBER 15, 2012 AND RECEIVE YOU AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THE UNORDINARY BEFORE ANYONE ELSE!!!! GET IT ONLY HERE: www.authortrfreeman.com
April 6, 2012
Broken Glass — A step away from Ghost Story
In March 2012, I released Broken Glass, a young adult fiction novel that deals with some pretty intense subject matter.
With Ghost Story, released in December 2011, being such an overwhelming hit, my readers anticipate the sequel to this fantasy tale and were surprised when Broken Glass debuted—not a fantasy genre, not even glancing in the same direction of content as Ghost Story. I wanted to take a moment and walk my readers through the heart behind Broken Glass.
Authors typically have the unfair dilemma of being lumped into a singular genre category when it comes to the novels and stories they write. Some authors are not really affected by this dilemma, as they prefer to stick to one genre anyway. However, for those of us who need to write stories about characters and situations ranging from ghosts to insane teenagers to superheroes to accountants, it can be a challenge. Fortunately, many authors do break free of this mold, taking big chances and risks as they release several novels completely opposite in genre and sometimes even writing style. I am an author who does not stick to one genre, one series, or one anything. Being inside a box doesn’t suit my creativity. ;-) If you’ve read Ghost Story, I’m sure you have realized by now that I am not an author who you know what to expect from. This may drive some people nuts, causing them to throw my books against a wall and never read anything from me again. But I’m hoping the constant surprises will keep most readers coming back for more. I have attempted to give readers a heads up on different genres though; my fantasy reads will always be written under T.R. Freeman, and anything else will be written under Tabitha Freeman.
Broken Glass is a step in an entirely opposite direction from Ghost Story, as I said before. This novel is especially dear to my heart, as I began writing it when I was very young. (Which, on a side note, made the editing process most hellacious 
) It follows a teenage girl, Ava, whose life seems to be falling into place quite nicely. At first, she’s a likeable and relatable character, crazy about her quirky fiance, trucking it through college to earn a degree that could really take her anywhere, and coming from a home life that’s not picture perfect, but still works. It’s lighthearted and an easy read. But then, when her fiancé dies in a car crash, the normalcy from the first few chapters bottoms out. The content becomes less easy, and as Ava tries to figure out where she fits in this new life, emotions are all over the place. It’s realized that when in her most raw human form, Ava isn’t so likeable anymore, yet somehow, she becomes even more relatable.
No matter what the storyline, every novel I write will have the same common theme: hope. Whether the protagonist is running from vampyres or trapped in an insane asylum, hope is a universal tool to survive happily in this life we live. It’s not easy, and it never will be, but if you’re looking for a read in which hope doesn’t play a vital role in what the characters are trying to accomplish in the end, then don’t read my books.
I hope you will give Broken Glass, along with other non-fantasy genres I release, a chance, as, if anything, it will be an interesting read in the least. Otherwise, I look forward to continuing the Benedict siblings’ adventures with you in The Unordinary, due for release in 2012.
Happy Easter, everyone!
Get your copy of Broken Glass here: http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Glass-ebook/dp/B007IE0FKQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1331216980&sr=1-1
January 5, 2012
…And Then I Was A Published Author
Hello, all!
I am very pleased to say that I am now a successful published author.
With virtually no marketing, my first novel, “Ghost Story” has sold a shocking number of copies and truly made a name for itself the first month it’s been out. December was a blessing for not only sales, but for reviews and a building base for fans. And now that our marketing process has begun, these blessings continue to grow right before my very eyes.
It’s surreal to have something so simple as a story from your heart, soul, and imagination come to life for all kinds of people everywhere. And it’s also the scariest thing in the world. Every story I write is a piece of me that I am lending out to the world, and I have to be prepared for the world to spit it back at me in very positive and very negative ways alike. Learning to take the negative in is definitely a challenge. These are MY stories I’m putting out and no matter if you like it or not, it will not change. But of course, a part of me wants everyone to fall in love with every bit of my characters and adventures as I have.
Many readers have been probing me for the release date for the sequel. Unfortunately, all I can tell you for now is that the sequel to “Ghost Story” will be released in the Spring of 2012 tentatively. I will have a solid date in the coming weeks, but please be patient as I can certainly assure you that Nora, Socrates, Ansleigh, Kodiak, and the rest of the Ordinary and Unordinary alike are excited to jump back into your hands and to share more of their incredible adventures with you.
Don’t miss the first stop on the 2012 Book Tour for Ghost Story; Sweet Monkey in Gainesville, GA on January 22nd from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Check out this link for more information: http://www.authortrfreeman.com/4.html
Thank you all so much for the love and support, and be sure to watch for more novels and short stories in the coming months. I am hoping your reaction to new characters with new stories will be just as strong as your reactions to the Benedicts.
Happy Reading and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
TRF
