An Interview with E.B. Tatby

I haven’t done an author interview in a while, so I thought it was time.

One of the first authors that came to mind was E.B. Tatby, author of the I Wish series. I had the honor of participating in Bellevue Public Library’s AuthorFest!, an event that featured twenty local authors doing signings, readings, and hosting panels on the art of writing. It was fantastic; I met a lot of outstanding authors, E.B. being one of them. I love her books.

The lovely E.B. Tatby!

I contacted her and she agreed to do this interview. I hope y’all enjoy.

Thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview! How have you been?

I’m doing really well. It was so great to hear from another local author. For various reasons, I had slowed my focus on writing and have recently refocused on it pretty intensely, so your timing for reaching out made me smile.

I’m so glad to hear it! I’ve been refocusing myself, lately. It’s been exciting. I’m glad you’re getting back into writing as well.

Ok, let’s get started.

Tell us a little about your books? How many books have you written? Two are published: I Wish and I Could, both part of the same Young Adult Fantasy series. There are more stories–a whole collage of them–either in the works or in my imagination, which is really energizing.Which one is your favorite? With only two published, it’s a fifty/fifty shot. Can I say both? Of course! In your book, I Wish…, your main character, Kenza, is from Omaha (which I love because I’ve spent a lot of time there, especially at the zoo). Omaha is your home as well isn’t it? What do you love best about it? Yes, I live in the outskirts of Omaha. It’s funny… I’ve lived in a town of one hundred people and a city with almost six million. What I love about Omaha is that it’s in between–big enough to get access to lots of different things, but small enough for the people to stay really connected and be genuinely open and friendly.Kenza’s father is from Morocco. Have you ever been there? I have, yes, a few times. My highlight was visiting the Atlas Mountains, which really helped inspire Kenza’s story line and family history in the I Wish series. Morocco, like Omaha, is full of warm, kind people.Where do you get your ideas for your books? For the I Wish series, much of my inspiration sparked from visits to Morocco, but there was also lots of inspiration from Omaha, especially the Omaha Zoo (funny that you mentioned that above). When I write, I definitely reflect on experiences that I’ve had and observations about how society operates. I also rely heavily on opening myself to the creative process with “anything goes” brainstorming. You can always edit out those creative ideas, but they won’t come if you have too tight of a filter on.How long does it take you to write a book? Ha! I am a little embarrassed to admit that I Wish took almost ten years. I had tons of learning to do as an author and, quite frankly, will probably always have a lot of learning to do. Still, I Could was much faster with a two-year process. For me, it depends on what else is happening in life at that time and how fast I want to/need to push myself.What is your work schedule like when you’re writing? I’m probably not the best example. I write when I am inspired, and I don’t when I’m not. I find early mornings or even the middle of the night are great quiet times where lots of ideas tend to flow.What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk? This is very cliche, but I love to write in coffee shops. I also can easily get in the flow on airplanes or as a passenger in a car, train or bus.What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Oh, so many things. I love to walk, spend time with family and friends, consume any form of story (reading, audiobook, Netflix), travel, I could go on. I love to experience a variety of things, which helps stimulate my writing mind.What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books? Where do I start? I would have to say that I grew with my characters. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that I have more empathy for others. When you write from multiple characters’ points of view–young, old, male, female, antagonist, protagonist–you start to see they are who they because of their unique, valid perspective.Do you develop your characters as you write, or do you already know them beforehand? Yes. I do both. I really do spend a lot of time thinking of who a character is outside of the writing process, but then as I am writing the characters’ personas tell me what I need to write about throughout the story. I work on character development until those last words: The End.Do you see any of your books being made into movies? Which actors do you think would play your characters? Absolutely. I try to write as if I have a camera over my shoulder recording events. It helps make the story come to life and keep me more focused on showing not telling. Regarding which actors would play the characters, I have not thought that far ahead. Secretly, I would love it if my daughter, who is an actress, got to perform in one.What takes most of your effort when writing? I like to write in layers. I lay down an early draft, then revise, revise, and revise some more. When all that is done, I switch gears to editing. While I love the creativity of laying down that very first draft, it often challenges me. I need to do a lot of positive self-talk during that phase: this will all come together in time, if you want to skip a scene you can come back to it later, you don’t have to get it perfect the first time.What do you think makes a good story? A great story is one that holds up the mirror, with characters and a story that make us grow and see those around us from a new perspective. I am also a very curious person, I think we all are, so I love a story that leaves readers asking, “What’s going to happen next?”What would you consider the best advice you ever received? Have fun with it. Life is meant to be fun and interesting. Writers often write, not because they have to or because it will make them loads of money, but because they are passionate about it and can’t quite explain the magnetism. It just is. So, remembering that it is a passion and not something I have to do helps me savor it more and unleash that much more creativity.How does your family feel about your writing? They have been wonderful supporters, who’ve known I’ve wanted to do this my whole life. They were a little sad when I had to slow down a bit, as was I, but that resting period really did wonders.When did you first decide that you wanted to be a writer? Since I was in third grade, when I made an attempt at writing my first story. While that story never got finished, I am incorporating aspects of it into a new story I am working on now.What are you currently working on? I’m working on two things seriously: the third book in the I Wish series and a new Science Fiction story that I am absolutely falling in love with. Do you have any words of advice for aspiring writers? Writing is a calling. You wouldn’t have that calling if you weren’t meant to use it. Remember to savor the creative process. Ebb and flow with the peaks and valleys. They are there to serve you. And really, quite simply, just start putting words on a page.Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers? We are cut from the same cloth, you and me. We love to explore, to see things from an infinite number of angles, and to make a mess of a plot and revel when it all comes back together again.

I want to thank you again for your time. It was so great catching up. I wish you the best of luck!

I’m looking forward to reading your next books!

That’s it for today, dear readers. If you’d like to grab copies of E.B.’s books, check out the links below. I’ll also add her social media links so you can give her a follow!

E.B. Tatby | Fiction Young Adult Book Author (ebtatby.com) – this has links to Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon

Pinterest

E.B. Tatby (Author of I Wish) (goodreads.com)

Thanks for reading and God bless. 

~T