Author Interview with Tara Fox Hall

Welcome Tara Fox Hall! 

AUTHOR BIO: Tara Fox Hall is an OSHA-certified safety and health inspector at a metal fabrication shop in upstate New York. She received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a double minor in chemistry and biology from Binghamton University. Her writing credits include nonfiction short stories, flash, short and novella-length horror stories, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She also coauthored the essay “The Allure of the Serial Killer,” published in Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone: Being and Killing (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010). Her first E-Book, Surrender to Me, was published in September 2011. She divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice.

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What inspired you to write?

My mom had a drug interaction with some medication she was taking in summer 2007. Instead of taking her off it, her doctor of the time instead misdiagnosed her with cancer, and told her she had a year to live, at most. She called me at the fabric store on my cell in tears. I was a wreck inside the rest of the day, though I put on a brave face. On the way home, I remembered that I’d always been telling her I was going to write her a book, but I was busy with other things and never took the time. Now I was out of time, and didn’t know if I even would have the time to finish it before she was gone. That made me more upset. I came home that night after visiting with her and started on Promise Me. She hated it at first, but I kept revising it, and it slowly got better. When I finished it, she wanted to know what happened next, so I began work on a sequel. By the time she was well again five months later (and had a new doctor), I’d finished Promise Me, and three sequels to it. I mused that since they were all finished and she loved them, maybe I should try submitting them. I’d won awards in school for writing, and published short animal rescue stories for years in a friend’s nature magazines, but never reached higher. (Naj's Note: Thats sweet)

Have you ever had writers block while writing? If so how'd you get over it? 

How long does it take you to write? 

I can write about five thousand words in a day, average, if I have a clear idea and outline of where the story is going. But fitting in special events, such as in a historical novel, or when you are working on a series and have to go back and check dates, names, etc., takes much longer. And that’s if I sit there and write at least eight solid hours in the day. (Naj's Note: Very dedicated! Everyone should be as dedicated as you)

What particular place do you write in? Coffee Shop? Home?

I write mostly in bed, late at night.

You run into a bookstore, where do you go first?

To the Godiva chocolate if its Barnes and Noble.

How big is your To Be Read Pile on your shelf?

Reaching epic proportions, but I hope to wind that down in the next few months.

In all the books you've read. Who is your most favorite character and why?

Bilbo Baggins. The Lord of the Rings is an excellent book, but my favorite book is The Hobbit. Bilbo had no idea what he was doing for most of the book, and his companions were not that appreciative or nice to him. But he tried his best anyway in his quiet way, and never gave up, though he could have many times. He stood up for what was right when it would have been much easier not to. That’s what we have to do: keep going, no matter what, even when it seems like you just can’t just take another breath, much less another step. (Naj's Note: I love Bilbo! He's so sweet and epic, especially in The Hobbit)

State 5 random facts about yourself. 

Hmm…I better make these interesting, right?

• I make wonderful bread and rolls from scratch 

• I can operate a chainsaw with finesse (Naj's Note: Scary and soo awesome)

• I love the sound of rain 

• I have handled many snakes, both my own and wild, and never yet been bitten 

• I still tear up thinking of my two German shepherds who passed away a few years ago. I am tearing up just writing this. 

What are you currently reading?

I am between books – I’m involved in NaNoWriteMo, so have taken a hiatus from reading for November.

Your favorite Genre?

I don’t have one. Lumped in my to-read pile are romances, mysteries, thrillers, horror, non-fiction, westerns, and fantasy.

How many books in a month do you tend to read?

If I’m really into a series – such as The Vampire D series by Hideyuki Kikuchi – I can devour a book in a few days. A longer epic—like Robert Jordan’s Eye of the World series—takes me much longer, not because its less exciting, but because there are so many characters to keep track of.

Here’s your chance to market your book. Describe your book and why readers should pick it up?

I can get a type of it, where I’m not sure where the novel should head next, and none of my ideas seem to feel right. That happened once. I went out into public, and looked for inspiration, then also watched a ton of shows at random, things I hadn’t seen. I just had to hit on the right inspiration-a movie, as chance had it-and I was back in business. 

Honestly and straight to the point? Because at 3$, Surrender To Me is an easy way to see if you like my style of romance, and want to read more of my work. I have horror stories online at places like Flashes in the Dark that you can read for free, but they were tailored to horrify or terrify the reader, not tantalize and seduce. Devlin—like all my vampires—was created to be not just a passionate, romantic vampire, but also ruthless and calculating in pursuit of his goals. He would take your heart, your body, your blood, and your soul, and you would thank him with your last sated breath. 

Here is a brief description of Surrender To Me:

At the turn of the 19th century, former aristocrat turned lowly vampire Devlin Dalcon gets by on his supernatural charms—surviving by singing for his dinner, swindling others for money and goods, and occasionally hiding from daylight in the sleeping quarters of the women he seduces. When Devlin encounters bride-to-be Annabelle—another potential victim of his charms—he finds the tables have turned as he falls in love with her. Although initially reluctant, Anna eventually reciprocates. After the lovers are discovered, Devlin is sentenced to death. Tested by a blizzard, robbed by gypsies, and forced to kill to survive, Annabelle and Devlin triumphantly escape to begin their new life together.

Thanks Tara for being part of my blog today! I hope you had fun! 

Visit her on goodreads, on her website or on facebook!