Hopeless romantic Tina-Marie Miller is a UK-based author and writer of contemporary fiction/chicklit/cozy mysteries.
Having previously enjoyed a successful career working for a number of blue chip organisations based in London and the Home Counties, Tina-Marie now lives in the South West where she spends her time writing, reading, meditating, and exploring the idyllic countryside.
Time to chat with Tina-Marie!
What is your latest book?
My latest book is entitled Fame and Fortune and was released in October 2018. It is the third book in the Hamptons series. The Hamptons are the fictional villages of Hampton Ash and Hampton Waters that I have created, which are situated in the glorious Cotswolds countryside.
Whilst this book returns readers to the light-heartedness of village life, Fame and Fortune explores the phenomenon of ghosting – the practice of suddenly ending all contact with a person without explanation. I have attempted to tackle this serious issue from different perspectives.
We welcome back many favoured characters too such as Diana Fortune – who was first introduced in The Curious Miss Fortune – and who has become quite the celebrity! In this latest book, Diana puts the newly formed Fortunettes through their paces in preparation for the Cotswolds County Majorette of the Year competition – which of course comes with its challenges!
There are several new characters too; including the glamorous Georgina Fame, a popular weight loss guru whose past is about to catch up with her and a mischievous minx set to cause havoc amongst the Hamptons set!
What are the special challenges in writing a series?
In writing this series, the special challenges have been conjuring up interesting storylines and ensuring that I keep track of all the characters. I like to introduce new people, as well as weave in interactions with as many of the old and favoured characters as possible.
How did you choose the genre you write in? Or did it choose you?
In all honesty, it chose me! The storyline for my debut novel kept whirring around and around my mind until I thought I’d go crazy if I didn’t get it down on paper. From there, it has just continued to develop – and I love it! I’ve certainly got plenty of ideas for further books in this series.
Are your characters ever based on people you know?
Absolutely! I have been most fortunate to have met a wealth of people over the years and I’m an avid people watcher. My characters tend to be a mix of personalities and traits that I’ve gleaned from such interactions.
What do you think some of the greatest misconceptions about indie authors are?
I think the greatest misconception about indie authors is that their work is not up to the same standard as that of a published author. Because indie authors don’t have a large publishing house or agent supporting them, this should not detract in any way from the high level of excellent and must-read books that are being produced from a vast number of talented writers.
How often do your characters surprise you by doing or saying something totally unexpected?
Ha! Quite frequently actually! No matter how much I carefully plan out my books, as soon as I start writing I often find myself taking a character in a direction that I had not anticipated – and it has always worked out for the best so far too!
How important is the choosing of character names to you? Have you ever decided on a name and then changed it because it wasn’t right for the character?
Naming characters is extremely important to me and I spend a lot of time creating them. I don’t like to just ‘pluck’ a name out of thin air – it needs to be befitting of the person I am trying to create. For example, the first name of my character Matt Hudson – who is one of the main characters in the Hamptons series – was changed several times before I finally settled on Matt.
Please, tell us about your experiences with social media. What are your favorite and least-favorite parts of it?
I had no previous experience with social media and ventured nervously into this arena when my first book was self-published. I was amazed at the warm welcome that I received by the writing community and wished I had joined much sooner. I have learnt so much from my fellow writers – and still have a long way to go – but the journey is far more enjoyable with friends.
How much research was involved in writing your book? How did you go about it?
I do undertake a lot of research for my books. I like to write about what I know and therefore it is important that I capture as much of the details as realistically as I can. For The Curious Miss Fortune, two of the characters head off for a romantic weekend away in Cornwall. I was most fortunate in that my beta reader is a Cornish guru – having lived there most of his life – who came up with several suggestions which I was only too happy to check out! I settled on the coastal village of Coverack, which lies in the parish of St Keverne, on the east side of the Lizard peninsula. Its breathtaking scenery will steal your heart and I knew that it was the perfect setting for this particular storyline.
In Fame and Fortune, there was again, an incredible amount of research – particularly for the ghosting storyline. I am most grateful for the advice from the Devon and Cornwall police, who also helped me with a forthcoming storyline – but I shall say no more! Look out for Book 4!
Do you feel your latest book is your personal favorite or one of your previous novels?
I am so proud of each of my books but my favourite so far is The Curious Miss Fortune. There are so many aspects to this book that highlights areas of village life that many of us misjudge. One storyline follows the character of Bridget Rhodes-Brown who is depicted as the longtime suffering wife of Jeremy Rhodes-Brown – known as ‘the major’ – who is a demanding and shouty character that initially gets the hackles rising on the back of your neck. However, as the tale unfolds, readers begin to see his life from a completely different perspective and it is most heartwarming. There is a scene from this book that still evokes tears every time I read it.
Having our work out there to be judged by strangers is often daunting for writers. Do you have any tips on handling a negative review?
The first assessment I received for the MS for my debut novel, Everything Happens For A Reason was so vociferous I almost gave up writing then and there! In fact, I pushed everything aside for the next three months whilst my cheeks smarted heavily from the severity of the ‘tongue lashing’ I had received.
Eventually, my need to write began to overwhelm me and I bravely dug everything out again and began to re-read through the critique and then re-read it several times more before addressing many of the points made. By wading through the negativity I focused on where I could improve the story. When I finally got the courage to publish this first book, you can’t imagine just how taken aback I was by the wonderful and encouraging reviews that came in.
Having since gone on to write two more books in this series, my work has attracted more reviews – both positive and negative. I looked up some of my favourite authors and discovered that they also receive their share of negative reviews. So, I guess I am in good company. Either way, if I can take advice from a review that will improve my writing, then all the better. Otherwise, you just have to accept that you can’t please everyone’s tastes, all of the time.
We all know the old saying; you can’t judge a book by its cover. This is true. However, how much importance do you place on your book cover design?
I think book covers are just as important as the story within and feature highly on my list. When I published my debut novel, Everything Happens For A Reason, I had my cover professionally designed and whilst I was pleased with it at the time, during the months that followed, I realized that the cover did not properly represent the story within. So I re-commissioned the cover design and – wow – what a difference! It really projected my work to a different dimension.
Do you miss spending time with your characters when you finish writing them?
Yes I do! When I finished writing The Curious Miss Fortune, I went straight onto plotting out Fame and Fortune so that I was soon back in the thick of it. I’m currently writing a standalone novel before I begin work on Book 4 in the Hampton series, and I find my thoughts constantly turning to what might be going on in the Hamptons right now!
Where do you live now? If you had to move to another city/state/country, where might that be?
I was born and raised in the historic village of Sutton Courtenay, near Abingdon in Oxfordshire and now live in a small village in south Cornwall. If I had to move to another country it would have to be Germany. I adore the German culture and have spent many happy times there.
Trains, planes, automobiles, or boats?
Automobiles and boats.
If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?
There is a publisher that I aspire to be represented by. If I could be invisible for a day I would take myself to the office of my favoured agent there and set about doing everything I could to draw their attention to me and my work. Perhaps I would pop post-it notes – detailing my name and website – around their offices or sneak in a copy or two of my books! It would also present an interesting opportunity to listen to their interactions with authors and their works, and to pick up tips from the centre of the industry.
What was your favorite year of school? Why?
Definitely 1976 – the second hottest summer in the UK since records began and a year filled with many wonderful memories for me. I spent a lot of time with my friends during the school holidays, down by the river or taking long walks through the green, leafy lanes that lead onto one of the two brooks that can be found in the village I grew up in. We’d share a picnic, or various treats that we’d snaffled from our homes and sit with our bare feet in the water, trying to catch tadpoles in empty glass jam-jars. And in later years, when I took my own children to all these favoured spots, I’d sit daydreaming whilst they played happily nearby, conjuring up some of the stories that I’ve since woven into The Hamptons series.
Thank you Lisette for inviting me to your Writers’ Chateau and giving me the opportunity to share a bit more about me and my work. Very best wishes.
It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know you, Tina-Marie. I thoroughly enjoyed our time together!
CONNECT WITH TINA