200th Post with author Tarryn Fisher!

Today is my 200th Blog post!! I seriously can't believe it! 

Since I loved The Opportunist so much, I've decided to give this day to author Tarryn Fisher with a review and an interview. I am insanely obsessed with this book and you would be too if you read it. It will make your heart spasm and your blood boil. It will make you wickedly happy and then you'll want to cry your eyes out. Either way, I promise, YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK!

I came across Tarryn's book, The Opportunist on Goodreads recently. It had gotten a lot of great ratings and thought it sounded like my kind of book- angsty, emotional, love triangle, heavy drama and a little dark. Unfortunately I had too many other books to read at the moment so I couldn't pick it up to read when I wanted to. 

While on Twitter one day looking for more books to read (as if I need anymore!) Tarryn and I started talking about books with dysfunctional relationships and how I like them. She had mentioned that her book sounded like what I was looking for and then told me to read her book. I LOVED that she said that to me. Most authors won't push themselves when a reader is looking for a particular book, which I find a bit aggravating. We want you to recommend yourselves to us IF it's what we're looking for. Trust me- it makes our searching much easier. :) I liked her immediately for that.

After reading The Opportunist, I fell in love; madly, deeply in love with this book. Now I know why it got such superb ratings. IT'S AMAZING! I became captivated with this story and I needed more...STAT! Sadly, there are no other books available yet and won't be next year. I almost cried when I found that out. But I did manage to track Tarryn down and pick her brain for an interview. She is in the process of moving right now, but took the time to answer all my questions, which came as a shock to me! I didn't expect them all to be answered!

Thank you for taking the time for an interview, Tarryn. I am beyond happy to have you here! Please start off by telling us a little about you and the kind of books you write.

Human emotions fascinate me. I don’t try to write angsty stories, they just sort of spill from my fingers. I like things that dare me to feel something; anger, sadness...heck, sometimes I get really wild and dabble in happiness. I respect sadness the most- so much so, I give it a lot of attention.  

After reading The Opportunist, I became obsessed with it, which seems to be the general consensuses for your book. I’m sure it’s what every author wants, but did you expect it to happen so fast, especially for being a self-pub?

I didn’t expect it to happen at all. I was told by the publishing industry that no one would like my book; it was too raw, too ugly. Olivia was unlikable. Self publishing The Opportunist was almost a rebellious experiment that I fully expected to fail.

This is a very well written book with hardly any errors, which isn’t all that common with a self-pub. I’ve heard people say they can ignore all the errors if they love an author. Well, I can’t. Did you have an editor for this book? The first few rounds of this book were rough. I hate reading what I write, so I don’t go back and comb through for grammar and misspellings. Eventually, an editor got in contact with me and said; I love this story, let me fix it. Her name is Lori Sabin and I love her.

Are you currently working on anything at the moment? If so, can you give us a sneak peak please? You know about Dirty Red. I am also writing the third book which features my boy, Caleb. There is a secret YA project I’ve been working on for years. I was a chapter away from finishing it when I left it to write Dirty Red. I hear it calling me back. It’s so unique I’m afraid to let anything about it slip.

I had no idea this was going to be a series until I stalked your website for anything I could get after reading The Opportunist- yes, I am that obsessed. How many books do you plan and do you plan different points of view for each book? There will be three. I do not believe in telling the same story from another perspective. I feel like that would be stale. So, what I’m doing is continuing Olivia and Caleb’s story, but we get to see it unfold from two different perspectives. First Leah will speak and then we’ll let Caleb decide everyone’s fate.

Why did you decide to do different points of view?

Everything we saw in The Opportunist was from Olivia’s perspective. Her mind is warped, so unless we see things from the other perps, we won’t get the full picture.

I’m a huge romance reader. The more romance, the better. If the story is intriguing enough for me then I’ll read a light romance book, which is what I would consider yours to be. Will there be more romance scenes in your next book?  Maybe a little heavier this time? I don’t know that anyone wants to see Leah and Caleb get it on. I mean, Leah is the anti prude. Would they hate me for that? I decided to stop being a prude for Caleb’s book. He’s a guy, he has sex. You’ll get more sex. I’m getting hives just thinking about it. I have to drink to write sex scenes...like an entire bottle of wine. Whenever my friends hear I’m drinking, they’re like “You’re writing a sex scene aren’t you?”

I know your readers want an HEA for Caleb and Olivia. How do you feel about this? How can there be an HEA between those two if Olivia married Noah?

Did she marry Noah? I keep putting them in these situations and then I watch to see how they work themselves free. I do not know how the story is going to end. Olivia and Caleb have their own personalities at this point, so no matter how hard I try to force them, I don’t know if they’ll find their way back to each other.

Dirty Red is set to release in April 2013. Can you please write faster? I need it…like yesterday!  I’m writing so fast. I care how each sentence looks, so I put so much time into making them just right. *hangs head* I’m a terribly slow writer. I wish I had Colleen Hoover’s speedy fingers.

Do you plan your characters and storyline or does it come to you as you write? What happens when you do plan the story but you find it going in a different direction? Do you go in that new direction or stick to your original one?

I am a strict believer in NEVER telling my characters what to do. After I gave Olivia her personality, it was her job to run her own story. I just presented roadblocks and allowed her personality (not mine) to make the decisions.

Describe your writing in four words. Angry. Potent. Dark. Choppy.

If your book came with a warning, what would it say? WARNING! This book will take your fairy-tale romance dreams and f**** them sideways.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author so far? What has been your greatest compliment?

My greatest compliments come from the reviewers on Goodreads. They take time out of their day to write their thoughts about something that I created. I love every word of their reviews. I guess the same can be said about the criticism in the bad reviews. It hurts when they hate my story, but I take everything they say very seriously and try to make myself a better writer.

What is something readers wouldn’t know about you? I am afraid of clusters of circles. When I see circles in a cluster, I want to throw up.

The Opportunist is definitely one of the most angst filled romance book I have ever read. Are those the kind of books you like to read? If so, can you please recommend some of your favorites? Those are the books I search high and low for and have the hardest time finding. I love anything that reeks of darkness.  One name; Gillian Flynn.

What helps you get in the mind set of writing? Do you have a writing regimen? I have to leave the house. My children bite me and climb on me, so I write at Starbucks. I listen to music. I drink coffee.

What is the most important element in publishing a book? Having an editor? Beta reader? Blog tours? Promo help? Will you be doing anything different for the release of your second book then you did for the first book?

A good reader is important. They are so rare. You need someone that will tell you the truth and know enough about the industry to know if you’re writing something that will flop or fit.

Authors have different opinions on whether or not to read reviews of their books. Some say it brings them down, others say it helps with their writing. What are your views on it? I read everything. Bad reviews sting. But, if the readers are telling you that something sucks...it might suck. You have to take everything into consideration.

What do you want reader to take away once they’ve read The Opportunist? I want them to feel like they were Olivia’s conscience...the Jiminy Cricket that sat on her shoulder while she made all of the wrong choices.

Where can we find out more about you and your work?   My website is www.tarrynfisher.com. But, I have this disease called, Facebook. I lurk around in there all day.

Where can we buy your book? It’s available on Amazon and Barnes&Noble. Amazon now sells the paperback.

Lightening speed round!

Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry? Coconut

Pumps, Sandals or Sneakers? Sandals

Beer or Fruity Girly drink? Wine!

Boxers, Briefs or Commando? Whatever Kellan Kyle wears.  

Book or ereader? You’re killing me! Both, I do both.

Vampire, Demon or Shifter? I can kill all three at the same time.

Soft and Sensual or Up Against the Wall? up against the wall....or a tree.

Beach or Snow? Rain! never the beach...never ever.

Jeans or Pearls? Jeans.

Tattoos or Piercing? Tattoos

Thank you so much for being here, Tarryn. I truly appreciate it!

You can review Taryn's review HERE.

Since I am in LOVE with this book so much, I will be giving away a copy of Tarryn's book, The Opportunist. PLUS, I will be giving away a big pile of swag from many different authors!


All you have to do is LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE and leave a comment for Tarryn. Contest will run one week. REMEMBER TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENT.

Thanks and good luck!