Rachael Tamayo
Houston, Texas
Good morning, Rachael, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the place for Art and Authors. What have you written?
The Friend-Zone series (3 books) Each can be read as a stand-alone. Chase me, Reach for Me, and Claim Me (Contemp Romance)
Crazy Love-Psychological Thriller
Lucifer’s Game-Supernatural Romantic Thriller
The Stones-YA short story
Gretyl and the Witch-YA Short Story
What is your favorite genre to write?
Thriller! I love writing them. The Darkness and twists with the romantic sexy subplot-I can’t stop!
Favorite food?
Mexican food, hands down.
Tea or coffee?
Coffee all the way
Pizza or ice cream?
I have to choose? Ugh, if so, I’d pick ice cream.
Wine or beer?
I had to think on this one, I think I’d say wine. A white Moscato, but I like beer too, but nothing dark. Yuk.
Where would you like to visit?
I want to go to Europe and visit my good friend, author Ana Calin. While I’m there, we can spend two weeks touring Europe. Then on the way home, stop in New York and visit my other author friend, Andrea Roche.
Favorite musical artist. Do you listen to music when you write?
I don’t so much have a favorite, but I love Maroon Five. I want to see them in concert one day. And no, I don’t listen to music when I write. I have to scratch out scenes between watching two small kids lol.
What makes you laugh?
I love to laugh. I’ve been known to get on Damn You autorcorrect and laugh until I cry, or watching Whose Line is it Anyway. Laughing is the best. From time to time I log into my Pinterest board and get the giggles rolling through my humor pins.
This is an art AND author blog, so I am obliged to ask: Favorite work of art or sculpture.
Veiled lady, by Raffaelo Monti. It was in the movie, Pride and Prejudice (LOVE Mr. Darcy) and I fell in love with this sculpture at first site. I adore it, it’s gorgeous.
That was one great answer. It was both artsy and authorly. How old were you when you started writing?
About second grade. I would spend recess getting my friends to practice little plays I wrote and put them on in front of the class. From there I graduated to little stories, and as a teenager I wrote my first full length book. (still in my closet). I stopped for years, and three years ago I picked it up and decided I was going to do it this time-and here I am.
Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?
I just write. I have a brainstorming group I go to for help, but I did try. I tried to outline and it just doesn’t work for me. I let the story take me where it will.
Describe your perfect evening.
After a full day of writing, some drinks, happy night with my family, and sleep. God-sleep. I have a four-year-old and a ten month old. I’d sell my left toe for sleep without someone bothering me, lol.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Just life. It hits me when it hits me.
What do you do when you get a writer's block?
Never had it. If I get hung up on a plot, I turn to select friends and they help me.
Who is your favorite author?
Ted Dekker. His brain is amazing, the man is a brilliant writer, I strive to be like him some day.
Best book you ever read.
To Kill a Mockingbird. My all-time favorite.
Last book you read.
Mirror Image by C.J. Warrant, great read!
What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
My full-time job is a 911/police dispatcher.
Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
My Husband. We are pretty different, but he taught me to be comfortable in my own skin. He made me look hard at myself and what some toxic people were doing to me and gave me the strength to stand up and be me for the first time in my life. After years of trying to be what others expected, he is the one that made me strong enough to be myself, and stop worrying about the rest.
If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
My husband’s late mom. She passed away from cancer when he was just sixteen, so I never met her. I would love nothing more than to meet her and talk to her, even just once.
What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
Yes, first off don't be scared of the publishing world. So many opt for Self-Publishing simply because of the fear. I know, it's daunting. Waiting, rejection after rejection. But use that time- I wrote 4 books in the year it took me to get my contract for Chase Me, my first published book. It put me ahead in the game when it comes to keeping the books coming out. Don't stop writing just because you are looking, keep going. That being said, you will get rejections, lots of them. It happens. Someone told me that she had a agent after hundreds of queries, and now wishes she never bothered. She said look directly to publishers first. There are numerous smaller publishers that will consider a new writer, so it may not be the best for a "newbie" to jump right onto the agent bandwagon. Consider this-An agent sells your book, thats pretty much it. Wait until you have branded yourself, then go for the agent.
If you choose Self-Publishing because you prefer to control your own work, go for it. I know many that do and they are outstanding writers. It is possible for a self-pub to make it. Just don't let fear dictate your decision.
One last thing on this-if you have the writing bug, it won't ever go away. I stopped for years, but it was always this little niggling idea in the back of my head. I'd always lay down at night and close my eyes and "write" my stories in my head as I tried to sleep. You can't get away from it, it just is something you are. Hone it. learn, reach out, read and listen to others around you. Practice, and with every page you crumple and throw away you have improved. I've tossed out entire books, so don't think anything of it. There is no writer so great that they write a masterpiece every time they touch the page.
Do you have some links for us to follow you?
Links:
Here's a little about my last two books:
Lucifer's Game (Published November 2017)
I’ve become obsessed with her.
Cora.
It wasn’t our intention when we started this, but as soon as I got my hands on her I feared this would happen. He dragged me here, to stop a child from existing that might bring an end to our reign on Earth. I have my orders from the one that watched as this prophecy was scratched on the scroll. He became the whisper in the ear of Judas, betrayer of Christ, laughing as they hammered the nails into his holy flesh. Satan himself. Of course, we lost that battle, but there is always the next. So, here we go, once again. Lucifer is determined to win this one, and all I’ve come to care about is tearing Cora away from her husband, from him, make her mine. Who I am? You’ve met me, felt me in your very loins. I’m the demon of lust. But you can call me Devin.
Crazy Love (published August 2017)
(15% of all proceeds go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness)
I love Emily. I know she loves me too, I just need to show her. One day, we will be together forever, I’ll make sure of that. She’s only with this guy she’s been hanging around with to test me, see if I’ll stand true. Emily wants me to fight for her, to see if I can win her. Of course, I will. Once she sees how I’ve been caring for her, all the plans I’ve made, and the lengths I’ve gone to in order to be with her, she will be so proud of me. If only she would stop pretending so I could stop hiding in her attic.
Reach deep into the mind of mentally ill millionaire Noah Burrell as he turns Emily’s world upside down. His deranged love just might be her undoing.
