Interview with Tessa Quin (Wait! Is that--? Something is coming...)

Today I'm interviewing Tessa Quin, my fantastic friend, co-conspirytor (I know, but I like this spelling!!!), critique partner, fellow blogger and Crusader, aspiring author, and owner of a cute little hamster who has an unfortunate book-eating fetish.

I've come up with a few (relatively) easy questions for her to answer, so we can all get to know her a little better.

Question 1: What inspires you to write?

I have always had it in me to write, but I wasn‘t serious about publishing until after I became pregnant. So I guess it's safe to say that my boys inspire me to write and the idea that when they become eight or nine, they might read my MG books, and when they become teens, they might read my YA books. They love books and I read to them every night. I've also had ideas for picture books that are directly inspired by a sentence they frequently use. I'm thinking about making it into a series and self-publish here in Iceland (I was told that most picture books were self-published in Iceland these days). They’ll be “boy-books”, because I pretend to know what boys like to read about.

Rach: That's so sweet you want your boys to read your books! And it's intriguing you've got PBs, MG and YA on the go, wishing you the best of luck with them all.

Question 2: What's your all-time favourite book (and why)???

May I mention a group of books? Harry Potter! You can't just say one Harry Potter book, you have to include them all. What‘s not to love about them? The entire world in the books is fascinating and they're packed with fun, imaginative things. Honestly, although the Twilight series became a craze, I doubt it ever reached the magnitude of the Harry Potter craze. It also inspired me to write, which is something I'll never forget (fan fiction, anyone?).

Rach: Gosh, there are so many HP fans out there!!! 

The offending hamster. It is pretty cute though!

Question 3: Do you listen to music while you write? Is there anything in particular that gets you in the writing mood?

Absolutely not. The only noise around me is the clicking of keys as I hammer away, which is music in itself. A friend tried to get me to listen to music about breaking hearts (no, not Achy Breaky Heart, it was something a little more heartfelt) to inspire my writing of a breakup scene, but I ended up chucking the CD out the window (in my mind – I take good care of my stuff).

Rach: Tee hee, glad you clarified, for a second I was picturing you sitting there and listening to Achy Breaky Heart!!! Oh no. Ok, so how do I get that song out of my head already?

I never thought I'd see the day when Billy Ray Cyrus appeared on my blog!!!

Tessa, one last question: Is there anything you want to add?

Yes, something is coming...

Rach: Hmm, whatever can you mean? (*chortles*)

Thanks for taking the time to chat, Tessa. Make sure you all head over to her blog, The Quest for a Literary Agent, and say hi.

And I'm being interviewed by Marieke (my other co-conspirytor) today - my very first interview, woot!!! So pop on over to Marieke's Musings and check it out... :)