Name – Tricia Drammeh
Age – 43
Where are you from – I was born in Ohio, but lived in Georgia, California and Missouri. I’m currently living in New Hampshire.
A little about your self `ie your education Family life etc – I’m a wife, a mother of four, and work part time in accounting. I live with my husband, my three youngest children, and two cats who keep me constantly entertained.

 

 
Fiona: Tell us your latest news?
Tricia: I just released Better than Perfect, a contemporary romance/chick-lit novel about a young woman who is coming out of a long depression following the death of her parents. Karlie is ready for adventure, but change is hard for her. She meets the guy of her dreams, but their relationship faces challenges very early on when she takes on temporary responsibility for twin teenage boys while their grandmother is in the hospital.

 

 

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
Tricia: I began writing four years ago and it was completely on a whim. I’ve always made up stories in my head, and a scene kept replaying itself in my mind until I finally wrote it down. Two months later, the first draft of my first novel was complete.

 

 

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Tricia: This is something I struggle with quite a bit. There are times I still don’t consider myself a writer, especially when I haven’t been able to find the time to write in weeks, or when my book sales are down. By definition, a writer is someone who writes, so I became I writer four years ago when I began writing that first novel.

 

 

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
Tricia: Like I said in a previous answer, it was completely on a whim. I was inspired by my own runaway imagination. In all honesty, I wasn’t even sure at first if I’d complete the novel. I didn’t tell anyone I was writing until I was nearly finished just in case it didn’t work out.

 

 

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style?
Tricia: I’m a pantser. I don’t plot anything out. Usually, I’ll have a concept for a character and go from there. The story evolves around the characters I create.

 

 

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
Tricia: I’m not very good at coming up with titles. I finally settled on Better than Perfect after much deliberation.

 

 

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Tricia: Not really. My book is for pure entertainment. But I suppose I’d like readers to remember that love is what makes a family. Blood relation is not the only tie that binds.

 

 

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic?
Tricia: I tried to keep this book as realistic as possible. It’s based in the town I was born in, so the setting is very realistic.

 

 

Fiona: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Tricia: There are a few character quirks that are based on people I know. For example, Karlie’s neighbor, Marita, saves her quarters all year long in anticipation of her grandchildren’s visits. My grandmother used to do the same thing.

 

 

Fiona: What books have influenced your life most?
Tricia: There are so many, I couldn’t possibly name them all. I’d say Harry Potter is the reason I’ve delved into young adult fantasy in my first book.

 

 

Fiona: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Tricia: I have a huge group of writer friends who’ve encouraged me and kept me going. Juliet, Maegan, Michel, Amy, and so many more.

 

 

Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Tricia: I’m reading an ARC of Come the Dark by Rebecca Hamilton.

 

 

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Tricia: Juliet B. Madison, Jane Dougherty, Katrina Jack, Maegan Provan, Victoria Barrow, Joleene Naylor, Brenda Perlin, Shirleen Davies just to name a few.

 

 

Fiona: What are your current projects?
I’m working on a YA romance called Sweet Sorrow.

 

 

Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Tricia: My friends from authonomy. I don’t know where I’d be without them.

 

 

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Tricia: I see writing as a part time job. I work about twenty-five hours a week outside the home, so writing is not a full time endeavor right now. I’d love to be able to write full time.

 

 

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Tricia: Not in my most current release.

 

 

Fiona: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Tricia: I’ve always been an avid reader, so the jump to writing seemed like a natural extension of my interest in books.

 

 

Fiona: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Here’s an excerpt:
My heavy, tired feet trudge up the stairs and down the hallway to the boys’ room. I knock several times before a disheveled twin opens the door.
“Do you want to go see your grandma?”
“Now?”
“In an hour.”
“We’re tired.”
“So am I,” I snap. “I’ll make breakfast.”
“We’ll get ready.”
Food is a useful bargaining tool with the twins, I’ve realized. I’ll have to remember to use their stomachs against them in the future. I go back downstairs and sort through the fridge, pulling out a few items for breakfast. The smell of frying bacon and eggs fills the kitchen and it isn’t long before the boys shuffle down the stairs. They look like zombies—stiff arms, uneven gait, a look of mindless hunger on their faces.
While they feed, I run across the yard to my own house. I’ve never been so happy to see it in my life. I revel in a warm bath and get lost in luxurious, sudsy solitude until my guilt reminds me it’s time to get moving. Marita is waiting.

 

 

Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Tricia: Procrastination. When I’ve been unable to write for a few days, I have trouble getting back into the groove. The longer I avoid writing, the harder it is to get back to it.

 

 

Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Tricia: J.K. Rowling is one of my favorites. I’m in awe of her boundless imagination, creativity, and humor.

 

 

Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Tricia: I’d love to travel to research different locations, but that isn’t something I can afford to do.

 

 

Fiona: Who designed the covers?
Tricia: The cover for Better than Perfect was designed by Aurora from Honeyshadow.

 

 

Fiona: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Tricia: Finishing it. It took me almost a year and a half to write the book. I put it aside for months, and finally returned to it, determined to finish.

 

 

Fiona: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Tricia: I learned about the complexities of the foster care system and the difference between guardianship and fostering.

 

 

Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Tricia: Write what you like. Trends change, so stick to what you enjoy. Don’t worry if it falls into a certain genre or whether or not the book will sell. Just write.

 

 

Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Tricia: Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 

 

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
Tricia: No, but I remember enjoying Benji, the Nancy Drew books, and Little House on the Prairie.

 

 

Fiona: Other than writing do you have any hobbies?
Tricia: Reading!

 

 

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Tricia: I’m not much of a TV watcher, but I did get hooked on Downton Abbey. I also enjoy Law & Order SVU.

 

 

Fiona: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music
Tricia: Chocolate/Purple/Anything

 

 

Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
Tricia: I work in accounting.

 

Fiona: Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?
Tricia: I have a personal blog: http://blog.triciadrammeh.com and a promotional blog: http://www.authorstowatch.com