Everyone please welcome Tracy Broemmer to JBR.
Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself?
Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself?
I wanted to be an architect when I was very, very young. I don’t know why. I don’t know any architects, and I have no talent drawing a straight line with a ruler. I also wanted to be a writer. I’ve been writing stories since I was about five; hopefully, they have improved as I’ve grown up! I am a very quiet person, friendly, but I tend to be very reserved unless I know you. I married my high school sweetheart twenty-one years ago in April, and we have two kids. Our daughter’s a freshman in college and our son is in 8th grade. I love to write. I love to read. I love music, and I am a huge MLB (Cardinals) and NFL (Manning/Broncos) fan.
Newest Release?
I write women’s fiction and middle grade/young adult fiction. Last December I released 4 new books…sounds awesome, until I tell you that before that it had been since December 2012 since I’d done anything exciting. My latest women’s fiction releases are both family dramas: Picket Fences and Two Story Home. Picket Fences is about two kids who were raised together and are very close friends, and what happens to that friendship (as well as the family relationships) when one of those friends decides there is more to their relationship. Interestingly enough, I wrote Two Story Home two years ago, didn’t like it, and let it collect dust on the corner of my desk for a year. As of right now, I’ve had two readers tell me they loved it, couldn’t put it down, and one of those readers said it is her favorite book of mine. Two Story Home is a story about teen drinking and the dangers of drunk-driving.
What Should We Expect From Your Stories?
I am fascinated by relationships: mother to child/spouse to spouse/sister to sister/friend to friend-the interactions and the drama and the secrets and lies in relationships intrigue me and inspire me. My books are character driven dramas. You’ll find the drama, of course, and you’ll find some romance, though it’s not usually up front and in your face. There’s a little bit of action and a little bit of blood and guts thrown in, but mostly, my books are dramas. I do plan to start something new soon that will involve a little more action.
Favorite character in your stories?
Most authors will tell you they can not pick a favorite book. For a while, when asked which of my books is my favorite, I would answer without hesitating. Just Like Them. I still love that book, but when I step back and think over each of my books, I realize I love them all. I’ve never really thought about my favorite character. I don’t think I can pick one; I hope all of my female lead characters are strong and giving, and I love that about them. However, I think Bobby Alexander in Just Like Them was pretty close to the perfect man. And Henry Wallis, in my middle grade book Wanna Play? was a blast to write. Fun, fun kid and always up for whatever adventure comes next.
Who Is Your Least favorite character?
I don’t know that I have a least favorite character in my books. I have a lot of characters that don’t get much “air” time, and I wonder what their stories might be if I took the time to get to know them better.
Fun facts about your books/series?
One important thing I want to mention is that when I started submitting my work to agents and publishers, I was a pre-kindergarten teacher/aide. My children were also very young at the time. I wanted to keep my writing separate from my kids and my teaching position, so I used a pen name. My first five women’s fiction books are written under the name Therese Kinkaide. With my last books, I decided I was ready to drop the pen name and begin using my real name, Tracy Broemmer. Also, I’d like to note that I am in the process of updating my website. The newest books are not there yet, but I hope to have the updates done soon!
Most of the
time, a book starts with a character knocking around in my head and trying to
get my attention. Once I start listening
to that character, whether she is telling me her story or she’s just kind of
invited me to hang out with her for a few days to see if I find anything
interesting enough to write about, the book starts. I usually have a name for the book that
quickly, too. With Fairytale, however, a
friend of mine issued a writing challenge.
She asked me to think of a line from a song and write a story around
that line. The line I thought of was ‘it’s all coming back to me now’ from
Celine Dion’s song of the same title.
From that line, Caroline Wolfe was born and Caroline started telling me
a very dark, scary story.
Writers who have inspired you?
Any well-written book inspires me to write. And any book I don’t particularly love can inspire me to write. I try to just relax and read for pleasure, but often my mind is thinking either ‘wow, I love this book, I wanna try to change this and do this with this character and then have her do this instead’ or ‘hmm…I wish the author would have done this with this book…what if I did that and then changed this and added this…’ Any book that makes me laugh or cry makes me want to write, because I want to push readers’ buttons and draw out that big range of emotions. One writer who has recently inspired me to write is Linda Rettstatt. Linda and I met through Wings E Publishing. I am constantly wowed at the way she drives herself, the number of books she publishes and the quality of her books. I know when I pick up one of her books, I’m in for a good emotional read.
Any Advice For Readers/Writers?
Write. I know, every writer says that, but it’s true. There have been many times between book projects when I find myself staring at and intimidated by a blank screen. Jump in and write. Don’t stop to edit or fuss along the way. Write your story. And then go back and start the rewriting process. I’ve also found that if I visualize my story as a circle or an arc, it helps me to envision where I need to drop in the key plot elements, how to keep the middle interesting, and to tie it all together neatly in the end.
Favorite Author?
I am an avid reader. I carry a book with me everywhere I go. I read real books; I read ebooks. I read on my Kindle, on my Sony eReader, on my iPad, and on my phone. God forbid, if I forget to bring a book with me and I don’t have my phone, I read anything I can find. I read the tabloid headlines when I’m in the checkout line at the grocery store. I read the back of my cereal box when I’m eating breakfast. I flip through catalogs or magazines if I don’t have a book with me. I read 2 or 3 books at a time. So…yes, I have favorite authors, but I could never list all of them. I love Dean Koontz. If he rewrote the phone book, it would be one of my favorite books. I love Patricia Cornwell, Tana French, and Lisa Gardner. I’ve read one Elizabeth Haynes book, and I loved it. I have another one of hers on my to be read pile. I loved the book Water for Elephants. Loved, loved, loved Tana French’s book The Likeness. Loved Mary, Called Magdalene by Margaret George. I also love browsing at bookstores and trying new authors.
What draws you to your favorite characters?
I think it’s characterization. Sure, I love an exciting plot. I enjoy reading books with a fast pace and a lot of action. But even then, I love those characters that stay with me when I close the book. In the Elizabeth Haynes book, Into the Darkest Corner, Catherine Bailey is so real. She’s OCD, and she’s such a wreck, I could feel it inside myself when I was reading that book. Her fear is so real that I was constantly looking over my shoulder when I read the book. I love Dean Koontz’s characters. His male leads are every man. Patricia Cornwell’s cast of characters are some of my very favorite people, because they are so real that when I read the books, I feel like I am right there with them in the same room.
One of the first things you wrote?
I wrote a short story in 6th grade, I think, called Let the Bodies Be. I don’t remember much about the story, except that it took place in a graveyard. I made a really pretty cover page for it. And I was so excited to be writing a story, I missed the point of the assignment: write a story using dialogue. There wasn’t a single line of dialogue in the story.
Inspiration for my writing?
I get a lot of inspiration from the news. Other writers. TV shows. And real life that’s happening all around me. I overhear things at restaurants or when I’m in line at the grocery store and usually it goes in one ear and out the other. But every now and then something sticks. It might be just one word. One phrase, one idea. And then later, I realize I’m still thinking about that one thing and then I think what if…
Interesting hobbies or pets?
I don’t know if he’s interesting to other people, but I have a sweet fur baby named Bones. He’s a mix of a regular doxxy and a long-haired mini dachshund. Bones is my postage stamp; he sticks with me everywhere I go. I used to play the piano, but now I choose to listen to music rather than attempting to play any instruments. I used to play fast pitch softball, but I’d probably break something if I tried that again. I love to watch sports-my kids’ sporting events and professional baseball and football.
Favorite places to travel or visit?
My husband
travels a lot for his job, and occasionally I go with him. I feel like I’ve been lucky to see quite a
few states. I’ve been to California
several times; I think Napa Valley is my favorite place there. My in-laws live in Arizona, so we travel
there often, too. It’s always fun to see
new places, but it’s always good to come back home.
Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Two-
Thank you for visiting with us today. We wish you much success.
Julie Ramsey
ADM, JBR
Thank you for visiting with us today. We wish you much success.
Julie Ramsey
ADM, JBR
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