Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you our second UtopYA Con 2014 author, Ms. Felicia Tatum. Now, if you’ve followed the blog for a while, you’ll know I wrote a review of The White Aura not too long ago. Check it out here: Book Review - The White Aura
I hope you enjoy getting to know this author as much as I have. Grab a cup of java, sit back, and read on!
Jo: Hello, Felicia! Nice to have you with us today.
Felicia: Hi, Jo! Thanks so much for having me.
Jo: Let’s skip all the pleasantries and jump in with both feet, shall we? I’m gonna be frank, I Google every author I do an interview on, go read their blog, Twitter feed, and Facebook page, and try to dig up as much “stuff” as I can on them. I like to make ya’ll think and shake a bit in your proverbial boots. So, what I found when I plugged your name into Google was that you completely own the search. I had to go through seven pages before I found another Felicia Tatum (and there are about ten of them in the U.S.). How often do you Google yourself and how did you manage to boost your visibility so high?
Felicia: I’ve been doing it more recently because I’ve been having some issues with my books being pirated. I have no idea how my visibility is so high, but it’s awesome!
Jo: I see you started blogging in May of 2012. What led you to begin a blog and how did you decide what to post there?
Felicia: When I started writing, I thought “hey, a blog would be fun.” After talking to some other authors, I decided having interviews every Friday would be a good way to stay active. It’s evolved from there.
Jo: Have you done anything to drive more traffic to your blog? What are your daily stats?
Felicia: I joined Girls Heart Books as a host and that’s led to a lot more traffic. I get about 4,000 views a month. Daily changes so much it’s hard to give a direct answer.
Jo: I know the feeling. Blogs are such finicky things. I saw you made your first book, The White Aura, free forever. What drove you to make that decision and how has it helped in other areas?
Felicia: After attending UTopYA in June 2013 and hearing sooooo many amazing, successful author saying perma-free is a great way to gain readership, I decided to give it a go. Especially since the third book, Devlin’s Descendant, released this month.
Jo: That makes sense, actually. I wish I could do that with my first book of the Mystic series. Alas, I can’t. It will be $0.99 forever, I guess. Changing topic! I see you live in Tennessee (I lived in Dayton for over ten years *waves*). What do you love most about the state?
Felicia: How awesome!! I love the natural beauty everywhere I go...the Great Smoky Mountains are probably my favorite place. Ever.
Jo: Beautiful, yes. But the ticks up there are out of control. That’s one thing I don’t miss at all! Do you use any of the settings or imagery in your books?
Felicia: Tennessee is what I know, what I love, so yes, I use it for my books :)
Jo: Shoe lover? Tell me about your favorite pair. Do you have a photo of them?
Felicia: I can’t pick my favorite pair! Are you crazy? It’s like asking to pick my favorite child! (Which, I mean, I only have one...but still!) I don’t have a photo of my favorite...but I want these...badly.
Jo: Wow. Those are gorgeous! Here’s my favorite pair (yes, I own them). I love sparkles or ribbons. haha! Anywho… I noticed you re-released The White Aura. Tell me where you found your editor, Jeanie Creech, and about your relationship there.
Felicia: I found her from the amazing Ariana Browning, who recommended her when she was just starting out. Jeanie is absolutely amazing and I love her. She makes my books pretty and she loves them, too. It’s a great relationship.
Jo: I adore my editors. Couldn’t imagine life without them. *Shout out to Crystal Lee and Tia Silverthorne Bach!* UtopYA Con 2014 should be an interesting event. The “Take Me to Your Reader” theme is awesome. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone face-to-face! Will you be sporting something with an alien theme, or do you have cool stuff like t-shirts you’re gonna wear with your name on them? In other words, how will we recognize you?
Felicia: I don’t have any alien attire...so...I’ll have to think of something. Good thing I have a while to figure it out, huh? What about this shirt? Only have it say “I want to read.”
Jo: That’s a rockin’ shirt! Maybe I’ll cook something up between now and then. How’s college treating you? Do you get pretty good grades? And, what’s your major?
Felicia: I’m in graduate school for my MBA and it’s not treating me well. I’m a bit stressed at the moment haha I enjoy learning and my business degree is really helping me with my writing business, so I try to apply my books to all the situations. I get decent grades...I’m passing!
Jo: Master’s Degrees are tough. The Best Boyfriend in the World got his MBA back in April of last year. He was stressed! Kudos to you for reaching for the stars! What’s your favorite thing to wear while writing and why?
Felicia: My pjs. Cause I’m lazy and like to be comfy.
Jo: Me too! I saw on one of your blog posts that you found some old stuff you’d written way back when you were younger. What was your first story like and do you remember how it made you feel when you finished it?
Felicia: It was ridiculous! lol It was about an English guy and he wanted this girl (aka me) and it was just bad...lol Writing always made me feel complete when I was younger.
Jo: I know the feeling. My first story isn’t really one I’d ever like to read again. But only because it still scares the bejeebies outta me. Favorite color?
Felicia: Pink
Jo: Pink is good. Unless you’re a boy. Then you just get teased about it. Toilet paper – under the roll or over the roll? This question is regarding how you put the roll on the holder - if it spools from the top or the bottom.
Felicia: Over
Jo: Using your writer know-how, tell the readers how the first scary movie you ever saw made you feel and the title.
Felicia: I don’t do scary...I watched Halloween, the old, old version, when I was a young teen and it haunted me. My mom and brother stood in the yard and stared in my window like Michael Myers so that was it for me. No more scary movies. I don’t sleep if I watch them!
Jo: I wonder if that’s an author thing. I don’t watch them for the same reason! If there were such a thing as time-machines, tell me one thing you’d go back and change, and what effect you think it would have on everything that’s happened since then.
Felicia: I wouldn’t do this just because I have my daughter and I wouldn’t change that for anything...but I do wish I had majored in writing and kept with it after high school instead of worrying about a job that would make more money. Happiness is so much more important.
Jo: I agree. One last question! Tell us about the huge giveaway you’re having in December of this year.
Felicia: EEK! Megan Curd and I were just chatting away and she mentioned she wanted to do a Christmas giveaway. Well, I love holidays and think doing giveaways is soooo much more fun on them, so I told her I’d help. We asked the UTopYA authors if they’d be interested in donating and received a great response!! The 25 days of Giveaways starts December 1st, so keep a look out ;)
Jo: I’ll do that. I think Megan’s interview falls in that window of time so maybe she’ll shout it out! Well, that’s all the time we have for today. Any parting shots?
Felicia: Thank you, Jo!! Can’t wait to meet you next year! And if you read this, thank you! Come say hi on my Facebook or Twitter :)
I hope you all loved meeting author Felicia Tatum! She’ll be back next Monday with a guest post for you. I encourage you to come back again and say hi.
For her featured book this week, I give you The White Aura:
How do you live with the gut clenching truth that the one you love will die if you meet them? Twenty year old sorcerer Scott Tabors is learning how. After seeing seventeen year old Olivia Whitehead outside of a coffee shop, his heart will never be the same. He longs for her, he wants her, and he knows she will be his. They are heart mates. …but due to a curse on his family, he can’t meet her. Not yet. So for now, he visits her in her dreams. Her dreams where he can tell her everything but his name.
Olivia Whitehead is a typical junior in high school. She and her best friend are having the time of their lives, but she can’t help but notice the changes happening to her. Especially the changes in her heart after she begins dreaming about a mysterious dark haired young man. But what will happen when the school heartthrob decides he wants Olivia? Will she realize the dream man is real or will she move on?
Find the book here (FREE):
Follow Felicia on social media!
Enter Felicia’s giveaway here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I’m opening up the floor for questions. Ask away!
Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo
Synopsis: Korah Daniels has been through a lot in her nineteen years. Broken
hearts, abusive relationships, and horrid dates have caused her to doubt
love. When her friend talks her into attending the local frat house’s
Halloween party, will she find the one person who can change her outlook
on life?
