Lissette E. Manning

Hi, T. D. Welcome to my blog. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us.

 

Would you take a moment and introduce yourself to us?

My name is Teresa D. Jones and I write under the pen name T.D. Jones. I work full time at a hospital here in Odessa and write every chance I get in my off time. I write romance. family drama & mystery all with humor sprinkled throughout my stories.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been ‘closet writing’ forever but just in the past two years I decided it was time to get serious about my dream. So I started writing and sending out stories and six books contracted later, I’m glad to say my dream has come true.

Can you tell us a little more about Coming Up For Air?

It is a sweet romance about Maggie Dawson and Kevin Walker who couldn’t seem to get love right the first time. They just might give it another chance if their hearts will let them.

How did you come up with the idea for the story?

Maggie came to me one day and started telling me about how Kevin had done her wrong and I couldn’t seem to get rid of her until I wrote her story.

What type of research did you do for the book?

The only research I needed for this story was to pull things from my past about what it’s like to love and lose. We’ve all been through that sometime in our lives and know it can rip your heart out but it’s funny the heart has a way of mending when the right guy comes along.

I see that you enjoy writing Family Drama, Romance, and Humor stories. Of the three, which is your favorite genre to write for?

I think I love writing family drama with comedy of course. I love the interaction between family and friends. I like to show that we all have problems but it all works out when we let it.

Have you experimented with writing for other genres? If so, what kind?

I’m planning a time travel book with three other authors and that will be new to me. The gals gave me the section that involves present time because I think they know I barely know where I’m at day to day much less putting me in the past or future.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you can tell us about?

I have a Tootles McGee Mystery Series I’m working on. Tootles, is a retired school teacher who belongs to a local book club which always seem to be in the middle of the local crime. Tootle is known about town for her bourbon soaked fruit cakes. This is a fun mystery I’m having a blast writing. No publisher yet but I know Tootles will find her way to being a book someday.

Do you have any favorite music to listen to while writing?

I don’t listen to music a lot while writing. It’s not that I need the peace and quiet to write, it’s just not something I do. If I do turn on anything it will be Fleetwood Mac or George Strait.  You can’t go wrong with those two.

What’s your best time to write?

3am. That seems to be my most productive time so I get up at 3 and drink coffee and write. I’m pretty wired time I get to the hospital at 8am but hey at least I got some writing in.

When coming up with new material, do you draw inspiration from the environment around you? How does that impact what you’re trying to write?

I’m always listening to people talk about how they feel about things and the way they use words. I’ve always got little notes stuck places from things that I liked the way it was said or something that might make a good topic. My thing I seem to be interested in now is what people do for a living. So right now I guess you could say I collect professions.

Do you have any recommendations for books that you think the blog’s readers may enjoy?

There are so many I couldn’t list them all. I think the best thing to do is scan my publishers list.

Melange-Books

XoXo Publishing

New Dawning Book Fair

All these publishers have books all the way from sweet to spicy and all different kinds of genres for everyone.

Do you outline your stories or do you go with the flow and see where it takes you?

When I first started I just wrote. But has more books have come on and I seem to be working on at least three at a time, I do now make a simple outline so I don’t lose my direction. I’m not one that likes it to be a straight forward outline. I want the creative muse in me to do most of the work so I want to make sure I’m never trapped in the outline box with boundaries so tight I can’t add other things that come up.

Do you have any tips, or thoughts, that you would like to offer to the blog’s readers?

Never give up on dreams. They are what keeps us going when our daily lives get rough. Coming Up For Air was my first book I wrote and it got rejected a few times. I put it in a drawer and wrote Hot Days and that one sold. Three books later I pulled Coming Up For Air out of the drawer and worked on the problems and sent it out again, it sold.

So remember your dream might not happen the first time around but if you really want it, keep trying it will happen.

 

Thank you so much for the interview, T.D. I hope my reader’s have enjoyed learning more about you. I look forward to more of your work. Best of success always.

 

 

Synopsis: Maggie Dawson was left at the altar at the young age of eighteen. Now years later Kevin Walker is back in town and Maggie’s life is turned upside down. She is determined not to fall in love with this guy for a second time. He broke her heart once, she is not letting him do it again or is she?

Kevin Walker comes back to Clover, Texas to sell the family ranch and never expects to run into Maggie, who is now the town doctor. He starts to fall in love with her again, but will she let him in?

Maggie always had a secret thought deep down in her heart that someday Kevin would come back to her. He would say he was sorry for leaving, and everything would be wonderful. They would live happily ever after like in the fairy tales. Never in the fairy tale did she dream that her prince would come back to town, and bring his pregnant fiancée with him.

 

 

About The Author:

I’m a West Texas girl and wouldn’t have it any other way. I love to see the blue sky and all the open space. At night you can walk out and see stars for miles. There’s nothing like sitting on a porch and watching the Texas sky on a warm, summer night.

I’ve always dreamed of becoming a published writer and finally decided two years ago I was either going to make my dream come true or give it up. Luckily Melange-books decided I was worth giving a chance and published Hot Days. My dreams seem to becoming more of a reality since I will have my second story published in July 2011 and more to come out soon.

I love writing about characters who aren’t perfect. They have problems and have to figure out ways to make their life better. Humor is sprinkled throughout my stories. It always surprises me that I’m able to write humor because I don’t really find myself funny. I’m known to worry about things and stress out easy so maybe that’s why I love writing humor, at least my characters are having fun!

Writing feeds my soul and I want to do it forever. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I love writing them.

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