Welcome To The North Texas Romance Writers of America Website.

NTRWA April 2006 Spotlight On...

TARA WALDIE
by Gina Nelson

After finding out a little more about our friendly, hard-working NTRWA Treasurer, I decided to count my blessings and never, ever moan about not having enough time to write again!

Good morning, Tara. Tell us a little bit of your background, where you went to school, how long you've been writing, stuff like that.

Let's see. First of all, I'm married to my high school sweetie and we have three wonderful children. I run a preschool from my house, so I pretty much have no contact with the outside world, except my poor critique partners and the characters I create in my head. Luckily, I've always been very good at talking to myself!

I've been writing unofficially all my life and officially since the end of 2000. That's when I sat down and wrote a 100,000 word futuristic in a couple of months and mailed it off to Avon. I just knew I'd be published immediately--it was the best story...with just one little problem. There was no (and I do mean NO) dialogue. I didn't know how to put everything in the proper order and just paragraphed every once in a while!

Needless to say, I really needed NT. I received the form rejection letter and immediately looked on the internet and found them. They had just started to hold the meeting in Grapevine...about 5 minutes from my house... and it seemed like a sign. I've made some of the best friends of my life here and learned so much about writing.

I am a very positive person and would love for everyone to just have more fun with their life and not dwell so much on the negative stuff. Life is a continuing process...we should all try not to miss out on all the wonderful things that are happening around us every day.

Too true. Where did you grow up and go to high school? If you’re not from North Texas, what brought you here?

I was born in Germany--my dad was in the military and my mom's a nurse and didn't want to miss out! I've been in Texas since I was 7. I lived in Irving and graduated from Irving High, which is where I met Chris while working at McD's my junior year.

Tell me about your critique partners.

I met Angi while we were working together on the Dreamin’ in Dallas conference about four or five years ago. (Oh my goodness, can it be that long already??!!) We hit it off right away and she is an amazing critique partner. Terri is a bit newer...about three and a half years ago when she first joined NT. Same thing...we hit it off immediately. All of us are at very different stages in our writing and it helps so much to get the other points of view.

I have been with other critique groups and I think the main thing is to be comfortable with each other. But, always remember the point is to write, and the group needs to help you, not just be your friends. You can be great friends with someone and have a lousy critique relationship with them. It just doesn't work sometimes.

Now, I'm writing a couple of mystery stories and have also completed a 'steamy hot' manuscript, which is sitting under the bed. That's the one I used to get my PRO pin. I didn't think the one with no dialog should count. LOL. Right now I am working on a couple of young adult stories. One of them is about werewolves. How's that for hopping around on subject matters?

Now, about werewolves. . . who's the hunky werewolf that inspired you to write this story, or was it a favorite author?

The werewolf is because I love Laurell K. Hamilton. Yes, I know, not much Young Adult inspiration in those! Anyway, I love the way Laurell has an alternate universe within our 'normal' everyday world. That's what I'm trying to accomplish with my YA.

Why Young Adult?

Hmmm... good question. I was writing steamy-hot like crazy and waiting for Harlequin to get back to me on the full they had requested, then it was like I needed a totally new direction. I mean really, steamy-hot love scenes and then suddenly I'm writing first crush/kiss scenes. It was so much fun again! All the excitement that young people have when they are looking at the world around them is very cool. Where else except jr. high and high school do you truly get to have archenemies and superheroes? Remember the guy that held your locker open and rolled his eyes after some evil kids tried to trip you between classes? LOL.

What do you struggle with as a writer?

Time! There is never enough of it to do the stuff I want/need to do. Right now it's a big struggle to find time to write. I have been very bad about it this last year and I am going to make it more of a priority.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Well, first of all it would have to be my family and friends. I am very blessed to have wonderful kids, a supportive husband and the very best of friends. I wouldn't make it through a single day without them! I am so very proud of all of them. As far as writing goes, it would have to be my PRO pin. It's a symbol that I can see and touch of what I want and what I am doing to accomplish my goal of being a published author.

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New to romance writing, Gina Lee Nelson is still working to complete her first manuscript, a tender romance set in NYC, her stomping ground for seven exhilarating years.