TAKEN BY STORM by Tamara Mataya

I featured Tamara Mataya last year, and I'm excited to announce that her new book, TAKEN BY STORM, will debut December 2.

Check out the pretty cover:

And here are Tamara's answers to some updated interview questions!

TAKEN BY STORM is a great title. Does it involve a peek at Malcolm and Jayne or will it showcase some newer characters?

Thank you! It's a new stand-alone. The blurb:

Leilani’s plan was simple: Return for her father’s wedding, housesit for the happy couple while they went on their honeymoon, then get the hell outta dodge. She’d thought the worst thing would be returning to the town she grew up in (and despised). She was wrong.

A flashflood hits the small town, stranding Firefighter, Ryan, and a few strangers at the local bar. Worst of all, Leilani, his old high school rival – and last night’s scorching one-night-stand – is one of the people stuck in the bar. With waters rising, they need to stick together and wait for rescue.

The power grid’s knocked out, and cell phones aren’t working.  When the others panic and leave, Leilani and Ryan are left alone in the dark. Fortunately, words aren’t necessary to keep the former rivals warm. But when they’re forced to leave their refuge, they must cooperate to navigate the flood ravaged town and reach safety.

Rising waters bring them closer together. Rising tempers might tear them apart.   

Definite intrigue! You write in multiple genres. What do you like most about each genre you write in, and what advice (if any) do you have for writers writing in multiple genres?

I like weaving serious issues into everything I write, but without being preachy about them. Bullying in The Best Laid Plans. Synaesthesia and coping in Just Breathe. Taken By Storm is based on what my town went through in the 2013 flash flood. Make Me (coming March 31/2015 from Random House) has two characters who have dealt with war torn countries and how those experiences have shaped them. I try to work substantive issues into everything I write.

Advice? You have to write what sells if you're looking at writing as a career. The book that got me my agent was an Urban Fantasy, but the market isn't looking at that from debut authors, so I switched focus to contemporary romance. There are books of our hearts that we need to write, but if you're looking at it from a career perspective, you have to look at what's selling. Or, bide your time until the market turns around. It always ebbs and flows. Will I write more spec fic? Damn right! But I have deals in contemporary romance right now. Writing in multiple genres can be tricky as well because you've got to focus on your brand. If you gain readers for a science fiction, those readers might not appreciate your sudden switch to erotic romance. My muse needs a bitch slap because I literally have ideas in all genres and categories. But, again, it's focusing on what's selling, and trying to keep to that brand.

Blending art and career is a really smart idea. I'm also interested in how you blend writing and library life. What are some of the challenges you face when managing your time?

My hours are part time and I have no kids. I'm lucky that way, in that I have more time to write. I don't know how many of my Critique Partners do it, especially those with multiple kids. They're frigging heroes in my book.

Mine too! Your Goodreads bio mentions that you are a musician with synaesthesia, which has been described as a merging of the senses. Does your music inform your writing, or vice versa?

It's a part of who I am, but I don't think one has much bearing on the other, except when it comes to listening to music while writing. If I haven't heard the song before, I can't write to it - I'm too focused on listening :)

Thanks Tamara, for another great interview!

To pre-order TAKEN BY STORM for yourself, feel free to click the link below: