I invited my friend Tammy to visit everyone here on the blog. If you’ve ever met her, she’s what my grandmother would call “a hoot.” Her humor – as the nickname suggests – is her most obvious personality trait and sets her apart as a joyful, lovely person. Her desire to help others succeed is truly remarkable.

Be sure to check out Launch that Book if you’re a writer or know a writer. It makes a great gift or valuable resource on your bookshelf. I promise, writers will access it again and again as they prepare to launch their books – it contains golden advice and proven methods. As a member of her launch team for this book, I promise, everything in there can be adapted by any author to use for their particular needs/time constraints regarding their own book launches.

Welcome, Tammy! Let’s dive in.

1. Why did you write this book?

With so many years of participating on launch teams, it felt right helping other authors with their launch teams, especially those that had never even been on a launch team to know what to expect. Then over six years ago, a couple different friends kept telling me I should start a business doing the launches. I laughed, charge to do what’s so fun? So, The Launch Team Geek was launched! From that, I began teaching my process over three-day-class sessions and loved it! At one point I told my hubby, I love teaching this process so much, but I’ll never be able to go to all the conferences to teach it – nor can I do everyone’s launch session for them either. I think I’ll write a book and share my entire process so anyone can learn how and thus take the stress of not knowing where to start for a launch or any of the process for that matter. I took my class notes, which were oddly in outline form (I hate outlines!!) and expanded on those just like I did in class, but of course now had more time – aka pages – to be able to add in all the stuff! I didn’t pitch the book, a publisher asked for it through someone who had told them about what I was writing.

2. What was the most difficult section to complete?

For me the book was easy to do. The part I tripped over was the part about the timeline for a launch. It was hard to explain that it can or may have to be flexible depending on where you start in your launch session. Also, If you’re going to add in drawings or extra requests – where do you want to build those in. I wanted something for folks to get “the idea” but to encourage them to make it fit their schedule. I debated whether to put it in the book or not, but it came down to the point that I felt the author should at least have an example to look at to understand where everything folds in together. It did give me pause a few times—should I put it in or not?

3. Have you always wanted to write nonfiction, or was this book a surprise to you?

Not a surprise at all. I have a couple nonfiction books in my Scrivener files I play with. However, the last six plus years I’ve been playing with a fiction three-book series and a couple of stand-alone stories that have my attention! But writing Launch that Book at the time I did wasn’t really planned over a long period of time. At the end of  February 2023, I was talking to a friend and it went like this:  “Hey, I was thinking of writing my whole launch process into a book to help authors.” She smiled and said, “Oh you were, were you? If you’re serious, I know somebody who’d take it now to publish it.” I laughed but raised an eyebrow, “Really?” “Yep, tell me when you’ve made up your mind and I’ll see what they say for sure.” I said, “I’m doing it no matter what, even self-pub.” Four days later she called me and said, “I have an offer for you, they want to know if you could have the book done and to them by August 1 for an October publish?” “Do you mean this August and October or next year in 2024?” “Nope, they want it this summer and release it in October.” I had never heard of any book be taken and published that fast before, so I said, “I’ll do it.” 

4. If you also write fiction, what was more or less challenging about nonfiction writing?

The challenge was remembering that in nonfiction I can “TELL” the reader what I’m trying to say! And I can use an exclamation point, too! HaHaHa! I can give more detail or backstory, so to speak, to make the instructions clear. We don’t have to write so tight. Obviously, we still shouldn’t dribble on, but there’s some grace in there for explaining with the amount of words necessary. 

5. Do you have any non-negotiable when it comes to your writing process? If so, what are they?

My non-negotiables are pretty simple. I write my piece then read through it. Then either later that day or the next day after it’s simmered a bit, I read it again and make any tweaks I think it needs. Then read it a third time before I send it off. The second thing is leaving my phone away from me and any computer notifications off so I’m not distracted. I can flip my head looking at that squirrel in a New York minute and know that about myself, so I just keep those off and away. Next, I always have music playing while I’m writing. What I play depends on my mood or could depend on the piece I’m writing, too. And the last thing is I have tea, iced or hot nearby. I’ll also have lifesavers if it’s a long writing stint—I don’t like chocolate, so when people think all writers eat chocolate while they write – I’m the weirdo that does not! Fun fact, James Hannibal and I were laughing that we both love having lifesavers within reach while writing! Every year since I was little, my mom put one of those lifesaver books in my stocking. When my mom went into a nursing home, my daughter was an adult and remembered I mentioned that will have to stay in my memories, and picked up the tradition. Yep, got my lifesaver book in my stocking this year again. Kiddo’s been doing it since 2009. 

Connect with Tammy on her website and subscribe to her newsletter.

Tammy uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, is the driving force of her passion to always encourage and inspire others and give them The Reasonto smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a Tickled Pink life as she believes there is always a giggle wanting to come out! And desires that for others as well.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know my friend. Join me as an Insider by subscribing to my newsletter and find a community of readers who enjoy kisses-only, faith-filled fiction. Until next time, may your journey be filled with tales of discovery, hope, and horses! Que te vayas con Dios! Go with God.