Interview + Giveaway with Marie Tang

 What is your writing schedule like?

I hate to admit it, but it’s chaotic! With my first book out in the world, I now have 1001 ideas swimming around my head on how to promote it, all while thinking of what my next book might be. So when I’m not working my part-time gig at the senior center, helping my husband market his business, or trying to feed my teenager and her friends who always seem hungry, I am writing. If it’s not a new manuscript idea, it’s a blog post, a letter to a school, or an email request to friends to suggest my book at the library. Sometimes I’m updating my bio or writing content for the website updates I need to make. All and all, I am writing. It’s just not part of a schedule that I would eventually like to have. The one thing that I have been doing regularly is meeting (virtually) with a lady out in Cincinnati whom I met by chance during an online writing course. We spend an hour and a half 3 days a week working on our Middle Grade novels. I’m always telling her how grateful I am that she reached out to this introvert and got me on this schedule. Without it, I wouldn’t have the first draft of an MG novel to talk about!

 

What has been the most thrilling part of being published?

You know that book “The Secret” that talks about willing something to be? I feel like I willed being published to be. I don’t think I ever said it out loud the way I do now with my affirmations, but for years I would repeat in my head, “I will be a published author, I will be a published author…” It was thrilling to see that come to fruition (not without a lot of work and perseverance along the way of course).

 

The other thrilling thing is hearing and watching children react to my book. As a former teacher, I’ve always been tickled when a child reacts to a funny or sad, or scary emotion in a book. It’s a magical thing to witness and I feel honored when I hear a child has made a connection to my story.

 

What do you think makes a good book?

For me, a good book is all about the characters and how they move throughout the story. I love trying to guess how a character is going to react in a scene and what they’ll do next. This to me makes the book worth reading. I am also a big comedy fan so if a story has humor and heart, it grabs my attention.

 

How long does it take you to write a book?

I’ve been mainly focused on picture books. I would say it takes me an average of twelve revisions before I feel good about submitting to it my agent (although I’ve come out of my shell a little lately and tested sending something on revision 2 or 3, hehe) I tend to have lots of initial theme ideas too but those pretty much stay in my head until a second spark causes me to realize the potential for a story and there is no telling when that happens.

 

What's one thing you can't live without?

I’m going to give a corny answer here, but I couldn’t live without books. I didn’t truly discover reading until I was pretty much an adult. English was my second language and throughout grade school, I was turned off by the way recommended reading was presented to us. I also didn’t have the support I needed to love reading. That changed in my sophomore year of college. I fell head over heels for Harry Potter and my joy of reading began! I don’t stop reading now. It helps me in so many ways. I read everything from business books, to self-help, to children’s books, and all varieties of fiction. I usually have 3 to 4 books lying around that I’m reading at the same time at different times of the day.

 

Fun Facts:

Coffee or tea? BOTH! Coffee in the morning, tea at night.

Morning or night? Morning

Rivers or oceans? Rivers

White wine or red? Red

Champagne or liquor? Liquor

Cupcakes or ice cream? Ice cream

Laptop or desktop? Laptop

Casual or couture? Couture

Ponytail or headband? Ponytail

Shower or bath? Bath

Summer or winter? Summer

Motorcycle or bicycle? Motorcycle

About Marie

Marie Tang was born in Hong Kong, raised in New York City, and lived in Shanghai for more than a decade. The unique characters and neon lights of “The Big City” have been an ever-present source of inspiration for her. She proudly tells the tales of the grit, tenacity, and compassion of the Asian people. She is the author of YUNA’S CARDBOARD CASTLES, with three more books releasing the coming years.

* * * GIVEAWAY! * * *

Click HERE to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win:

- a signed copy of Yuna's Cardboard Castles

- a pair of origami earrings

* * * Connect with Marie * * *

Website: https://www.marie-tang.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marietangauthor/