Today's Women of Knowledge & Empowerment focus is Author, J.B. Teller. She just finished her new book, No Alcohol Beyond This Point, a tale of two sisters who go on a road trip after a life-changing experience. Lots of music, soul-searching, misadventures, a Mini Cooper & a dog named Lone-Lee.
Follow her on Twitter and support this author's work. #StayWOKE!
~The Interview~
Who is J.B. Teller the person, not the writer?
"I generally don’t like to talk about myself. I’m shy in that sense, but here you go…I believe in kindness, if you have more than you need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence. My family and friends are everything to me. I have never met a stranger. I'm quick with a joke and I’d rather be optimistic than pessimistic. My heart is bigger than Texas. If you met me in the street, I’d be the one to invite you over for tea or the first one to include you at a dinner party. On any given night, you could easily find me dancing barefoot in my kitchen to Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic. Or grabbing the world by the seat of the pants and jumping right into any new adventure."
Now, tell us who J.B. Teller the author is?
"J.B. Teller the writer is much like J.B. Teller the person. As a writer, my goal is to take people on adventures that make them search their souls while laughing hysterically."
What made you want to start writing?
"Originally, I started writing to put on paper my adventures with my sister. One day, it took a turn and I was writing a full-blown novel, still built around our shenanigans."
How did you decide on Romantic Comedy?
"Romantic comedy chose me. When I first started, I was just writing down some of the misadventures my sister and I had been on. It just evolved into a romantic comedy. The story wrote itself, I just happened to be at the keyboard as they say. Please don’t ask me who “they” are."
Are your books animated?
"No, but imagining our adventures in an animated series makes me belly laugh."
What is the hardest part of writing a romantic comedy?
"For me, there isn’t a hard part, but if I had to pick something, editing is the least fun, but please don’t tell my editor. If he asks, tell him, “I love editing! Editing! Yippee!”
What techniques do you use to start and finish a book?
"First, I treat it as my job. Even if you aren’t published, you need to treat it as a job. Otherwise, how else are you going to get published? I set hours, and I stick to them. I usually write from 7:15 a.m. to noon. Sometimes I will go longer if I'm on a roll. My usual daily goal is 1200 words. I write timeline goals and I stick to them. I will generally start with a rough outline, doing so allows me the freedom to skip around. For example, if I'm not feeling inspired to write one part, I can work on another."
Tell us about the first time you were published. What were the feelings and experiences?
"The first time I was published was back in high school. However, this year is the first year I will be published as an adult."
Do you have a good support system and is that important for writers who often need solitude to be creative?
"I have a wonderful support system. My family and friends are my inspiration and support. They give me endless hours of good laughs and a great place to bounce ideas off of. I don't necessarily need solitude to be creative. I sometimes do my best writing people watching and listening to the regulars at my local coffee shop."
Who are your favorite and most inspiring authors?
"Sophie Kinsella is my all-time favorite. I remember the very first time I discovered her, I was looking for something to listen to while doing yard work. I picked, Can You Keep a Secret. The very first chapter had me laughing, and I was hooked. I didn't want to stop listening. I must have done at least 5 hours of yard work just so I could listen more."
Who do you write for? Who is your ideal reader?
"I often think about who my ideal reader would be. I would say my ideal reader would be women in their 20- 40’s. However, I think my current novel is well rounded enough that women well into their 70’s could and would enjoy. Who doesn't like an off the wall light-hearted adventure?"
How do you develop your characters?
"This is a great question! My characters are loosely based on people I know and/or have run into…you know who you are! For me, this is a very personal question and I take great pains creating and describing characters my readers can know and enjoy. In the end, my goal is to create characters that you cry with, laugh with and soar with through their journey."
What advice would you give to aspiring and even published authors?
"As I said before, but believe it warrants saying again, once you decide to write, treat it like a job. Don’t let others interrupt you or tell you what you are doing isn’t important. Don’t let people run away with your time. Know your value, pick a goal and face forward. Don’t get discouraged. Write because you love it, don’t write with the goal of becoming instantly rich, or immediately successful. If you do that you will never be disappointed."
Where can we find you online?
"You can find me on instagram at http://instagram.com/jbrteller , Twitter at @JBTeller1 and on Facebook at J.B. Teller. You could also reach me at jbrteller@gmail.com"