Interview With Author Charlene Tess
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
TTess Thompson is a pen name for two sisters who live 1400 miles apart. Charlene Tess and Judi Thompson combined their two last names into a pseudonym when they began writing novels as a team in 2002. Judi lives with her husband, Roger in Houston, Texas. She is a retired supervisor for special education at a local school district. Charlene is a writing teacher and a novelist. She writes educational materials for TeachersPayTeachers.com. She lives in Colorado with her husband, Jerry.
The sisters have written 21 novels together, and each has published separate titles, as well.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Angel’s Heart is our latest novel. It was inspired by a brainstorming session between the two sisters, who thought that a story featuring an adopted child would be a good one to write. It evolved into a wonderful story with a dog, an emergency veterinarian, a baseball player, an adopted child, and a sweet romance. What’s not to like? Our readers are happy.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Judi lives in Texas and Charlene lives in Colorado., so we co-write our books using our cell phones, text messages, and emails. We store our work in DropBox where we can both access it.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
We are both voracious readers, and both of us enjoy mystery and suspense novels that have romance in them.
What are you working on now?
We are about five chapters into Book 9 in the Angel Falls Series. This series is set in the fictional New Mexico town of Angel Falls, and the characters are connected. Each book can be read as a standalone, but favorite characters reappear.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
We connect with our readers on our Facebook Page, Goodreads Pages, and with our newsletter.
https://www.facebook.com/SistersWritingCrime
https://www.goodreads.com/charlenetess
http://eepurl.com/bySfx5 (newsletter)
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read everything you can in the genre you plan to write. Join writers’ groups, attend conferences, and connect with other writers on social media.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Our parents told us to treat others as we wish to be treated. That advice has served us well all our lives.
What are you reading now?
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
What’s next for you as a writer?
We will extend each of our series with a new book as often as possible.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Impossible to answer.
Author Websites and Profiles
Charlene Tess’s Social Media Links