Interview With Author Tshiamo Mphahlele
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a university student studying accounting sciences (CA stream) and I’ve been writing since I was 16. So far, I’ve written two books.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Pains of Guilt and it’s book 2 of Winning the Alpha’s Heart. It’s inspired by single mothers. And it’ll be released on the 1st of Jan 2023
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Whenever I have an idea I can use later in the story, I go to OneNote or PureWriter and write a short heading and type the idea under it. When I’m working on a chapter and I don’t know what to write next, I type or write INSERT in a new line and then carry on with the rest of the chapter and it usually takes days or even weeks for me to come with good ideas to replace the INSERT. I alternate between writing notes in a notebook and on my laptop or phone. Whenever I have an idea and can’t immediately access my notebook or laptop, I type it on my phone. With regard to notebooks, ideas come easier when I’m using spiral-bound notebooks. I have a dictionary app on my phone for the sole purpose of my writing (I mainly use the thesaurus feature) but I switched to installing it on my laptop. I prefer using dark mode on whatever writing tool I’m using. I like working on multiple stories at once (I’ll have two or three windows open on my PC)
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on Deceitful Relations.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I believe TikTok has been the most effective platform so far. I get more engagement on it compared to other methods or platforms.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s ok to take your time in finishing a book (it took me two years to finish my second book). Writer’s block is normal and it’ll go away (at some point). If you have an idea, write it down somewhere because there’s a huge chance you’ll forget about it. Sometimes, one like or good review is enough to make your day and whenever you feel inadequate, just remember that one like or good review is proof that you are good enough.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
A fellow author on TikTok told me to just go for it. You never know what might happen 🙂
What are you reading now?
It’s between my kindle and me 😉
What’s next for you as a writer?
After finishing Deceitful Relations, I have book 3 of Winning the Alpha’s Heart to work on.
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?
I doubt I’d even make it to the island because of my indecisiveness. This year alone, I have over 100 books added to my kindle library and I highly doubt I’d be able to choose just 3 or 4.
Author Websites and Profiles
Tshiamo Mphahlele Amazon Profile
Tshiamo Mphahlele Author Profile on Smashwords
Tshiamo Mphahlele’s Social Media Links