Good Morning Bibliophiles and Book Nerds,

I’m back again with another Meet the Author post. Can’t get much better than that, right This time around I’m having a digital sit down with author Tiffany Renee Harmon.

Tiffany has been featured in a number of poetry anthologies and even has a great short story out.

I actually ran into Tiffany here on WordPress while I was looking to connect with fellow authors and writers. When I learned she had a short story out, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to get to know her better.

All right, let’s get into this interview!

Tiffany Renee Harmon

Bio:

Tiffany Renee Harmon is a writer and editor based out of Cincinnati, OH. She has an MFA in Writing – Fiction from Lindenwood University and works for a public library. When she’s not working or writing, she’s probably knitting or watching reality TV.

The Interview

Hi Tiffany, thanks so much for stopping by. To keep things interesting, I like to ask my interviewees a random question to get the blood flowing. Here’s yours!

You’re in an amusement park. Which ride do you get on? 

I absolutely love amusement parks, so I’d have to get on as many rides as possible. I’m fortunate to live close to King’s Island and we’re getting our first gigacoaster this spring which has me beyond excited. In any theoretical amusement park, I’d be racing to the biggest roller coaster first. 

Me too! I can never get enough of roller coasters or spinny rides. You’re lucky to live near an amusement park, I actually do too! Worlds of Fun (our version of King’s Island) is about fifteen or twenty minutes away. 

When you mentioned the gigacoaster, I had to look it up. The Orion Roller looks absolutely terrifying! You’ll have to tell me how it is when you go!

Tiffany and the Writing Process

For starters, tell us a little bit about your writing.

I write mostly horror – I’ve always been really attracted to dark things. However, lately I’ve been dabbling in mystery and have even tried a bit of romance. I mostly just write short stories right now, but I’ve always hoped to one day get a novel published.

Hey, you’re preaching to the choir! I’ve always had a thing for darker subject matter. That’s great that you’re thinking outside of the box with your writing and exploring other possibilities. I myself plan on hopping genres quite a bit in the future, though always with a tinge of darkness. 

Best of luck on getting a novel published, I know you can do it!

How do you find inspiration to write?  

For me, writing has always been an outlet for escapism. When I’m writing (or even just reading), my goal is to feel transported to somewhere less mundane than my real life. 

Are we twins? Holy moly, that’s exactly how I feel. I can have a really tough time coping with reality, and in the past year or so I find that I need to escape more and more often from real life. Writing is a perfect way to do just that. I’ve always wanted to go on a crazy epic adventure, save the world, or defeat literal demons. 

I always find it interesting how authors and bloggers alike lead multiple lives. What is your dayjob? Do you enjoy it?

I’ve been working in various roles at a public library since high school. Right now, I’m the office manager, so I do a lot of schedules, statistics, and new employee training. I really enjoy my job – it’s great working around books and meeting so many new people each day, but my very favorite thing is that I get to do storytimes and other programming for adults with developmental disabilities. 

Oh wow, that’s amazing! Working at a library has always been a dream of mine, the hardest part being that my local library is hiring part time but I have no time to give them. 

I’m glad your dayjob truly makes you happy and that you get to make a real difference doing what you do. That’s a really great feeling.

How long have you been writing? 

 I have been writing since I could hold a pencil. The first story I remember writing was when I was 5 or 6. It was about a girl who gets lost and is hunted by a vampire until a balloon-shaped ghost leads her to safety. I also illustrated it and made my parents staple it together. While my writing has improved since then, regrettably my illustrations are about the same.

Same here! As early as elementary school I was writing terrible supernatural stories about me and my best friends. 

Don’t worry, my illustration skills are extremely rusty. I used to sketch a lot, but haven’t done so in at least ten years. Stick figures it is for me! 

Are you working on any projects at the moment?

Yes, I’m working on a few larger projects right now that I hope to complete in 2020. The first is a horror novel based on a local legend: Satan’s Hollow. Allegedly, this abandoned storm drain was once used for local occult rituals.

I’m also working on an essay collection about horror films. The focal point is the theme of motherhood in horror and how it relates to both villains and victims. 

One other project is a Christmas romance novella. Writing romance is very new to me, but I’ve recently felt inspired to give it a try – maybe I just watch too many Hallmark movies this time of year. 

Oh wow, that’s super exciting! Satan’s Hollow and your essay collection sound right up my alley. I’ve watched so many horror films, and hearing your prerogative on motherhood and how it relates across the board sounds interesting. 

The romance novella sounds great too. I’m actually a sucker for Hallmark movies around this time of year myself, just don’t tell anyone my secret!

What do you find most challenging about blogging?

I think that sometimes I struggle with finding confidence in what I have to say. I love to blog about movies and books that have meant something to me, but sometimes I just fear that I shouldn’t because I’m not sure I’m bringing anything new to the blogosphere. But when those thoughts creep in, I try to remind myself that I’m really just blogging for fun and to hopefully meet cool new people who have similar interests. So, I try not to take myself too seriously when I’m blogging now. 

Yeah, totally. It can be hard finding that confidence with every post, but just being yourself seems to be a good rule of thumb around WordPress and other blogging sites. I really like that you don’t take yourself too seriously. I tend to be a total goofball most of the time. 

What are some of the challenges you face as a writer?

Self-doubt is definitely my biggest challenge. I think that all writers struggle with it to a certain extent. It’s hard to be vulnerable and endure lots of rejection, but in the end, writers write because we have some primal urge to create. It’s all subjective in the end, so it’s important to keep going if that’s something inside you. 

Time management can also be difficult. When I was younger, I had so much more spare time to write. I know I shouldn’t complain – I’m not in a relationship and I don’t have children, so I know I still have a generous amount of time for writing. But it’s hard to prioritize sometimes. 

Oh my gosh, tell me about it! It takes a super thick skin to be a writer, either that or not looking at your reviews. I just came out with my first novel this year, so it’s been a really hard transition, and there’s really no how-to guide. You’re totally right. If writing really is a thing someone is serious about, then they’ll continue regardless of all the cons inherent. 

Time is definitely my biggest enemy, so I definitely relate to you on that too. I’m single and don’t have kids either, but still maybe manage to get a good hour and a half of writing in per day, sometimes less. The world is such a busy place these days!

Fun Facts About Tiffany

Could you tell us a couple fun facts about you?

1. I’m a certified makeup artist – at one point, I had hoped to do special effects makeup, but instead I have only done bridal and special occasion makeup.
2. I have never had a cavity (I hope admitting this doesn’t jinx me!) 
3. I don’t know how to ride a bicycle. 

Oh wow, very interesting things! 

I’m a typical guy, terrible at makeup. I’ve had a number of cavities due to my insatiable sweet tooth (candy is my weakness on a daily basis!). 

That’s crazy you’ve never learned to ride a bike, but in your defense I’ve always been more of a rollerblading guy myself. 

Pancakes or waffles?

Can I have both? I’m currently dieting pretty restrictively since I’m in a wedding this month, so literally any carb sounds like absolute heaven. 

LOL! You can definitely have both! I won’t tell a soul! 

Are pineapples on pizza blasphemy or no?

Absolute blasphemy! I can’t do any foods that combine sweet and salty. 

Haha, thank you! I personally don’t mind certain combinations of sweet and salty, but pizza is not one of them. Those granola bars with sweet and savory flavors seem to be the main way I combine those tastes together. 

If you could meet anyone who ever lived, past or present, who would that be? 

I would definitely choose to meet Henry Cavill because he is my celebrity crush! However, I’d probably be too shy to actually speak to him. 

Oh my gosh, he is such a dreamboat! 

My celebrity crush would be Ewan McGregor, and I would probably be too shy or just start blabbing at him uncontrollably. 

What are your favorite tv shows and movies? 

I have eclectic tastes when it comes to TV. I love shows like Supernatural and American Horror Story, but I will also watch literally anything on Bravo, especially the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. As far as movies go, I mostly just watch horror – I love the Conjuring and Paranormal Activity Franchises. 

Those are definitely some eclectic picks, but I am right there with you. I like variety in my tv and movie watches. Sometimes I wanna be terrified with something like AHS or Marianne, and then sometimes I just want to laugh or watch something dumb like South Park or Family Guy. 

Yes! The Conjuring franchise is one of my faves for sure! 

If you were a tree, what kind would you be and why?

I would be a bonsai tree because I’m really short.

Haha, then I’ll take one of the redwoods because I’m pretty tall. And I have red hair haha. 

What did you read as a kid? What stuck with you the most?

I was so obsessed with the Goosebumps books as a kid! Every time we went on a vacation, I had to stock up.

Yes! OMG Goosebumps was a large part of my childhood, and I was totally hooked. I remember not all of them being great, but there really were some good stories in that series. I plan on re-reading them sometime next year if I can get through Animorphs faster somehow.

Tiffany and Her Works

Tell us about your new book! 

The book I’m working on now is all about Satan’s Hollow – a place in Blue Ash, OH that has long been mired in rumors. Legend has it that there have been shadow people spotted in the area after some pretty tragic occult rituals. Local police departments have disputed any such activity and say nothing worse than vandalism has happened in this abandoned storm drain. My story is about a group of film students who do a project on the area and get much more than they bargained for. 

Oh my! This sounds like a terrifying tale for sure. There’s something about urban legends and local tales of folklore that really speak to me. I can’t wait to give it a read once it’s available!

What inspired you to write this book in particular? Is it part of a series? 

When I heard about Satan’s Hollow, I was really interested in the rumors. That part of town is quite nice – not the sort of place where you’d expect occult activity. I guess I just let my imagination wander. At this point, I’m fairly certain it will be a standalone and not part of a larger series. 

The fact that it doesn’t appear to be the sort of place for occult activity makes it even more interesting personally, and I can see why you were so intrigued. 

All right, Tiffany. It looks like our time is up. Behind you go, can you tell us what other projects you have in store for the world to see in the future? Is there anything you can share with us?

I have lots of short horror stories being shopped around right now – hopefully, more of them find homes soon!

Oh, that’s great to hear! Definitely feel free to give me a heads up should they find a loving home and I’d be happy to spread the word!

That’s a Wrap!

All righty book worms, that wraps up my interview with Tiffany Renee Harmon. I had a great time chatting it up and getting to know her, and I hope you enjoyed the experience too!

If you’d like to learn more about Tiffany and her work, she can be reached at the social media links provided below.

Thank you for stopping by, and have a great day!

Social Media Links

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter

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