Rose, your books are so well-loved! The reviews are great and the covers & titles are adorable. Congrats! How long have you been a professional novelist?
Thank you! I’ve been writing for five years. Well, I dabbled with writing for many years before that, but I didn’t become serious about it until five years ago. I put in a lot of long hours teaching myself the craft. I still learn new things every day. I read lots of books on the subject and put in 10-12 hours a day on writing, marketing, emails, etc. I’ve received a lot of rejections over the past five years, but I refused to let them stop me. The publishing business is very subjective as we all know.
Tell us about your latest projects.
My latest release is The Ghoul Next Door. It’s the third book in my Larue Donavan series. I’m working on the third book in my Rylie Cruz series, How to Date a Demon. [Now available.]
Where do Louisville/Southern Indiana readers know you from, outside of your books?
Probably nowhere. Ha-ha. I don’t go out much. I live with my husband and two small dogs. My son attends university in Philadelphia. In my free time, I enjoy reading, thrift stores/antiques, crafting, and checking out historic/haunted sites.
Who are your favorite writers from the local area?
There are so many great authors from Kentucky, it’s hard to pick. One of my all-time favorite books is Mysterious Kentucky by B.M. Nunnelly. If you haven’t read the book, you should check it out. Also, I enjoy Keven McQueen’s books. He writes about strange Kentucky too.
Tell us about your favorite bookstores/coffee shops/writing haunts. What makes them special? (If you don’t buy into the stereotype of the writer surrounded by books and coffee, then tell us more about where and how you write.)
There are no places that I frequent on a regular basis. I enjoy bookstores of course, although the number of stores is diminishing. One of my favorite places in Kentucky is Bardstown and I’ve based several locations in my books on the town. There’s something magical about the place. Bardstown was just named the Most Beautiful Small Town in the United States. I love the thought of sitting in a quaint coffee shop, pounding out the words. Unfortunately, I’m easily distracted. I write 2,000 words a day every day. I have a designated office space, but I like to move around. I write from bed, my office, sitting in the car—whenever I can squeeze it in.
What’s next on the writing slate, for you?
I have six series right now. So there’s always something to write. I have an agent now, so my fingers and toes are crossed that I’ll be able to add ‘traditionally published author’ to my title soon. I will continue my self-published series. I love being an indie author, but I’ve always had the goal of traditional publishing.
Rose, thanks for stopping by the Local Author Spotlight! Happy writing to you!
Readers, if you know an author who deserves to shine in the Local Author Spotlight, please get in touch. Either side of the river is fine–we speak Southern Indianaese, too! Books about relevant local subject matter are encouraged, as well. Email RedTashBooks@gmail.com and please put “LouisvilleKY.com Author Spotlight” in your email subject. Thanks!
Stay tuned for more local author news. I hope you’re discovering some fantastic new reads, from names new and old on the literary scene.
Leslea Tash is a Southern Indiana journalist-turned-novelist. Formerly known for a weekly national column on parenting and family life, she now writes dark fantasy like the 5 Star Amazon hit Troll Or Derby under the pen name Red Tash, and the holiday release Let it Snow! (all profits to benefit Hurricane Sandy relief). She always welcomes your feedback on this column on the LouisvilleKY.com site, on Facebook, on her websites or twitter.
