Author Interview with Emily Mah Tippetts

Hi Emily, first of all, could you tell us a bit about yourself.

Certainly. My name is Emily Mah Tippetts - Mah is my maiden name and is Chinese for "horse", while Tippetts is my married name (and I gather is an old word for "tie-maker"). I began my writing career as Emily Mah in science fiction and fantasy and attended the Clarion West Writer's Workshop back in 2001. Since then I've sold several short stories to magazines like Analog Science Fiction and Fact and Black Gate. In 2008, I decided to try my hand at romance/chick lit and did this under the name E.M. Tippetts. I published one novel with a small press, then in 2011 decided to try indie publishing. Because Emily Mah had the beginnings of a respectable, traditional career, I did this as E.M. Tippetts and put out two chick lit books. A year later, I make a lot more money as E.M. Tippetts and that's the pen name that's received most of my energies lately. I'll answer the rest of these interview questions as E.M. Tippetts, the chick lit/ya writer.

What do you think makes your genre special?

The demands of being relatable to women from all different backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles, coupled with having to take your audience to new places. It isn't an easy genre to work in, I don't think.

What do you think makes a great story?

Relatable characters. I've noticed that people will follow the characters they love just about anywhere and through anything.

What is your latest book called and could you explain to us in 20 words what it is about?

Nobody's Damsel is the sequel to Someone Else's Fairytale, so let me give you the synopsis for Fairytale:

Hollywood A-lister, Jason Vanderholt, falls for everygirl Chloe Winters, who isn't into movie stars and doesn't believe in fairytales.

 

Which kind of reader do you think will enjoy your book?

Someone looking for an upbeat read full of ironic silliness. The book isn't all fluff and absurdity, but even when dealing with serious issues, the tone is light.

Is it a Standalone, or part of the series? If it the latter, how long do you think will it go on?

Yes, this is a series, and it will go on as long as fans are interested. Nobody's Damsel, which follows Chloe on her first case as a forensic scientist is out, and a third book, The Hunt for the Big Bad Wolf, will be out later in 2013. While Fairytale was entirely a romance, the sequels will have elements of mystery and police procedural, mixed with Hollywood glamor.

What influenced or inspired you writing it?

When the idea came to me of a woman who gets hit on my a guy everyone else dreams of being with, it was too funny for me to ignore. It's like being flirted with by the most popular guy in school, amped up to the extreme. Chloe hasn't got a friend in the world willing to talk about why she has reservations about Jason Vanderholt. Everyone else thinks she's nuts for hesitating. There's even a scene in which Jason shows up on her doorstep to spoon feed her ice cream, which is a daydream other women have all the time, but for Chloe it's awkward. She barely knows the guy and hasn't bothered to watch most of his movies.

Why did you choose especially this title? Was it your first choice?

The title for Someone Else's Fairytale is pretty straightforward. It's the central concept of the plot. When coming up with sequel titles, I wanted to stay with the fairytale theme, but continue to convey that for the main character, happily ever after is a very hard sell.

What was the hardest part for you working on your book?

I wrote Fairytale at a time when I didn't see any chance of publishing it, so I basically just wrote it for me. Chick lit just wasn't selling enough for publishers to be interested in a new voice. For Damsel, the challenge was getting over the hype created by Fairytale, which sold very well and garnered me the beginnings of a fanbase. I didn't want to let any of them down, but I also knew that caring too much about other people's opinions would ruin the book.

Was there a scene that you didn’t want to add or remove in your finished work?

Steamy sex scenes; a lot of indie romance (and perhaps all romance, I wouldn't know) has strong erotic elements, and while I don't have anything against erotica per se, it isn't what I care to write. I'm more interested in the emotional aspects of love instead of the physical details. Some romance to me reads almost like a nature documentary, with all the detailed description of mating habits.

Do you already know what to do next?

Yes, I'm writing another sequel to my YA contemporary novel, Castles on the Sand. It is entitled, Personal Demons. These books take place in the fictitious town of Pelican Bluffs, on the northern California coast and my main character, Madison, is a girl with a heart of pure gold, which makes her the target for users. She's got to find a way to protect herself without losing herself in the process.

Where can we find more about you and your books?

My website is www.emtippetts.com 

Any last words?

Just a sincere thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions!

Nobody's Damsel

Chloe and Jason are back in Albuquerque for her new job as a forensic scientist with the Albuquerque Police Department, only, her first case is a crime against a child.

Back when she was a childhood crime survivor, it never occurred to her how difficult it was for the adults working against the clock, fighting for control of the outcome. Add to this a tabloid scandal that claims Jason is having an affair with his costar, and Chloe's struggle to come to terms with a heartbreaking case gets splashed all across the headlines.

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