Today on my blog, I’m thrilled to have the amazing TL Sumner.
In her own words… “I write young adult fiction with strong, athletic, female protagonists who are fulfilling their dreams, of course with a little (err lots of) trouble along the way.”
TL was recently nominated for a Golden Heart Award through RWA for the first book in her Culloden Immortals series (which I’m sure she’ll tell us all about!) I’m honored she’s taken time from her busy schedule for a short interview, so let’s get started!
Thanks so much for joining me today!
Could you tell us a little about yourself? What are your favorite things to do? Care to share any deep dark secrets?
Well, I live outside of Atlanta with my hubs and two awesome kiddos. In my former life, I was a professional runner and I bring that love of sport to my writing. All of my stories feature female athletes chasing their dreams on and off the playing field. I have an unhealthy addiction to Starbucks Venti Iced Coffee with vanilla, Classic, and cream. I consider chocolate a food group and yes – French fries are a vegetable. Aside from writing, I like to run, watch cycling races and go to Asheville, NC. Hmmm – deep dark secrets… let me get back to you on that. ☺
What made you decide to become a writer?
My niece, Marina, complained that she didn’t have anything to read. I said I would write her a book. And I did. ☺
Okay, so let’s move on to your amazing news: Being nominated for a Golden Heart Award! For those that may not be familiar with the award or the organization, could you tell us a little about RWA and the details of your nomination?
Sure. RWA is the acronym for Romance Writers of America®, the professional association for romance writers. It’s been around for over 30 years, has over 10,000 members including romance writers, publishing industry professionals, librarians and booksellers. Each year RWA sponsors two awards for excellence in romance writing. One is for published romance fiction novels (The Rita®) and one for unpublished romance fiction manuscripts (The Golden Heart®).
I went to my first RWA conference back in 2011 and the award ceremony for the Rita and Golden Heart was amazing. It was like the Academy Awards for romance writing. I knew I’d like to submit a manuscript, but it took me three years to work up the courage.
How did you find out the good news?
I had it in the back of my mind that the finalists would be announced that day, but honestly, I didn’t think I’d final, so I didn’t think much about it. But I remember it clearly. I had just gotten off an impromptu conference call for work (I’m lucky enough to work from home) when this number I didn’t recognize pops up on caller ID. Honestly, I thought it was a telemarketer so for a second considered not answering it. But thankfully I picked up and the woman on the other end (New York Times Best Selling author, Victoria Alexander) says, “May I speak to T. L. Sumner.” As soon as she said my name, I knew I was getting “the call.” And then I didn’t hear much else of what she said. I plan on tracking her down when I’m at the conference to properly thank her.
I’m really interested to know more about your book. Can you give us a brief synopsis?
I hope this is brief… ☺
Focused on getting a full ride to run track in college, seventeen-year old Kyra Siefert doesn’t have time for distractions like the daymares tormenting her since she was mugged; or Aidan MacGregor, the über chivalrous guy who sits next to her in Calc. As Kyra and Aidan spend more time together, a romance between them quickly develops. But bound by a strict code of honor, Aidan hides a powerful secret from Kyra; he is the son of Scottish immortals, guardians of ancient Templar treasure.
In this Romeo and Juliet meets Highlander, Kyra becomes the pawn for one rogue immortal pursuing a sacred artifact and another seeking to settle a centuries-old blood feud. Aidan must betray his family to protect the girl he’s forbidden to love; but haunted by visions of Aidan’s death, Kyra’s secret may cost her everything – including the boy she loves.
Where did you come up with the idea / inspiration behind The Culloden Immortals?
I just had these characters in my head – a girl named Kyra and a guy named Aidan. I knew Aidan was Scottish, had green eyes, and I knew he had a secret – that he was immortal. I knew Kyra was a runner and that she was bi-racial. Then I just went from there. My husband was a history major in college so he helped me brainstorm the immortal angle of the story after my first draft and nail down tying it to historical events to make the idea more plausible. I was going for the “what if” scenario… I would love the reader to read my story and think, “What if these immortals really could secretly exist among us?”
How do you find the time to write?
With a full-time day job and two very busy kids, finding time to write is hard. I usually can’t start writing until about 9 or 10 at night, and then I try to write ‘til midnight. I rely on the weekends to get large blocks of distraction free writing. It’s not uncommon for me to stay up til 2 or 3 in the AM, trying to hammer out the words.
What are your biggest challenges as an author? How do you overcome them?
Great question. I’d have to say my biggest challenge is self-doubt. When you get rejections from agents and editors who for some reason or another pass on your story, you can’t help but feel like you’re not good enough. This GH nomination is huge for me. Just being a finalist is a win and has given me an amazing sense of validation that yeah, maybe I don’t suck. ☺
I also struggle with making things complicated. I love complicated stories with tons of plot twists and you know those books that come with maps, glossaries and indexes, maybe even a timeline. Yeah – I like that. So I tend to write like that too. Which means I have to spend a lot of time during the editing phase, culling out what is absolutely essential to the story and which plot threads need to go.
Do you have any other projects in the works you’d like to tell us about?
I’m currently in the editing/re-visioning stage of a contemporary romance that explores loss and whether it’s ever okay to cheat.
What’s the biggest piece of advice you can give other aspiring authors?
Never give up. If you want this bad enough, it will happen. Trust in yourself, but surround yourself with an amazing support network of like-minded writers. Okay, that was more than one. ☺
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Thanks so much for these amazing answers, and best of luck at RWA!
Learn more about TL Sumner and her amazing books by visiting her website