Keira: On your website, Believe It or Not
Tawna Fenske: Everything around me is a source of inspiration for writing humor, but I sometimes have to look for it. I’m a natural introvert, so I’ve learned to be vigilant about dragging my lazy self out of the house to experience something besides the squish of the chair under my butt. There was a period where I tried to do the full-time writer thing, but I realized pretty quickly that my brain shrivels up like castrated sheep testicle when I don’t have regular human interaction. I now work part-time in marketing/PR where there’s plenty of day-to-day silliness to inspire me.
Keira: What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever said or had happen to you?
TF: You mean like the time I attended a fancy luncheon where I spit gristle into my napkin, accidentally dropped it into the purse of the woman seated beside me, and got busted trying to retrieve it? Or the time I waxed off a hunk of my eyebrow and tried to draw it back in with green eyeliner? Or the time I shoved a massive spoonful of butter in my mouth at a formal dinner because I thought it was whipped cream? Or the time I threw up in my underwear at school? I’m pretty much a magnet for ridiculousness, but it gives me good fodder for writing comedy.
Keira: In relationships, what’s better? Normal or weird? And Why!
TF: Very few things in my life would fall under the heading “normal,” particularly relationships. For that, I am eternally grateful. Normal would bore me to tears!
Keira: How do you define love?
TF: I have to define it? How about if I just spell it, use it in a sentence, and then roll around naked with a guy who has killer shoulders and a great laugh?
Keira: As an avid globe-trotter, what has been your favorite place to travel? Your most memorable experience?
TF: I’ve been lucky enough to travel to some truly amazing places in time on this planet. I’ve visited Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Hawaii, Jamaica, Barbados, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar, and probably a bunch of places I’m forgetting but surely loved anyway. I hesitate to pick a favorite among them because I’ve adored different things about each of them. One of my top memories is the time I rode a camel into the Sahara desert at sunset and camped there overnight. I love new experiences and cultures, and I’m always itching to shoulder my pack and visit someplace new.
Keira: What’s a question you always wanted to answer but haven’t been asked yet?
TF: I’m always amused by awkward personal questions like my age (37) or weight (119 pounds) or whether my boobs are real (yep). When I do public speaking engagements, there’s always someone in the audience who asks a variation of the question, “do you test out all your love scenes?” I love this! Do people ask crime writers whether they’ve killed someone with a switchblade to ensure they got the details right? I guess I can’t speak for crime writers, but I sure do enjoy making sure all my scenes are as accurate as possible.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT BY TAWNA FENSKE – IN STORES MARCH 2012
Do you believe in…accounting?
Numbers never lie, so Violet McGinn found safe haven in the most boring profession she could find. Until her renowned psychic mother lands in the hospital and Violet has to run her business. Now you can have your taxes filed and your aura read, in one convenient location.
Do you believe in…music?
Drew Watson is the jaded owner of the local hot spot next door, and doesn’t need a single thing except a good crowd to dance to what he’s spinning on Saturday night.
Do you believe in…love?
The only thing Violet and Drew seem to have in common is that neither believes in that psychic hoo—hah. Except Drew seems to play exactly the right song at exactly the right time. And truth be told, it makes Violet’s heart dance just a little …
Buy: Believe It or Not
Praise for Believe it or Not:
“Fenske hits all the right humor notes without teetering into the pit of slapstick in her lighthearted book of strippers, psychics, free spirits and an accountant.” —RT Book Reviews
“Snappy, endearing dialogue and often hilarious situations unite the couple, and Fenske proves to be a romance author worthy of a loyal following.” —Booklist starred review
“Fenske’s sophomore effort (after Making Waves) is another riotous trip down funny bone lane, with a detour to slightly askew goings on and a quick u-ey to out-of-this-world romance. Readers will be enchanted by this bewitching fable from a wickedly wise author.” —Library Journal
“Sexually charged dialogue and steamy make-out scenes will keep readers turning the pages.” —Publishers Weekly
Buy: Believe It or Not
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tawna Fenske traveled a career path that took her from newspaper reporter to English teacher in Venezuela to marketing geek. Named a Writer’s Digest 2011 Notable debut, Tawna blogs daily on “Don’t Pet Me, I’m Writing,” and lives in Central Oregon where she is working on her next romantic comedy. For more information, please visit www.tawnafenske.com or follow her on Twitter, @TawnaFenske.
GIVEAWAY: I have 2 copies of Believe It or Not
