Ask the Author: Tirza Schaefer
Answered Questions (16)
Tirza Schaefer
I've just published a reader magnet for my newsletter subscribers, Fromance (Short Edition) which can be downloaded here:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/6raufxy5we
And I've also put up a new book, The Hopping Hippos, for preorder. It won't show on Zon because I publish wide but you can check it out here:
https://books2read.com/thehoppinghippos
Both are reverse harem romances, the latter also has MM action.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/6raufxy5we
And I've also put up a new book, The Hopping Hippos, for preorder. It won't show on Zon because I publish wide but you can check it out here:
https://books2read.com/thehoppinghippos
Both are reverse harem romances, the latter also has MM action.
Tirza Schaefer
So sorry to be late with answering. I didn't see this before. As to your question, it varies in degrees. I tend to create female characters that are somewhat more along the lines to myself and female friends I am close to and love. A bit of a mix with some fictional ingredients added for good measure in varying proportions. The men are a lot more fictional. If I knew someone even remotely as hot and charming as the characters I write, I wouldn't let them go again, hahaha! But seriously, I construct the men's characters to fit the female ones. For example, in Izzy, her three men are boisterous and can be loud and the "boys will be boys" type. Izzy is a family person and thrives in a lively, happy environment, something her best friend Ria reflects upon and thinks that would kill her. She is a quiet one, often lost in her creative art and spiritual journeys. She has one man, Jordan, who can actually follow her flights of fancy for the most part and understands when she needs to be in her headspace. She couldn't divide her attention on more than one man and spread herself thin because that is what it would be for her. In Tank, we find three very different characters all playing a role in Sarah's life. However, Tank, the character, is the one exception to the golden rule because he is the one man I wrote for ME, meaning that he would be my ideal man. If I could bake one for myself, that would be him. And there will be much more on his background in Dom and Seb, the two sequels of the trilogy that are not out yet. Tank was, for once, the first character I had in mind and then Sarah followed and after that Dom and Seb was last. They all have their own unique roles in the story and even though they are so different, they work together perfectly. And in Sarah's case, she learns to fit into that dynamic over time. It's not all glitter and unicorns but it's very human. So I guess, I gave her some of my former and present insecurities and some I know a lot of women have in general to work through with her men.
Tirza Schaefer
Sorry I have been so late in seeing your questions for some reason. But I am answering now. I recently watched our interview again and grinned happily all the way through till my cheeks hurt. It was fabulous. So thank you for that, too! It was absolutely great and might I say, you're a wonderful host! Your subsequent interviews with other authors showed that, too. I love to watch your show!
As to what I have been working on this year? Well, I have released A Little Slice of Heaven, the Extended Version, (formerly in shorter part of an anthology last year) on my son's birthday in April. It's a reverse harem novella. Then I spent a good six months writing Her Badass Bikers which is scheduled to be published shortly and I've written a Vampire story in two days which requires a lot more editing still, as this is my first vampire story, but will also be published before Christmas. The title is A Vampire for Christmas, so it's a seasonally themed one-on-one romance novella as opposed to Her Badass Bikers, a reverse harem novel, the longest I have written so far. I hope you'll enjoy them both!
As to what I have been working on this year? Well, I have released A Little Slice of Heaven, the Extended Version, (formerly in shorter part of an anthology last year) on my son's birthday in April. It's a reverse harem novella. Then I spent a good six months writing Her Badass Bikers which is scheduled to be published shortly and I've written a Vampire story in two days which requires a lot more editing still, as this is my first vampire story, but will also be published before Christmas. The title is A Vampire for Christmas, so it's a seasonally themed one-on-one romance novella as opposed to Her Badass Bikers, a reverse harem novel, the longest I have written so far. I hope you'll enjoy them both!
Tirza Schaefer
I think it's more the characters being funny, like Bear in Born to Be Wild, a rather simple-minded car mechanic with a heart of gold and a pronounced sense of pride, Henri, the volatile French chef in Tank and Darryl, the nerdy pre-teen black kid whose mother is Gospel Gloria and who thinks biker Jax is a redneck at first. I don't write romcom but I love to weave in a funny character or scene or two. Another scene I love is in Her Badass Bikers (coming shortly) when Jax has a 2-way conversation with his biker friends on the phone, Ava, the love of his life while he is standing naked in front of her and being told to take matters into his own hands after being accused of only taking 15 seconds. I was actually laughing tears writing this one as well.
Tirza Schaefer
I have actually drawn in many cases on my own life experience or experiences from people I've spoken to, from close friends to - once or twice - random strangers. But the great mysteries of my own life, I'd like to keep exactly that, mysteries. Some examples I can give are visions of meeting the souls of dead people to speak with in my first reverse harem novel Tank. Or being confronted by cobra, one of my power animals and the various cobra goddesses you can also find in the Divine Library (free access) on my website, like Manasa, Meretseger and Waset. Cobra goddesses are definitely not for the faint of heart, let me tell you. I've touched upon this in my first romance novel with a Bollywood theme Snake Goddess Rising. These are just a couple of examples.
Tirza Schaefer
Thank you for your question. Snake Goddess Rising was my very first romance novel and the original idea to the story stems from the time when I was obsessed with Bollywood movies. During the decade I lived in London, UK, I had a lot of Indian friends and also studied Hinduism for a while. Then I discovered my psychic gifts and went more into a spiritual direction, working with deities from all over the world. One of my main life power animals is Cobra and I've had some experiences with this in visions and dreams. Do the hippie chick is partially based on my own experiences and mindset at the time of writing the original version. It was much later that I rewrote it and made it into a book. The story, being my first published novel is rather special to me for all those reasons and I'm very happy that you like Shanti and Kaz's story so much. Thank you.
Tirza Schaefer
Hi Kelley, thank you for your question. The reason that books 2 and 3 of the Band of Brothers trilogy aren't listed is that I still need to write them. The truth is that I experienced some very challenging health issues last year from which I am now mostly recovered but that has thrown my planning for a loop and I am not yet able to work consistently as much and as fast as the former workaholic me was accustomed to. Therefore, I'd beg your understanding and patience while I catch up with everything I've been set back on. I hope you're enjoying Drew and Raven, though. And if you want to make sure you won't miss out on the sequels once they're published, feel free to follow my Amazon author account:
https://www.amazon.com/author/tirzasc...
or my Books2Read one which is
https://books2read.com/ap/8Z21ZP/Tirz...
Meanwhile, you might discover some others of my books you'd like to read. Her Badass Bikers, The Hopping Hippos, Fromance (Short Edition which you can download here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/6raufxy5we), Tank, Izzy''s Law and Ria's Healing, for example.
https://www.amazon.com/author/tirzasc...
or my Books2Read one which is
https://books2read.com/ap/8Z21ZP/Tirz...
Meanwhile, you might discover some others of my books you'd like to read. Her Badass Bikers, The Hopping Hippos, Fromance (Short Edition which you can download here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/6raufxy5we), Tank, Izzy''s Law and Ria's Healing, for example.
Tirza Schaefer
Hi Stephanie, I was looking through a few romance books and they all seemed to have young women as female MCs. Then I searched for Milf and cougar to find books centring around my own age group but all I found were badly written short-term affairs of older women with barely legal young boys, usually classmates of their sons. No matter in which constellation, I am not fond of books with such young people as it feels to me like they are still children mostly. That may be to do with the fact that I have children around that age myself and know what goes on in their heads - and what doesn't. So I decided to write books for my age group, in their 40s, with men who are in their 30s, so they still have the stamina of youth but already have enough life experience to have mentally grown up. As I also like the reverse harem trope and most RH romance is paranormal, I thought it was time to bring it into the real world outside of "Billionnairs' Virgin" trope and similar constellations. I knew I wasn't going to be happy with only one book, so I made a series out of it. They are standalone, so there is an open end. I'll just keep adding more in the future when the mood strikes me beyond the 5 that were planned for this year already, the first of which is already published and the others are in work. Before I started The Milf Diaries, I actually started another story that would fall into the same genre but is a trilogy unto itself, Seals in Spain. Book 1, Tank, is already out and has received 5-star ratings so far which I am so ecstatic about.
Thank you for your question. I am looking forward to more.
Thank you for your question. I am looking forward to more.
Tirza Schaefer
My first choice would be to go to Ancient Egypt in the period of Ramses' reign. One of my favourite authors is Christian Jacq. I've really loved his books about that period. And as I also commune with the Egyptian deities and intuitively receive their messages, I'd love to train as priestess at several temples for a time and experience Egypt in all its glory when the Law of Maat was still observed. I was an Egyptian priestess in a couple of former lives and have retained strong ties to those incarnations in this one, even from childhood.
My second choice would be to go back to England in the Regency period and be Lizzy Bennett out of Jane Austen's book Pride & Prejudice. I'd marry D'Arcy and live happily ever after.
Other than those two periods and places im quite happy to live the life I have now in the present day. I like bathrooms with running wayer, human rights, central heating and not having to have existential fears about being a single mother and able to take care of them and protect them on my own. And nobody burns me at the stake for having a cat as familiar, either. I'm safe, comfortable and happy and I can pursue my dreams. It can't get any better than that, can it?
My second choice would be to go back to England in the Regency period and be Lizzy Bennett out of Jane Austen's book Pride & Prejudice. I'd marry D'Arcy and live happily ever after.
Other than those two periods and places im quite happy to live the life I have now in the present day. I like bathrooms with running wayer, human rights, central heating and not having to have existential fears about being a single mother and able to take care of them and protect them on my own. And nobody burns me at the stake for having a cat as familiar, either. I'm safe, comfortable and happy and I can pursue my dreams. It can't get any better than that, can it?
Tirza Schaefer
I am currently very busy reformatting my own books, creating new covers for them and giving them a classy makeover. Therefore, I've not yet had time to compile a reading list as such. Books that are still waiting for me to read them, however, are certainly a couple from Madison Faye and also Patrick Rothfuss. And I usually read Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice once a year. It's my all-time favourite and in my opinion, there is no more beautiful a book written in the English language than this.
Moreover, there is a new fantasy series out that I've seen (in German) at the bookstore. I'm definitely going toget the first one in the English original and try it out. I've forgotten the author's name, but the titles were "City of..." and I remember the design, so it'll be easy to find.
Last, but not least, not to spend arrogant, but I genuinely enjoy reading my own books as well, so they are part of the collection of very few books I read more than once. Christian Jacq's Ramses and Stone of Light series belong to those as well, because there is so much information on the spirituality and deities of Ancient Egypt contained therein. And I love reading about deities from a non-textbook point of view. As I've channelled a few and had some visions and experiences with them myself, I like to read about the deities from a similar point of you, a personal, experiential one, rather than a cold, clinical and factual one only.
Moreover, there is a new fantasy series out that I've seen (in German) at the bookstore. I'm definitely going toget the first one in the English original and try it out. I've forgotten the author's name, but the titles were "City of..." and I remember the design, so it'll be easy to find.
Last, but not least, not to spend arrogant, but I genuinely enjoy reading my own books as well, so they are part of the collection of very few books I read more than once. Christian Jacq's Ramses and Stone of Light series belong to those as well, because there is so much information on the spirituality and deities of Ancient Egypt contained therein. And I love reading about deities from a non-textbook point of view. As I've channelled a few and had some visions and experiences with them myself, I like to read about the deities from a similar point of you, a personal, experiential one, rather than a cold, clinical and factual one only.
Tirza Schaefer
I have always been writing. Even when I couldn't read nor write, I told stories. I have been writing all my life. For me, it cleanses my mind and expresses my creativity. I don't read many books twice. I think the book I read most often by another author is Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. I actually enjoy reading my own books and then I imagine how others have fun reading my books as well. I love getting feedback from readers and hear how much they've enjoyed a book and what it reminded them of. It is like triggering a window into someone else's mind and soul. I really value and appreciate when a reader takes the time and shares this with me.
Tirza Schaefer
I go into nature, I meditate, I sense energy, I travel, I read a book or watch a movie. I take a break and do something different, then come back to it.
Tirza Schaefer
Write every day. Make it a habit, even if you only write one page, but write regularly. Even if you write one page about how you have no idea what to write about. It happens. I have tons of started stories that will never be pursued, perhaps, but I don't stop writing. It is my passion and I constantly hone my skills. Read a lot to get inspiration from other authors, also outside of the genre you are writing in. I have read books in many areas from fantasy to biographies, text books to criminal stories, as well as books from the genres I write in myself (ever expanding, too, I might add, so one day, I may publish a fantasy novel, who knows). Read and write, a little every day. And when you don't have your hands and eyes free, like when you're cooking, you can listen to an audio book.
Tirza Schaefer
While I am waiting for the cover of Balcony Above the Sea, I am typing up a story I wrote a bit earlier. I usually write by hand first, then type it up later. It flows better for me that way. Then I could not find the writing pad anymore which was hidden in a stack of others. So during the last few days, I started going through the stack of more recent pads (meaning the last year) and re-discovered this story at last today, so I have only just started to type it up. It'll be a while, but it'll be published before the end of the year. My goal was to publish 25 books in total by the end of this year, including one children's book, and when I have this last story typed up, edited, formatted and published, I have reached my goal!
Tirza Schaefer
My writing can be triggered by an experience, a thought, a random comment someone makes, or a movie I've watched. In the case of my last book, Balcony Above The Sea, which will come out on Amazon shortly, I sensed energy and asked my inner being. I didn't know anything about Bulgaria, really, so I did a lot of research on the country and it was really interesting. I learn a lot through my research. Not everything comes up in a book, but it stays in my mind always and enriches me greatly.
Tirza Schaefer
I sensed energy and asked which location my next book should have. One word came clear into my head, together with an image: Bulgaria. There was a market place with a cafe down below by the sea and a road winding up from it, a turn off from the main road going parallel to the water. There were houses on only one side of the road winding up the hill and one had a balcony with a beautiful view out across the sea. I knew then, that was where my story would take place.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more