Jessica: So, Tina, tell us about your passion for writing. What drives you? What impact do you want your book to make on the readers?
Tina: My passion for writing stems from my vivid imagination and an insatiable desire to have others see life through my creativity. I have a philosophy that I write to create my own world, and it’s my goal as a writer to take the reader out of their world and into mine.
I want readers to be entertained by stories of love & relationships, hope, failures and successes.
Jessica: Introduce us to your book, Secrets on Lake Drive.
Tina: Secrets On Lake Drive is a story of two people, Monica and Sean, who both have had failed relationships. She’s his son’s teacher. He’s a single father. They clash over what Monica considers to be child neglect, but after the matter is settled, they get to know each other on a personal level, finding out slowly that nothing is what it seems in any circumstance. It is an emotional, suspenseful romance about a woman looking to correct wrongs in her life that could easily be solved by the secrets Sean quietly carries with him.
Jessica: What inspired you to write this story?
Tina: I wrote this story because appearances are not always what they seem. Monica seems to have her life together, but she doesn’t by any means. Sean is rumored to be a womanizer and a dog just because he’s handsome (and single) with a lot of money. I think it’s important for people to not judge one another and find deeper meaning in friendships and relationships.
Jessica: Why a romance novel?
Tina: Why do we breathe? Why do we live? Why do we wake up in the morning? In some way or another, we all want to be loved, and my novels epitomize the desire within us all to love, to be in love and to be loved.
Jessica: On a personal note, what are your hobbies when you’re not weaving great stories?
Tina: I enjoy writing, bike riding, relaxing at the beach, writing poetry and spending time with family.
TINA MARTIN was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina. She took an interest in writing in high school. After graduating she wrote her first poem A Love So Extraordinary, and from that point forward, she used writing as an outlet to express all the drama going on in her life during that time.
It wasn’t until enrolling in college that she decided to explore fiction writing. In a Creative Writing course, she gained more knowledge on how to be creative and expressive through words. She cruised through the course with a perfect grade and from that point forward, she knew she had found her calling.
Tina has always been very talented and comes from a rich background of learning – Creative Writing, Arts, Acting, Desktop Publishing and Web Design. Graduating from college with a degree in Computer Technology and a certification in Accounting, her professors urged her to keep going to school to pursue even more technical knowledge, but Tina had other plans.
In 2007, Tina self-published her collection of poetry called Love Like Yours. Friends and family praise her for deep thoughts and expressions in her work which motivates her to continue doing what she loves.
Tina resides with her husband and son in Charlotte, North Carolina where she finished her novel, Secrets On Lake Drive, which is available in bookstores everywhere and at your favorite online retailer.
For more information, to order book, or to schedule an interview or appearance, please call (301) 390-3645 or email info@xpressyourselfpublishing.org.
Xpress Yourself Publishing, LLC
P.O. Box 1615, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773
Ph. 301-390-3645
www.xpressyourselfpublishing.com