Welcome to another Friday Reads post. This week my guest is Tania Tay, author of the psychological thriller, The Other Woman. Tania is going to tell us a bit about the book and her writing life, so grab yourself a cuppa, get cosy and let’s get chatting to Tania.😊

Blurb:

YOU LET HER INTO YOUR HOME. NOW SHE WON’T LEAVE. Jade has the life she always wanted: a husband and three perfect children. She’s happy. Except, recently that isn’t enough. Her husband is never home, and when he is, he’s distant. She’s a constant source of disappointment to her mum, and even her children are starting to push her away. Then she unexpectedly finds herself reconnecting with Christina, an old friend from university, and she starts to feel like herself again. As the women become closer, and Christina needs a place to stay, Jade welcomes her into their chaotic family home. But when Jade discovers a suspicious text on her husband’s phone, she soon she starts questioning those around her. A twisting, tense story that will have you listening on long into the night. Perfect for fans of Claire McGowan, Shari Lapena and B A Paris.

Buy Links

Amazon: geni.us/theotherwoman

Newsflash!  The Other Woman, is  only 99p on Kindle for August so grab it quick!

Welcome to my blog Tania. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I have always written stories since I was a kid. I wrote about a group of animals who had adventures. Or I would fan-fic my fave fairy tales and Narnia stories. But I never thought writing books was an actual job I could do. I thought you had to be some kind of genius to write the amount of words you get in a novel.

Has any author inspired you?

Lots! I read tons in a wide variety of genres. But lately, I’ve been very inspired by Louise Candlish, Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley.

What do you like writing most?

I enjoy writing the messy first draft when everything is possible. I write by hand in notebooks and then I type up – which is why it takes me so long to write a book. I find the first structural edit is agony, as I’m very indecisive and it’s hard to know what to keep and what to throw out.

Do you have a special place for writing?

Generally I’m on the sofa, often covered in a blanket, handwriting in A4 notebooks. Then I sit at a desk to type up and edit.

Are you a pantster or a plotter?

I tend to do a bit of both- a Plantster? I plot roughly, then pants my way to each turning point. As I work my way through drafts, the plot changes a lot. So the plot evolves through the pantsing too.

Is your writing ever inspired by your family or real life incidents?

Yes, in The Other Woman I was inspired by a lot of real life things including being a mother of young children, and being at uni in Edinburgh, although the plot is totally made up.

What are you writing at the moment?

A murder mystery where a group of advertising agency colleagues re-unite on a posh resort on a tropical island.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’ve always loved Agatha Christie mysteries, and have recently enjoyed some brilliant contemporary iterations of the genre such as by Lucy Foley, so I wanted to try and write my own. It’s also inspired by my years working in an advertising agency in Singapore, when I was lucky enough to enjoy lots of wonderful weekends away on the nearby islands.

What time of the day do you write best?

I write best at night and if my family are away, I end up being totally nocturnal. But I can write at any time of day although I’m not really a morning person.

What are your hobbies?

My favourite hobby has always been reading. I was the kid who would walk along with my nose in a book, bumping into things. Sometimes I still do this if I’m reading on the tube, get to a good bit but have to get off…  I also like to bake… I had a total break from writing once and instead did some cake decorating courses.

What advice would you give to other writers?

If you get stuck, write by hand. Write ‘morning pages’ – three A4 pages of free writing that no one will see –  allowing yourself to moan about all the crap and anxieties in your head. Sometimes, once the moaning is over, ideas for the story and characters will magically appear.

Whether it’s online or by going to workshops and festivals, invest in building your tribe of writers. Comment, like and repost others’ posts to help them spread the word about their work. Not only will they help you back, but you’ll meet so many other generous people and like-minds, who love books and writing as much as you do. Being a writer is so much more enjoyable with good, bookish friends sharing the journey!

Great advice, Tania. Writing can be a lonesome occupation so I think it’s really important to connect.

Meet Tania

Tania Tay: bio

Tania Tay is the debut author of The Other Woman, a domestic thriller published by Headline Accent. Her writing often explores female friendship, and motherhood. She’s also the author of Spellcasters, a magical middle grade series under pen name, Crystal Sung. She developed a screenplay with BBC Writersroom and is an advertising copywriter. 

Contact Links

Website: taniatay.com

IG @taniatay88

Thanks for dropping by to talk to us about your new book, Tania. I hope it flies!