Q:  When did you decide you wanted to write?

A:  When I was eleven years old. It started out with poetry because it was a way of expressing the troubles I was feeling as a young child. Then I started writing stories. After my 6^th grade creative writing teacher gave us a homework assignment to write 3 chapters to a murder story he’d made up, it was history after that.

Q:  How many novels in all have you written?

A:  I’ve written 2 novels and 1 non-fiction book. Searchable Whereabouts is actually my 3^rd book, but the 1^st to be published.

Q:  How long did it take you to write your first novel?

A:  It took me about a year. With Searchable Whereabouts, it took me about 3 years.

Q:  Where do you get your inspiration for your stories?

A:  That’s a good question. But I’d have to say from my own emotions and on what's going on in my life, past, and present.

Q:  Are the characters based on real people?

A:  No, not really. However, in Searchable Whereabouts, I will say that I pulled a trait or two from real people.

Q:  After writing your first novel, did you self-publish? 

A:  I did try to self-publish Searchable Whereabouts after getting rejected by publishers. But after a few months of trying to self-publish, I decided to send my book out one more time and it was accepted.

Q:  If so, how was that experience? 

A:  Well, during the time I did try to self-publish it wasn’t a bad experience. It was more of a learning experience. I think it can be a slower process to try and self-publish. I learned that some review entities don’t want to touch your book if you don’t have a publishier and you have to work harder and spend more money.

Q:  What feedback have you received from fans?

A:  I’ve received positive feedback on my poetry, as far as my book, we’ll see what my fans will have to say.

Q:  What authors do you admire?

A:  Terry McMillian, John Grisham, Stephen King, Lisa Scottoline, Brian Tracy, Anthony Robbins and many more.

Q:  Did one of them inspire you?

A:  Many inspire me. I’ve always loved reading self-help books, they help keep me positive and keep me going when I don’t want to.

Q:  Is writing your only passion?

A:  It's my biggest passion, but I also love helping people.

Q:  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A:  As a Best Selling Author, a speaker, and starting some type of organization to help writers.

Q:  What advice would you give aspiring authors? 

A:  It requires hard work, focus and persistence. There was a time I didn’t think I was going to make it. I loved writing, always have and always will. But rejection letters aren’t fun, especially if you keep receiving them one after the other. But what I learned was, that if you really believe in yourself, that’s all that matters because soon incredible things will start happening.

Q:  What would you like readers to learn from your stories? 

A:  100% Enjoyment.

Q:  Are you working on another novel?

A:  Yes, I am.

Q:  If so, What is it about?

A:  Well, I’m still working on it, but so far it is about a South African biracial woman who has been released from a horrible all girls correctional treatment camp in Costa Rica at the age of eighteen. Both her and her sister were placed there in there early teens. They were later separated. The remainder of the book is about her release and her adjustment to the outside world again. She’s also in search of her sister whom she hopes is not dead. 

Q:  Where can people purchase your books?

A:  People can purchase my book on Amazon.com or www.xpressyourselfpublishing.com, barnes & nobles and they can order it from any bookstore, when it becomes available and is released.

Q:  Do you have a website?

A: My website is www.freewebs.com/tinishajohnson