Tami Best - Writes

Second chance romances are one of the most beloved tropes in romance literature, offering audiences an insight into all things love, forgiveness, and personal growth - and offering nostalgic thrills of hope! Second chance romances often depict characters who once loved each other but now find themselves no longer together due to a set of circumstances (misunderstandings, life changes, or the passing of time) but readers become immersed in an intimate exploration of what it means to love and lose only to rediscover that flame again later. Second chance romances' appeal can be traced to various elements. First and foremost, these stories tap into our collective fantasy of redemption - allowing characters to revisit past errors and emerge stronger, wiser, and better attuned to themselves and their desires. This theme encourages readers to reflect upon themselves and consider who and what may have passed by unnoticed in their lives, perhaps forgotten or overlooked altogether. Furthermo...

 Photo by DodgertonSkillhause Romance is one of the most cherished genres in literature, painting a picture of love's many shades. From heartwarming tales of first love to epic stories of passion overcoming obstacles, the romance genre offers something for everyone. But did you know that romance itself is divided into numerous subgenres, each with its distinct flavor and charm? Whether you're new to the genre or a seasoned romance reader, this article will take you on a journey through some of the most popular subgenres within the romance genre. Contemporary Romance  Contemporary Romance is the most relatable subgenre for modern readers. Set in the present day, these stories capture the essence of love in today's world, highlighting current societal norms, technology, and lifestyles. Often, these novels feature characters struggling with real-life challenges while finding love. From navigating work-life balance to dealing with complex family dynamics, contemporary romance d...

  Why do we write? _______________________________ Or: what do you get when you cross a sociopath and a cockroach?      Some people say that writers write for immortality, so that some part of them can be left behind when they are gone, so that they will never be forgotten. However, that cannot be entirely true for all writers, or else why would Franz Kafka have asked his friend in his will to burn what would become his two most popular novels, The Trial and The Castle , after himself burning nearly all of his own writing during his lifetime? Others say that we write to change the world, to communicate our ideas to one another, and thereby, hopefully, leave them changed. Indeed, none will deny the effect that written works have had on the course of human history. Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Cervantes, Dante, Dumas, the great religious texts, and countless other written works have shaped the world we live in and our perception of it in a very real, completely ...

Throughout my writing career, I’ve read and been given the advice that says, “Make sure you write what you know.” If you take this suggestion at face value and run with it, your writing will be quite interesting and realistic. This is something that all readers want, no... demand. It’s something that helps them escape from reality and enter into another world for a while. They want to be the hero or the heroine swept off her feet by a man who truly knows what love is. I’m not sure how this piece of advice works. When I first started writing in junior high school I wrote love poems. I knew NOTHING of love, hell, I hadn’t even been kissed (but thank you N.M. for the distracted make-out scene under the bush). So how in the world was I able to write such ‘moving’ pieces? In all honesty, they were only moving to me, but they seem to make sense now that I’m grown up.  Let’s take a look at my first poem: Lazily we walk along the beach You and I hand in hand Nature has its things to teach ...

As an insomniac, I have tons of time to think about writing (when one should be writing) and what they have learned, and how. I honestly think that my cats have taught me most of what I need to know. 1. Steady and cunning get you what you want. If you don’t have a cat and have never seen them stalk a fly/ladybug/moth you’ve missed out on a lifetime of lessons. They will sit as still as can be and stalk that thing till it’s just in reach. And eight times out of ten, they get what they are going after. Just like writing! You have to be steady in your course and you will achieve your goals. You have to make sure that you keep the eye on the prize. If you don’t get it the first time keep on keeping on, it WILL happen. 2. Know who you can lean on. Cats are particularly finicky over who they will ‘sit’ with. My cat Earl can walk up to me, nudge the laptop from my lap, curl up, and fall asleep. He only stays there long enough for a cat nap, but he knows that he can do it and won’t be chasti...

Once upon a time in a land far, far, away... Well, maybe not a land, but a time 11 years ago there was a book. And this book was entitled Forgiveness. The premise for it was good, but being a beginning author I just didn’t know what to do, and how to do it properly. This was when I was publishing under the name of A.J. Best. I’d like to think that I have grown as an author, but there are times when self-doubt gets in my way. Here’s what happened... In 2012, I was sitting in a Pizza Hut in a town near me when the email came in. I slid the phone over to my fiance and said, “Here, you open it. I can’t!” When his face didn’t fall or look like he was going to say, “Oh, maybe next time.” I said, “WHAT!” and grabbed the phone right out of his hands. When I read the email, I yelled out, “I’m an author, I sold a book!” The moment was filled with lots of cheers and applause from the neighboring tables (because that’s how small the community is) and I just couldn’t stop smiling. When our pizza ca...

  Not only do I torment myself with my Paranormal Romance Writing class (who really wants to go to school *me raising my hand and waving it wildly*), but now I'm reading a book by Lewis Jorstad to see what his point of view is on writing a book. I will tell you that I am intrigued by the notion that a book can be written in 10 days. (Please keep in mind that this is the first draft!) Luckily he was smart enough to put a caveat in there giving those of us who are a little sticker shocked that there are multiple ways to work his system. I'm going for a "The Ten WEEK Draft!" method instead.  If he is as good as his website makes him out to be (crossing toes, fingers, and hair on this one) then I'll have a rough first draft before my trip to Puerto Rico in February. I'll even have a full month to work on edits before I have to slow down. I worry though, being a first-time author and all, is this the right way or am I going down the right path? Is his the one or i...

Yesterday was a good day for writing. I worked through a scene where I really didn't want to be. I think it had a lot to do with not being able to picture how a man would scoop up a woman and feed from her. I asked some of my girlfriends and they all had different points of view on this one, so I went to the source, A MAN!!  It started with a text, "Hey, I need a favor."  Which usually means, "Hey can you do something for me?"  But when he called I threw him for a loop when I said, "When you stop by to pick up the box (another favor I needed him to do for me) could you be a vampire and show me how you'd turn me?" Instead of saying, "What you talklin' about Willis?!" He said, "OK." Talk about super sweet and supportive, that's it right there. How does someone support you when you need it? What's the oddest thing you've asked someone to do for you? (Remember folks, family-friendly blog!)  How do you tell people you...

I LOVE to learn. And in the process of writing my book Blue Rose Night  I started second-guessing myself and my ability to write something worth reading. So I did what I always do when I'm worried about something like that, I take a class. Luckily through my library, I have the ability to take free classes through Universal Class . I was beyond thrilled when I saw that they had a paranormal romance class (my genre). My friends have been telling me that I know how to write, I'm writing. But there is something in me that has really been wondering. One of my more recent lessons was on clichés and stereotypes. I read through the class and took the quiz with no problems. But... when it came down to the written part of the class I was like WTF am I doing? I try so hard to avoid them that the requirement of coming up with three whole paragraphs (as if I don't normally have an overabundance of words flowing all over the place) about undid me. How do I fill in enough cliché and ster...

Sometimes I get in my own way. Or should that have read 'more often than not I get in my own way'? Whichever it happens to be at the time I really need to work on that and so I turn to tools to help me through. Example 1 :         I start writing a book, a good solid one this time, and I put it aside because the little demons in my head come out and say, "You're not good enough. Your other book only sold 50 copies and the reviews were abysmal." Instead of squashing that little voice and telling him to shut the fuck up I give up. Fast forward six long years and I mention to my bestie (waves at Shelly Bean) that I write and I'm in the middle of something. She says, "Read some to me," and I do. She convinces me that it's good and I should keep going. I do some digging around later and I come to find a very useful tool/game/game changer called: 4thewords.com   With this site, you get to battle monsters (personal ones and the ones they provide you wit...