An Interview with Author Dr. Sandra Tanner

Your Author Bio (tell us about yourself)

It was my new elementary school principal stating scornfully in front of the class that he could not understand my deep Southern speech that encouraged my lifelong love of the English language and reading. That morning I was embarrassed, the teacher who stood at the head of the class was embarrassed for me, but the principal seemed pleased at humiliating an eight-year-old girl who was just three weeks off her grandfather’s farm in rural Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

How was I to know that my Southern accent and speech was frown upon in the Northeastern city of Baltimore, Maryland? It was acceptable back home where I was a precocious child, the smartest in my age group, skipped from the third grade to the fourth grade because the third grade work was not challenging for me, and an extrovert—not afraid of anything.

Two weeks after entering my new city school, the cafeteria manager asked for a student to help by getting a tally first thing in the morning of the students who were buying lunch (no intercom system or computers in the 1960s. Being the extrovert that I was, I quickly volunteered. Each morning, I went to every classroom, read the menu for that day, and then took a tally of how many students were buying lunch.  One week later the principal put an end to my reading the menus. Thereafter, the teachers read the menus.

That incident hurt for a long time, but it forged a belief that I could change the way I speak to be clearly understood. And I did. The English language and reading became my safe havens.

My love of reading actually began at age two, my mother being my first teacher. During my elementary years, I read Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. As I got older, I read Ellery Queen, Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, the Illustrated World Encyclopedia, Reader’s Digest and every mystery I could get my hands on. In Reader’s Digest, the “Word Power” section at the back of the book were the first pages I read first, quickly learning the new words and definitions. Thereafter, my taste for mysteries grew exponentially. Mysteries became my favorite reading choice, and my desire to write my own mystery stories began.

I hold a Ph.D. in Organization and Management (Leadership focus) from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN, a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, and a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from the University of Richmond, Richmond, VA.

I am a member of James River Writers. I am a past president and past director of the Richmond chapter of ISM (Institute for Supply Management). I have served for eleven years as the president of the 23^rd Investment Group, an investment group I founded, which is currently in its 21^th year of operation. I am still a partner in this group.

I have self-published six fiction murder mystery novels—Sundrenched Water, Secrets of Salmer Tawgg (So Now They Know), Sacks of Murder, Stolen Four Minutes, Six Good Ones, and Sequestered with the Murderers. My short story, Oh, My Dear God! won 3^rd place in WritersWeekly.com website contest and my short story Inconceivable was published on the website theravensperch.com.

I am currently working on a seventh murder mystery project with a working title of Sultry. I live with my husband in Richmond, Virginia, where when I am not writing or attending writing seminars, we travel to see the beauty of the world.

Tell us about your book. What is it about?

Sequestered with the Murderers- This is the chilling fourth novel in the Vett Brayborn adult whodunnit murder mysteries. After the driver of a tour bus is murdered at a Virginia interstate rest area, leaving thirty-six passengers stranded, one of the passengers—amateur detective Vett Brayborn—is asked to solve the murder before the police does. Vett uncovers the powerful and driving force behind the execution style murder of the driver.

Six Good Ones- This is the third novel in the Vett Brayborn adult whodunnit murder mysteries. It is a rich and epically tangled family saga, with secrets and a central mystery pulling at the characters like gravity. When amateur detective Vett Brayborn’s aunt is shot and dies two weeks after her millionaire boyfriend’s murder, clues to the shocking murders lead Vett to probe into the lives of six of her blended family members who are known as the six good ones. Could one of them be a murderer?

Stolen Four Minutes- This is the second novel in the Vett Brayborn whodunnit murder mysteries. Amateur detective Vett Brayborn’s gripping and propulsive hunt to solve the twenty-nine year old case of a kidnapped five-year-old girl leaves no stones unturned. And she only has thirteen days solve the crime.

Who is your target audience suited for in this story? –

My target audience is adult readers. Readers who enjoy Kinsey Millhone in Sue Grafton alphabet mysteries, Agatha Christie’s Ms. Marple, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories will enjoy my books. Vett Brayborn, the central character in my books has the keenest of Ms. Marple, is a master of deduction like Sherlock Holmes, and is no nonsense and independent like Kinsey Millhone.

Do you have a favorite character in your story?

Both Vett Brayborn and her husband, Detective Gam Ellison, a Pittsylvania County Sheriff Detective, are favorites. She is a favorite because of her many strengths and he because he loves her and does not push her to conform to his conventional ways of investigating.

Are you currently working on another book? Is it the same genre?

Yes, I am working on another book. It is a murder mystery, but does not feature Vett Brayborn. It is a Southern murder mystery with new characters, dynamic twists and turns, and an exploding secret.

Do you find reviews helpful?  Or intimidating?

I find them helpful, if properly done. Properly done reviews are a big help to me in my writing journey and can provide new insight.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I was unable to find a literary agent. Self-publishing has many facets to it, and I find it fascinating. It is hard work just like anything else you want to get a reward from.

Did you use IngramSpark, Amazon KDP, or another company to handle the printing and distribution of your book?

I am using Amazon KDP.

Now that your book is in print, do you have any regrets?

I have no regrets. It is very rewarding seeing your work in print. And it is very rewarding knowing that I accomplished what I set out to do.

What parts did you do on your own, and what did you hire out to have done? (Editing, book design, cover design, eBook, marketing, etc.)

I wrote all of my books. I hired an editor to fix things I could not see. I designed my book covers, but hired a cover designer to bring them to fruition. I hired a book designer to take my manuscripts and put them into book format and to create my e-book format. I use Amazon Advertising to market my books.

What would you do differently if you were to self-publish again?

As of today, I will use Amazon KDP. I used Xlibris on my first book in 2013. I am much happier with Amazon KDP.

What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

Discipline. You must carve out a portion of every day to write. A book will not write itself. Before I learned this was imperative for me, I wasted a lot of time rereading and rereading what I had written because I would write, then let a few days go by before I wrote again. I then had to catch up on what I had written a few days ago. A complete waste of time since I wanted to complete the book in 3 months.

If you could tell yourself anything as a younger writer what would it be?

It would be, don’t be afraid. There is a place for my type of writing. I wish I had started writing and publishing much early, but I let fear and other commitments keep me from pursuing my dream much earlier.

What motivates you as a writer?

My inside motivates me. I have this voice, this spirit, that tells me I must write, so I listen to it now.  Thomas Jefferson wrote “I cannot live without books.”  I feel the same about writing.

Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I am original. I don’t know any other way to be. There is a place in this wide world of books for my kind of writing. With that said, I do my research to see what the top sellers are so that I am not totally oblivious. For example, if Southern mysteries have been hot for the last two to three years, I may include some element of the South in my story.

How old were you when you started writing? 

I first notice I could write well in high school. I always got As in my English, Literature, and Creative Writing classes. And I tended to sign up classes like these that involved a lot of writing. My future was being forged.

What marketing have you done for your book? What worked and what did not work?

I use Amazon Advertising. I’ve done book launches, created a book club, and promoted by book within the groups I belong too. These work for me.

Did you start marketing before your book was launched? If not, do you regret that decision?

No and I do not regret this.

How do you use social media as an author? Has it worked well for you, or is it something you want to do more or less of?

At present, I do not use social media. It is something I want to learn how to do.

Which platform do you use the most? 

I use Amazon KDP to publish my books and Amazon Advertising to advertise my books.

Any advice you want to pass on to other authors looking to self-publish their book?

Don’t put off what your heart, your spirit is telling you to do. Start publishing with Amazon KDP because it is free upfront. Amazon takes a portion of each book sale. So you don’t have to give Amazon money upfront for publishing. You’ll pay for other things like book cover design and design of the inside of your book. If you want to try other self-publishing companies with future books, be very carefully in who you select. Some of these self-publishing company charge you a lot of money upfront to publish your book and a lot of money to market your book, but you don’t make a return on your investment. Be very careful.

Anything Else?

To beginning authors I would say writing a book is very DIY in terms of publicity and marketing your book. Since you are not at the very top of the author pyramid, you have to be prepared to take charge in all endeavors. Writing a book is just the beginning of the endeavor.