As I’ve said a billion times already, I love finding new hanfic authors to promote and spotlight. This month is a little bit different, but not entirely.
Tara isn’t totally new to hanfic, but she does only have one story online currently. You can read that story, White Collar Crime, here on her LiveJournal. Check out her interview below.
Why did you start writing hanfic? How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved a good story, so it was inevitable I would want to create them. I started writing stories and poems in elementary school. I started writing hanfic back in the MON era after a I read a few around the web and thought “hey, this is cool. I can do this.” I’m sorry say that they weren’t much more than the usual “girl very much like me meets Hanson and they all fight over me + Taylor gets cancer” type stuff. I’m very glad to say that the geocities page they were hosted on is long gone. I actually never finished them. I’m sure they are still somewhere in my parents’ house on a 3.5 disk. Probably a pink one.
After a one off for a contest in 2012, I started writing my current hanfic, White Collar Crime, because my brain started spinning as soon as I read a blog post about the song on h.net. What if Taylor really got involved in a white collar crime and got sent to prison? Would the band hold together? How would the fans react? Could Taylor really handle prison?
Do you write other fiction and/or fanfic as well? If so, what genres/fandoms/etc?
I don’t write any other fanfic. I’m currently working on my first novel. It’s a new adult novel, mainstream fiction/crime/drama.
What are your favorite hanfic stories and authors?
My favorite current hanfic is The Innocents by Paola. My favorite 90s ones are “Zac Says Tay Still Wets the Bed.” I also loved “To See Beyond the Surface” by Monica Geist, and have actually reread it and the sequel several times. She also had a three book series about aliens. It’s a shame it was never finished. Those stories were quite interesting.
What is your writing process like?
It is very outline driven. Once I have the idea, I sit down and write out my outline. I also do research to make sure that my ideas make sense and aren’t way off from the facts. Then, it’s just like connect the dots, but with words. (Okay, maybe it is a tiny bit harder than that!) Scrivener is my best friend when it comes to writing.
Where do your ideas and inspiration come from?
Everywhere – the world, my friends, family, Hanson songs. I’m a natural observer, so I might be sitting in the corner quietly, but my mind is going 90 miles a minute.
Which stories are you most proud of having written?
I’m proud that I’m writing, but everything is still a work in progress.
Favorite songs to listen to while you write or which inspire your writing?
It changes, but anything without too much going on to distract me. I like to listen to The Walk album, and also my Isaac Hanson playlist. His voice seems to calm me down enough so I can think straight. I’ve recently been listening to Sion Russell Jones. His music is great writing music. Also Cary Brothers. He has a very calming voice, too.
Thank you, Tara Marie, for being the May spotlight! I hope White Collar Crime isn’t the only fic we see from you 🙂