Author Journey: Tara Benham

Hi Tara,

To this date, you’ve published a trilogy and a standalone book. Was becoming an author something that you’d always wanted to be?

I can remember writing stories since I was little but the dream to write and publish a book didn't come to be until I was in my late 20's.

You self-published your books. Was this always the plan or did you submit your work to a publisher at any time?

I did submit my first manuscript to a publisher and was rejected. I had plans to continue to submit until I met the indie-community. Then I fell In love with the self-publishing aspect of writing. That does not mean that I won't try to submit to publishers in the future.

If you could get your work published by a traditional publisher, would you do it or do you prefer having full control over how your books are published?

I'm not opposed to traditional publishing, and if the contract and company fit, I would absolutely let them take the book. What are some of the positive and negative things that you’ve learned through self-publishing? The positives of self-publishing, aside from the feeling of accomplishment, is that you can to see your dream come into fruition. You have control. Unfortunately, the negative is that the cost of all things fall on you as an individual and it can get pricey.

Do you have any advice for people that would like to publish a book but aren’t sure whether to self-publish or try and achieve success with a traditional publishing house?

Do your research. Talk to people from both sides and don't feel like you're settling with one option or the other.

What’s next for you? Do you have any new books releasing soon or are your focuses on a new venture?

I have several works in progress with plans for two more releases for 2017. My plans for new ventures are still super secret.

Thank you for joining us, Tara!

Author Biography:

Hey y'all, I'm Tara Benham. I'm Kentucky born and raised, so you'll notice that my books are usually based in Kentucky.By day, I am an Occupational Therapist and by night, a writer. I have always been an avid reader. I love when you're reading a book and you get to travel to a different world, even if it's just for a little while. I want to create those worlds that people want to escape to and share my stories that are in my head. I am music obsessed. When I write there is always music going to help me with creating a scene. My current "muses" if you will, are Imagine Dragons, Hollywood Undead, Mumford and Sons, and X Ambassadors just to name a few. I also do photography. I created my book cover for "At Night's End". I have a fur baby. I find these bio sections to be the most difficult thing for me because I find it awkward to write about myself.