Tina: I live in central Pa. with my husband and two wonderful daughters who are growing up too fast. I have a doctorate degree in Molecular Biology and am an adjunct instructor at Lebanon Valley College.
Cate: Please tell us about your recent releases and where they’re available.
Tina: My most current releases are "The Sentinels" which can be purchased at www.alternativecoordinates.com, "Norma and the Fiddler of Gurg," which can be found at www.labyrinthinhabitant.com, "Mother," which can be found at www.lokisjournal.com and many others found in Allegory, Jupiter SF Magazine, Long Story Short ...
Cate: You write in speculative fiction and scifi. Do you prefer any particular genre over another?
Tina: There is so much crossover between the genres that I can honestly say that none of my stories fall within the strict SciFi catagory. Most of my ideas come from travels, past experiences or from interesting people whose personality I warp into some kind or speculative story. Whatever idea grabs me, I write about it without worrying about if it fits into a category. But my imagination won't let me write outside the SF/fantasy/etc box.
Cate: Are there any other writers, published or not, in your family?
Tina: Yes, my sister-in-law has a few romance/mystery novels publish.
Cate: What inspires you in your personal life? In your writing?
Tina: Music. Nature. Oppression. Slums, tears, rainy days. Sounds depressing, but ailing societies are worth writing about, even if they are made up.
Cate: What’s the most challenging aspect of writing? Easiest?
Tina: The most challenging aspect is making sure your story has this so called "story arch." Sometimes I find myself writing without an end. The easiest? well, I find the actual act of writing the ideas most easiest.
Cate: What’s the most rewarding aspect?
Tina: Having someone read my stories. I don't even care if they like them. Even my family members tell me, "Oh, I never got that email." (sure!) or "I don't like to read science fiction." (well, it's not scifi, it's a crossover of all kinds of things, and you're my sister so you should read it.)
Cate: Do you feel as if your characters come alive vividly as you write? Do they assert themselves in ways that surprise you?
Tina: Some characters I enjoy writing more, so they come alive. The character might be a whole different person at the end then what I had first thought.
Cate: What comes first in your writing process – a scene, characters, title? Are you a plotter or pantser?
Tina: First thing is first, and that is COFFEE. Then characters. But sometimes, like in "Gator Meat," which was published a few years ago in Aoife's Kiss, it was the scene. I asked myself while traveling in Florida, "What would it be like if the U.S. was so overpopulated that people started building huts in the swamps because there was no land left?" I am definitely a pantser. I do plot, but as I write I feel my story goes another way.
Cate: You're a woman after my own heart!
Who are some of your favorite authors and books? What are you reading now?
Tina: I have many. Neil Geiman's "American Gods," China Mieville's "Scar" Janet Finch's "Paint it Black" are perhaps at the top of that list. Right now I am reading three books. "Shadow's Edge," by Brent Weeks, "Matter" by Iain Banks, and "Thy Kingdom Come," by Don Helin, a fellow Penn Writer.
Cate: I'm a huge Neil Gaiman fan too. And Don Helin! I'll have to check out the others.
So what's next for you? Anything in the works?
Tina: I just finished my first novel, and it is in the hands of a few very kind, competent readers before I hunt for an agent. (thank you guys) I am now working on a second novel.
Cate: Wow, congrats on that achievement, and best of luck.
Do you have any other hobbies or specialties?
Tina: Hobbies? Do I have time? sometimes. gardening. I play tennis every chance I get. Skiing when there's snow. Love to hike, bike, kayak.
Cate: Where can you be found on the web?
Tina: My web site www.tinacrone.com, Facebook, Eternal Press... my stories are on many sites.
Cate: Anything else you’d like to share?
Tina: Thanks. Let's all keep the book industry alive and support fellow writers.
Amen to that!
Thanks for being here today, Tina! Best of luck with your release of The Yellow Stone - it sounds like a great read.
