Tracey Garvis Graves

Tracey is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, On The Island.

Tracey, your debut novel is called On The Island. Can you tell us a little about it?

On the Island is a story about a thirty-year-old teacher named Anna who has been hired to tutor sixteen-year-old cancer survivor T.J. Callahan. They were supposed to be spending the summer at the Callahan’s vacation rental in the Maldives. Unfortunately, the plane Anna and T.J. are traveling on crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. They make it to the shore of an uninhabited island and wait for a rescue that never comes.

Can you sum up your writing style in five words?

Fast-paced, sparse, emotional, easy, storyteller.

What inspired you to write On The Island?

I remember watching the movie Castaway and wishing there had been another person on that island with Tom Hanks. If they could sell the idea that a man could have a meaningful relationship with a volleyball, why couldn’t I convince readers that true love conquers all and age is just a number?

Did you plan the book out or did you just write with a small outline to see where it leads?

I’m an outliner so I usually know where the story is going and I have a good idea of the beginning, middle, and end. I’m often surprised by how things change once I’m actually writing though.

Is there a character from fiction you’d like to meet?

Bridget Jones from Bridget Jones’s Diary. I think we’d have a blast together. I’m pretty sure there would be wine.

What were the last three books you read?

The Art of Forgetting, This Is Not A Test, and The Violets of March. They were all fantastic!

What, for you, is the best environment to write in?

Total silence. I love that sound!

Who would be your ideal dinner guests?

In real life, they would be my close circle of friends. I love throwing dinner parties and these people have already been to quite a few of mine. If we’re talking famous people than I really think Elton John needs to come to my house. Bonus points if I could get him to sing for me.

Which three things would you need to take with you to a desert island?

A book, a picture of my family, and a satellite phone so I could call for rescue 🙂

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Just get the first draft down and don’t spend hours editing and revising the same paragraph. Once you’ve got the whole story written you can go back and fix everything that isn’t working.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

Yes, I’m writing a book called Covet. It’s my first foray into upmarket women’s fiction. I’m really excited to try something a bit different. It’s the story of a married couple and the effect of the husband’s job loss during the height of the recession. It’s heartbreaking, hopeful, and ultimately uplifting. But have your Kleenex box handy.

Five tips for writers?

1. Learn to self-edit.

2. Write the story that pours out of you, not the one you think you should write.

3. You can’t go wrong if you adopt the FOKBIC method: fingers on keyboard, butt in chair.

4. Write every day.

5. Make good use of your idle time (driving, showering, folding laundry) by letting your mind wander. Your subconscious will often do a lot of your “writing” for you (so keep a notebook handy to jot things down when they come to you).

For more information on Tracey, click here. 

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by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.