Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers

What drew you to thrillers and suspense as genres?

I have always loved thrillers, suspense, and mysteries. I remember watching shows like Cadfael with my mom when it came on Masterpiece Theater when I was growing up. I suppose I got it from her. She always had a love of mysteries. I’ve tried my hand by this point in multiple genres, and thriller is hands down my favorite. I can make it as light or as dark as I like, there is no formula, and I make my own rules when it comes to my story. I found that I thrive here and plan to stay! 

Why did you switch from romance?

I wrote romance first because quite frankly, I was afraid to try writing a thriller. They seem so much harder, more daunting, and difficult to line out when you compare them to something formulated like romance. After my first few books, I got brave and tried my hand at it, writing Crazy Love, my romantic thriller crossover novel that launched me into the darkness where I reside happily now deep in the depths of thrillerdom. I was never comfortable writing romance, it just wasn’t me. 

Would you write a standalone novel? What would your chosen genre be?

I have written a few of them, actually. Lucifer’s Game, Crazy Love, and my current work in progress is a stand-alone thriller that’s only weeks away from being put lovingly into my agent’s capable hands. My new book is a dark psychological thriller, but it is not a Deadly Sins novel. 

Do you have a favorite character in your series and, if so, who and why?

Men are my favorite characters to dig into and write. I wish I could tell you why, but I don’t know. I think to date, my favorite one to write was Cain, in the Deadly Sins novel, Break My Bones. He was so layered and complex, and his motivations were fun for me to explore. His twisted history and relationships and how things ended up for him when his real heart was revealed. He’s a bad guy, but in the end, you almost understand him. I loved writing his story. 

Did any 911 calls you received while working, give you ideas for your stories?

Absolutely! The reactions and actions of callers that I spoke to, the effects it must have had on their lives and loved ones- whatever they might have been going through that day, it all makes the gears in my mind turn. Not to mention the mental illness we dealt with on a daily basis in callers. I’ve had some chilling and strange phone calls that I use as seed when  I create the mental illnesses that I write into some of my characters. 

Is there a central message within your stories?

No one is all good- or bad. As you get deeper into the stories you see the layers of the characters and realize that the “good guy” or victim in the tale might not be so good. Did they deserve it? Are they the cause of what’s happening to them? And the bad guy, just what was it that made them bad? It’s one of my favorite things to do when I create new characters. 

Tell us a little about the relaunch of Crazy Love. What was the impetus?

Honestly, it was my publicist’s idea when I told him that we got the book a new cover for the five-year anniversary. I thought it was a great idea, the new cover is gorgeous, and the book was the one that launched me to where I am today. Crazy Love was fun to write, and it’s one of my favorite stories to date. 

What is your writing process? A daily routine or a looser schedule?

I’m all over the place. This book I’m wrapping up now took me about a year, longer than anything I’ve ever done because I can’t force myself to write when I’m not in the right frame of mind. God bless those authors that can do that, I, however, cannot. I do my best work by waiting it out, as frustrating as it is. But I don’t have a method or writing area, I can write whenever, wherever I feel the need. 

Where can readers find you?

Check out my website: www.rachaeltamayowrites.com

I’m also on facebook

Twitter–https://twitter.com/rtamayo2004

Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@rachaeltamayowrites

CRAZY LOVE
The relaunch of the critically acclaimed novel by award-winning novel, Rachael Tamayo

A rich and well-respected man teetering on the brink of sanity. A beautiful young woman that thinks it’s a harmless crush. An obsession for a stranger will push a man to the brink of madness and force a woman to rethink everything she took for granted as safe. By the time she realizes what has really happened, it just might be too late. Top 10 finisher in the 2018 Greenlight Screenplay Adaptation Contest.

Other Books by Rachael Tamayo:

BIO:

Rachael Tamayo is a former 911 emergency operator and police dispatcher.  After twelve years in those dark depths, she’s gained a unique insight into mental illness, human behavior, and the general darkness of humanity that she likes to weave into her books.  A formerly exclusive romance author tried her hand at thrillers in her award-winning novel, Crazy Love, and loved it so much that she decided not to turn back. Born and raised in Texas, Rachael lives in the Houston area with her husband of sixteen years, and their two small children.   

Links:

author email: rtamayo@rachaeltamayowrites.com 

facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RachaelTamayowrites

facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheRTAsylum

twitter https://twitter.com/rtamayo2004

amazon https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01HC2VZ0C

goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15251093.Rachael_Tamayo

bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rachael-tamayo