Authors on My Blog #11: Meet Tamara Grantham

Tamara Grantham was born and raised in Southeast Texas. She earned a Bachelor's degree in English from Lamar University. After marrying her husband David, she followed him through his training to become a burn surgeon, which consisted of moving from Vidor, Texas to Galveston, Texas, then to Tulsa, Oklahoma, back to Galveston, and they finally settled in Wichita, Kansas. Tamara and David have five active, sweet, and almost always well-mannered children, ages zero to ten years. Their two pets, June--the Jack Russell Terrier, and Chester--a black cat, help to keep the house lively (in addition to the children.)

When Tamara isn't writing or tending her children, she enjoys taking walks through the woods, eating chocolate, and very infrequently, she enjoys a good night's sleep. You can learn more about Tamara and her books by signing up for her newsletter. Or visit her here:
http://www.facebook.com/tamaraclairegrantham
https://www.twitter.com/tamaragrantham
http://www.tamaragranthambooks.com

Visiting Faythander is a nasty business. Forget the fairies and unicorns, most people come back with lost memories and mental problems. Olive Kennedy knows. She's the therapist who treats patients suffering from Faythander's side effects. Despite her empty bank account, she takes pride in her job as Houston's only Fairy World medical doctor. She's never failed to cure a client--until now.

Traveling back to Faythander wasn't on Olive's to-do list. But she has no choice. The fate of both Earth and Fairy depends on her ability to stop an ancient being called the Dreamthief. To complicate matters, she may be losing her heart to someone who can't love her in return. Saving the world, she can handle. Falling in love--not so much.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords

Everyone please welcome Houston’s only Fairy World psychologist, Olive Kennedy. Dr. Kennedy has a medical degree in psychiatry. Since graduating medical school, she spent a year doing research in Boston, and now lives in sunny Galveston, Texas, where she counsels her clients who have mental abnormalities.

Today we’re going to learn a little more about who she is what she does in her spare time when she isn’t saving Fairy World…

Moderator: Olive, can you tell us how you made your career choice?

Olive: Yes. After living on Earth for several years, it was apparent to me that there was no treatment for patients who’d visited Faythander and returned with no memories. I would meet people suffering with depression or some type of psychoses, and realize that they’d been to Fairy World. Also, many of the people collected fairy world figurines of some sort or another, which clued me in that these people were true Fairy World travelers. I did a year of research in Boston where I crafted my laptop box, and where I developed my methods for diagnosing patients. My mentor, Dr. Hill, helped me to accomplish this, although I still have yet to convince him that Faythander exists. After I moved away from Boston, I set up my practice in Texas where I’ve been helping my clients ever since.

Moderator: When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?

Olive: Talking walks (but not on the beach!), reading, and knitting. I enjoy making something from almost nothing, and it takes my mind off my problems. I know I don’t fit the stereotype, but there are some days where I would much rather sit at home and knit. My cat is also appreciative of my hobby, as he has proclaimed himself the master of my yarn basket.

Moderator: If you could visit anywhere, where would you go?

Olive: There’s a lovely fortress in Faythander up in the mountains that I wouldn’t mind going back to.

Moderator: Favorite color? Sports team? Animal?

Olive: Color--red—because it’s my natural hair color. Sports team--? No idea. What are sports? Animal? Cat, or dragon, depending on which world we’re speaking about.

Moderator: Do you have a favorite book?

Olive: Do I have to choose just one? I guess I’ll have go with The Dragonsmith (a Faythander novel, so don’t try to find it at your local B&N.) My step-father read it to me as a kid, and it brings back fond memories.

Moderator: What advice would you give to those struggling with depression?

Olive: Get help. You’re stronger than you think, but you can’t do it alone. Depression is a nasty disease. It’s worse than any illness you can catch, because it brings you to a dark place, and those feelings of sadness can become so overwhelming that many people choose to take their own life rather than suffer anymore. My methods are designed for those who’ve visited Fairy World, but there are many reasons for depression, and the only way to get treated is to talk to someone. Do not try to go it alone. When you’re depressed, your brain has trouble handling even simple situations, so it’s best to get treatment.

Moderator: What’s one thing about yourself that’s quirky or different?

Olive: Just one thing? Let’s see—I hate coffee. They didn’t have it on Faythander, and it tastes absolutely disgusting if you’re not accustomed to it. I much prefer a steaming mug of hot cocoa with whipped cream and peanut butter. Hey, don’t knock it till you try it.

Moderator: Describe yourself in three words:

Olive: Impulsive, resilient, determined.

Moderator: Do you consider yourself a hero?

Olive: No. I’m an ordinary person. Others might call me a hero, and I wouldn’t want to disappoint them, so I probably wouldn’t argue, but I have faults just like everyone else.

Moderator: Is there anything you want people to know about you?

Olive: I love to laugh. Sometimes the best cure for gloom and doom is laughter, and I try to bring humor into tough situations.
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Also, I’ve heard through the grapevine that some of my heroics have been recorded. I’ve read the book and it’s wildly entertaining, so if you get the chance to pick up Dreamthief, I am sure it will add a little laughter, a little adventure, and a lot of fun to your otherwise ordinary life, which, I believe, is why the author wrote the book in the first place.