We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tamara E. Kraft. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tamara E. below.
Tamara E., thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
Oh goodness, the answer to this question dates back when I was very young, probably starting around age 7. I have always loved movies and books, particularly fantasy, science fiction, and mysteries. For stories I didn’t really care for, I would imagine how I would have ended them. Imagining what adventures I would have for my favorite superheros like Batman and Spider-man to what mystery I would have Nancy Drew take on, I would daydream of various scenarios. At the same time, my father, Kevin M. Kraft, encouraged me to start my own writing exploits. He was already a seasoned author himself and an inspiration to me. So I decided to give it a shot.
Now my stories in my younger years were…not good. I had a great imagination but let’s face it, the stories of a seven-year old leave something to be desired. They were cute, but laughably bad. Thankfully, I did get better over the years. Being home-schooled allowed a tailored curriculum that definitely helped shape my writing style and skill into what it is today. As a preteen, I did entertain the idea of being an author as a career, but quickly discovered that it was a hard field to get into. There’s a lot of people who want to write a story and it is super easy to get lost among them. So I strove to create a literary work that I wanted to share with the world.
Fast forward several years to 2015 (I think) when I finished my first novel, Legends of the Valdeshi: Genesis at age 20. I was proud, it was my best work yet and the feedback I had gotten was encouraging as well. At this point, I began to question if this was the story, if this was the novel I wanted to use to make my debut as an author. After much prayer and more feedback, I decided the answer was yes.
Now the process for Legends of the Valdeshi to being published in 2021 was long. Life happened, things got in the way, but I did edit LotV over the years on and off. But I felt the push to share my work with the world. And then in the fall of 2021, it finally happened. My work was shared with the world. And at that point, I knew this wasn’t a one and done thing, this was going to be a career. Writing is a craft I genuinely feel called to pursue which is why I haven’t given it up.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Tamara E. Kraft, fantasy author. I made my debut onto the writing scene in 2021, but I’ve been writing since I was a little kid. As I said, I primarily write fantasy, but I do plan to explore some other genres such as science fiction, mystery, and maybe even a romance novel in the future. My book Legends of the Valdeshi: Genesis is the first in a trilogy, the second installment is set to come out this winter or fall. My target audience is young adult/adult, but my novels can be enjoyed by all as I strive to write clean fiction.
Fantasy is my main genre because it literally has no rules. I love being able to create my own worlds with their own rules, their own people, and their own way of life. Authors like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Christopher Paolini have inspired me in how they have constructed such intricate realms with amazing characters and plots. I’ve always been one who likes to carve her own path so fantasy really allows me to do that.
Legends of the Valdeshi: Genesis is about a human princess and a half Elvish prince who struggle to find their place in their respective kingdoms. However, the rise of black magik force the two to band together alongside three orphan dragon cubs. All the while, each individual must come to terms with the possibility that they may be the fulfillment of a prophecy regarding a new generation of chosen warriors. This has honestly my favorite novel/story I have ever written (shadowed only by its upcoming sequel) which is why it was the first novel I chose to publish.
In addition to writing, I also am proud to work with my family at our film production company, Heaven’s Wheel. Our current project being our first feature length film, MOMO. my role on set is being assistant to the director as well as acting coach. It’s an enjoyable creative outlet and a blessing to work with my extremely talented and creative siblings and parents that has been a welcome addition to my life in the past few years.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
A major reason why I started writing is to create entertainment that I wish I had. When you reach your twenties, you run into a conundrum as a reader. It’s almost like it is assumed that people quit reading from age 21 until about 35. I personally found it hard to find a compelling novel that had a protagonist my age, especially in the fantasy genre. There were some here and there, but I also wanted novels that weren’t focused on the protagonist’s sexual encounters and filled with profanity and the like, which made my options even fewer. So I saw a void in the literary world that I wanted to help fill for readers who found themselves in a similar position whether they were followers of Christ or not. For those who wanted novels that challenged their imagination, featured inspiring but realistic relationships between characters, and maybe even prompted some introspection. That’s the mission that drives me and something God put on my heart a few years ago. My goal and hope is that my novels can be enjoyed by a wide range of people of various ages and backgrounds. So far, the reviews and feedback I have received confirm that I am heading in the right direction!
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Something that I struggle with and I’m sure other creatives struggle with is focusing on just ONE project. As a writer, I have so many ideas for books. Way more than I’ll be able to write in a lifetime. And when I’m working on one project, my brain is percolating on another plot. This makes staying on task hard sometimes. I may be working on the second Legends of the Valdeshi installment but I also am thinking about a scene I wish to write in my currently unnamed werewolf novel (coming in the near future). And for me personally this can create writer’s block with the main project I’m working on. And sometimes the only way to fix that is to take a moment and quickly type up the scene that’s really at the forefront of your mind. And while it’s fun to have all these ideas swarming in your head, it is hard sometimes to pinpoint just one.
Sometimes the issue isn’t another novel, it’s specific part of your current project you want to get to. Even if you’re not quite sure how you’re going to end up there! I solve this problem by skipping ahead in my writing. When I first started my writing journey I only wrote my novel in chronological order, but I found this actually slowed my progress because there were certain scenes or chapters that I couldn’t wait to write. So occasionally, I will write a chapter or scene out of order, and honestly it makes my writing process so much easier.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tamaraekraft.weebly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarae.kraft
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TamaraEKraft/
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21661462.Tamara_E_Kraft
Image Credits
Previsionary Arts