We recently connected with Teri M Brown and have shared our conversation below.

Teri M, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Although I said I wanted to be a writer when I was a child, that was never something I believed could be a real job. My parents believed that being a writer was saying that I wanted to be a starving artist and work as waitstaff in some dive restaurant. So, I went to college and received two majors and two minors because I couldn’t settle on something that fit.

Shortly before graduation, I married the man I had been dating all through school, and settled down to be a stay-at-home homeschool mom of four wonderful children. Unfortunately the marriage did not last. As a single mom who wanted to continue homeschooling, I turned to the virtual world to find employment. So, in 2000, I began working as a virtual assistant and research assistant for several entrepreneurs. One of them loved my writing style and convinced me to help him write an ebook for his business. Before long, I was writing content for small businesses.

During this time, I remarried. Within months, I realized I had made a mistake, but I didn’t want to be divorced again. I stuck with it for 14 long, miserable years with a man who was emotionally abusive. Although I continued to write content, I no longer felt good about my abilities and believed I had no worth and no talent. When I suggested that I would like to write a novel, he laughed, stating that just because I could write nonfiction drivel didn’t mean I could write fiction.

Thankfully, I began seeing a therapist who helped me build up some self-worth. Then, when the time finally was right for me, I left. Words began flowing out of me, and I wrote several manuscripts. Despite being out of the relationship, I still had not healed and couldn’t allow others to see what I had written.

Then, I met my now husband, Bruce. Although I never planned to marry again, I did, and it was the best decision of my life. He encouraged me to write a story idea I had in mind, that ended up being my debut novel, but it took three years and an adventure to get it out to the world.

Bruce has always wanted to ride across the United States on a bicycle. I wanted a big adventure to prove to the world that I still had something inside of me – really, I needed to prove that to myself. So, in the summer of 2020, we rode a tandem bicycle from the coast of Oregon to Washington DC (3102 miles). Not only did we fulfill Bruce’s bucket list dream and raise money for Toys for Tots, but I healed my heart. I learned that I could do anything I put my mind to. It was no longer “if” I could do something but whether I wanted to. So, I turned in the manuscript I had hidden in a drawer, and one year later, Sunflowers Beneath the Snow made its debut.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am an author who wants very desperately not to be niched into a genre. I see myself as a character-driven fiction author. As such, my tagline states, “Connecting readers with characters they’d love to invite to lunch.”

Although my first two novels have been labeled as historical fiction, I’m a cross genre author: historical, women’s, book club, literary. I’m currently working on a tongue-in-cheek comedy about a woman dealing with menopause. I believe my readers will go with me across genres because they love characters as much as I do – and reading is about connecting with a character far more than it is about a specific setting or genre.

I also firmly believe that literature is an amazing vehicle that allows readers to experience people, places, and situations they might not otherwise experience. And literature can allow readers the chance to explore concepts that might be scary or messy in real life. For instance, in An Enemy Like Me, readers can explore the concept of what makes an enemy and how we assign people to an ‘us’ or ‘them’ category. But what do we do when we discover that ‘they’ are more like us than they are different from us? And how can we apply that in our world today full of isms and phobias?

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I love connecting with others. For the first several years, I was afraid to let others know that I was writing fiction. I suffered greatly from imposter syndrome and felt that I was merely play-acting. However, once I put myself out there, I realized there was a huge support network of people, from other authors to those who love to read.

I’ve been blessed to be a guest on dozens of podcasts, as well as become a co-host on The Writer’s Lounge. I have met some wonderful people and now correspond regularly with several. I’ve joined author organizations, online groups, and in-person groups, again making so many new friends. In these groups, I’ve been able to share my successes and tips while learning from others as they make their author journey.

Finally, as a guest speaker, I’ve met hundreds of people who love books. They’ve given me the opportunity to discuss my novels, literature, writing tips, and my story. At the same time, I’ve learned many of their stories as well.

Without a doubt, connection is the most rewarding aspect of being a writer.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

There are so many ways to supports artists and creatives. Here are just a few:

Listen to podcasts that feature artists/creatives.
Attend local artist fairs.
Add your reviews – for authors, consider Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, BookBub.
Tell your friends when you find something you love.
Interact with artists/creatives you enjoy on their social media.
Attend local speaking events that highlight artists/creatives.
When it is time to purchase gifts for holidays, consider the wares of artists/creatives.     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.terimbrown.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terimbrown_author/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeriMBrownAuthor/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/TeriMBrown/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeriMBrown1
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TeriMBrown_Author
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/terimbrownauthor/
• BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/teri-m-brown
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@terimbrown_author
• Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.com/author/terimbrown