We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tyrean Martinson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tyrean below.

Tyrean, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

On a random Wednesday, not that long ago, I was struggling to get words on the page for one of my projects. Normally, having different projects in different stages helps me fend off these “blah” moments in writing because if I am not enjoying one project, I’ll switch to another one, and then go back and forth between them. However, this particular day, I felt I needed to get words on the page for a particular project and it wasn’t going well. To motivate myself, I decided to take a break, which I knew could be a dangerous way to lose myself in the whirl of social media, but I did it anyway, feeling a bit mulish about my rebellion.

When I went on Instagram, I found an unexpected shout-out from Irish science fiction author, Damien Larkin, holding one of my books in ebook format up and smiling into the camera lens, with a decent review under the picture.

Happiness washed over me, and I re-read the post several times, feeling as if I had been given a huge friendly cheer from across the world by another author (I’m from the west coast of the USA and Damien is from Ireland). I reshared the post and told my family about it. It was so unexpected, so unasked for, and so kind in a small way that meant a lot to me on a tough writing day.

I went back to my desk and wrote three chapters, and they felt like good chapters.

This act of kindness wasn’t the only time this has happened to me, but every moment an author, or reader, or someone I know gives one of my books a review or a shout-out in an unexpected way, I am thankful for the world of authors lifting each other up.

Tyrean, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Throughout my childhood, I daydreamed stories, sharing them with my dog and my cat, and sometimes, friends, family, and in classes at school. I told them out loud and started writing them down somewhat regularly at around the age of twelve. A few teachers encouraged me and told me I could become an author. I imagined being like J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis. I imagined epic fantasy tomes as my mainstay. In high school, one of my teachers assigned poetry writing, and while I didn’t want to write poetry (No. I wanted to write epic fantasy), I gave it a try and liked it more than I expected.

My first half dozen publications in college and out of college were poems. Sometimes, I was paid a token amount and sometimes, I wasn’t, but every time it was thrilling to see my words in print and know they had an effect on others. However, many of my stories were rejected on repeat. I struggled with doubt.

Finally, I received a professional publication of a short fantasy story I had written. I shouted and leaped around the world with joy, did some happy dancing, gave thanks repeatedly, cashed the check (and took a picture of it). I had finally made it, sort of. I needed to write more. I had small children. I still doubted my calling to write, but I kept writing.

Tenacity has become the source of my pride as an author. My imagination is my second source of pride. I write speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, paranormal/supernatural), poetry, devotionals, short stories, non-fiction works about faith and writing), and song lyrics. I have become a podcaster, which happened unexpectedly thanks to my Pastor and my church), and have taught writing to people of various ages, from nine to ninety. I own two of my own businesses, as an author and as a private writing teacher and coach. I have had over one hundred short works published of poetry and short stories. I have written twenty-five books and have nineteen books either published or in the publication process as of 2023.

Tenacity is a strategy, a lifestyle, and a way to move onward, even if I need a few rest breaks along the way.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My message to all: Do not give up. Be tenacious. Persevere. If you doubt, don’t listen to the doubts. Flip the script and replace that doubt with hope and determination. Also, remember to pay attention to opportunities. If someone asks you to try something different than you planned, like poetry, try it. It might open up more opportunities for you. If it doesn’t, let it go and get back to plan A. Even if it does work, like in my case with poetry, it might be possible to juggle both, like with poetry and fiction writing.

Secondly, find a community. If the first time you try to find a community, try again. Keep searching out fellow creatives who are encouraging and kind.

My mission is to write fiction, poetry and non-fiction to showcase tenacious people and characters who overcome their doubts and difficulties to become their own heroes. to build communities, and to hold onto hope.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being my own boss is the most rewarding aspect of being a creative. The challenging part of that is creating a healthy, working schedule and sticking to it, regardless of phone calls or other distractions. On the days when I get in my three-four hours of writing, one to two hours of business and marketing, and two to three hours of teaching writing, I feel accomplished. I check off my accomplishments and track how I use my hours, and the act of doing this motivates me for the next day and the next. When I get distracted and don’t complete my scheduled work, it’s a little harder, but I remind myself that the next day, I am capable of beginning again. There are days when I struggle with ongoing health issues, and on those days, I cut my expectations for my workday in half, or even to a quarter of the amount I would normally do. Giving myself grace when I don’t have the energy is a good thing. Rewards I give myself for work include new books, new journals, rest, photography walks, watching movies, travel, and sometimes, big, rare adventures like skydiving (only once so far). These rewards fill my creative well and motivate me for more creative work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tyreanstales.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyreanmartinson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TyreanMartinson
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TyreanMartinson
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Tyreanify
• Other: I have been experimenting with a Substack and a Substack podcast here: https://tyrean.substack.com/

Image Credits
Damien Larkin, Shana Dow, Susanne Bacon, Skydive Snohomish, and myself (Tyrean Martinson)