Ten Things about Tibby Armstrong - An Author Interview

Welcome to our second installment of 10 Things About - an author interview with Tibby Armstrong!  I

've gotten to know Tibby since she joined our MM Romance Reviewed Facebook group and she's been a strong cheerleader for all things MM Romance including the blog and in the group! 

Thank you for being a part of our new author series - let's jump right into the questions:

Indie or Traditionally published? Tell us how this works for you.

TIBBY:

I am originally traditionally published.

My first three series were published with Ellora’s Cave, Loose Id, and Random House (Loveswept), in that order.

After writing to deadline with Random House didn’t work out forme because of a demanding day job, I switched to Indie, first with Taste the Dark, the second book in my Boston After Dark (gay vampire hunter meets vampire nemesis) series, and next with The Asylum Fight Club series (co-authored with Bianca Sommerland).

Plot or Pants?
Do you pre-plot your books, use an outline, fly by the seat of your pants or some combination of things?

TIBBY:

I am what’s known as a plotser. I actually do a lot of detailed plotting, characterization, and world building that might or might not make it into my final draft. I think of an outline as a loose guide to where I want the story to go, but often the characters surprise me in strange and wonderful ways! 

How do you keep track of characters in a series? 

TIBBY:

I keep a character and world bible open on my laptop for complex Paranormal Romances. For Contemporary I find it’s not as necessary, though when co-authoring this can be a must-have so both authors remain on the same page for timelines and world details.

Do you keep a journal of your characters’ statistics, such as hair and eye color, relatives, hometown, etc.?

TIBBY:

No, mostly because I find this gets in the way. If I can’t visualize a character then I know I haven’t spent enough time getting to know them. Once I do, I’ll never forget them.

Tell us about your first…

published gay fiction/romance,

TIBBY:

My first Gay Romance was in the Hollywood series. Titled No Apologies, it chronicles the history of two lovers struggling to come to terms with how the scars of their past have affected their present day relationship. Told mostly in flashback, it chronicles their high school years and their enemies to lovers journey at an all boys military school.

and then your most recent one.

TIBBY:

In my solo work, Taste the Dark is my most recent Gay Romance. Set in Boston, it is the second book in the Boston After Dark series. It chronicles the lives of three best friends as they battle the City’s darker denizens in a fight to claim the magic that runs through the heart of Boston Common.

Something people would be surprised to know about you.

TIBBY:

I’ve been both a model and an actor, and ran away from home at 18 to move to New York City to follow my creative aspirations.

Which character still pops into your mind to visit from time to time?

TIBBY:

Definitely Greg Falkner from No Apologies (Hollywood), and Jamie Kent from Hard Justice (The Asylum Fight Club)!

Where do you write? Do you have a routine?

TIBBY:

Pre-pandemic, I wrote most often in coffee shops. Now, I write mostly on my sofa or in my office, though I’ve been known to spend a creative day on my patio or snuggled up in bed with my laptop and three kitties.

My writing routine consists mostly of writing on the weekends. I write best in the mornings, but wake up slowly. As a result, Facebook and a cup of coffee are usually on the runway before I can manage to put words on the page.

What do your friends and family think of what you write; do they know?

TIBBY:

My friends and close family know about my writing, but unless I met them through fandom none of them have read my books. Most of them are Mystery and SF/F readers, and don’t understand that Romance isn’t “porn” or “erotica” no matter how many times I tell them! It used to be frustrating, but now I look at readers and other authors as my found family and enjoy sharing our love of all things Gay Romance with them.

 

What is your favorite thing about writing gay romance?

TIBBY:

Do I need to choose just one? Lol. As an LGBTQ+ person who grew up queer in a time when it was a lot less acceptable than it is now, I enjoy the sense of support and tight knit community from the readers and authors of the MM Romance genre.

We all have a sense of the struggles that LGBTQ+ folks have been through. I don’t need to reiterate much about my own journey for people to “get it” which allows me to just be and create in ways that resonate with my own journey without looking over my shoulder. That’s a real gift and I couldn’t be more grateful.

How can we connect with you?

TIBBY:

I hang out mostly in my Facebook Group, Tibby Armstrong’s Seekrit Clubhouse (https://www.facebook.com/groups/tibbyarmstrong), where I host video chats, giveaways, and post memes as well as encourage readers and authors to share thoughts about the books they’re reading and writing and loving.

Feel free to email me anytime at tibby@tibbyarmstrong.com

Thank you so much for hanging out here at MM Romance Reviewed!  If you read this far, please leave a comment or a follow up question for Tibby or the blog team!