Question 1

How do you pronounce your name?

Taryn Souders · Accepted Answer

It's easy! First Name: It's Karen, but with a T . . . Taryn. Last Name: Soo-ters (Think of a suit).

Question 2

What are your top 5 favorite books?

websydaisy · Accepted Answer

Usually whatever I’m currently reading has a good chance of making my favorites list, but I will always LOVE Okay for Now (by Gary Schmidt), The Wednesday Wars (also by Gary Schmidt), Three Times Lucky (by Sheila Turnage), Last in a Long Line of Rebels (by Lisa Lewis Tyre), and Hope in the Holler (also by Lisa Lewis Tyre). I enjoy reading humor, so anything that makes me laugh is awesome.

Question 3

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Accepted Answer

Anything but a math teacher. But I grew up to be a math teacher anyway—go figure! Actually, I had a great teacher in high school that made math easy for me. I decided I wanted to try to make math easy for others too.

Question 4

What are you afraid of?

Accepted Answer

Spiders. Seriously. Anything with eight legs gets squished.

Question 5

Have you ever held a tarantula?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In a crazy attempt to overcome my fear of spiders I held one. Worse mistake of my life…and his unfortunately. (Just kidding. The spider lived.)

Question 6

What’s your favorite food?

Accepted Answer

I love Chinese food, chocolate, and sushi (not all at once though—that’d be gross).

Question 7

Do you believe pineapple is a LEGIT pizza topping? (*Super Important Question*)

Accepted Answer

Don’t you? It’s quite possibly the best topping in the world (aside from pepperoni, of course.)

Question 8

Do you have a favorite college football team?

websydaisy · Accepted Answer

Hook ’em Horns! My husband is a University of Texas at Austin alumnus and our family tends to bleed orange. I graduated from the University of North Texas (after attending University of Florida, University of Central Florida, University of Colorado, and a handful of community colleges here and there). Let’s just say I was “indecisive.” My apologies to Scrappy the Eagle, Albert and Alberta Gator, Ralphie the Buffalo, and Knightro the Golden Knight, but Bevo has my heart.

Question 9

Did you always want to be a writer?

Accepted Answer

No, BUT I’ve always enjoyed writing.

Question 10

When did you start writing?

Accepted Answer

In Kindergarten while practicing my ABCs on a Big Chief writing pad.

Question 11

Do you get rejections?

Accepted Answer

Yep—it’s part of the game. But I’ve learned to develop “rhino skin” over the years and don’t take them personally.

Question 12

Does it take you a long time to write a book?

websydaisy · Accepted Answer

I would say it depends on what you mean by “write.” The concept usually comes together pretty quick for me, but the fine-tuning of a manuscript can take quite a while. On average it takes me about two years to write a book.

Question 13

When you’re done with a story, do you immediately send it out?

Accepted Answer

No! I am lucky enough to work with a group of talented writers. We critique each other’s stories and help one another make our stories better and stronger. Having your creative work critiqued by others can sting sometimes (oftentimes), but it’s worth it.

Question 14

What’s an agent and do you have one?

Taryn Souders · Accepted Answer

An agent is someone who represents an author and takes their stories to publishers. It’s really hard (but not impossible) to get published without one. My agent is Bethany Jett with the MacGregor and Luedeke Collaborative, and I love working with her!

Question 15

Are you working on a book now?

Accepted Answer

Yes!

Question 16

What’s it about?

Taryn Souders · Accepted Answer

It’s another murder mystery, but this one takes place in Scotland! An American family moves just out of Forres, Scotland to run a hotel and tragedy strikes one of the guests . . .

Question 17

How do you pronounce your name?

Taryn Souders · Accepted Answer

It's easy! First Name: It's Karen, but with a T . . . Taryn. Last Name: Soo-ters (Think of a suit).

Question 18

What are your top 5 favorite books?

websydaisy · Accepted Answer

Usually whatever I’m currently reading has a good chance of making my favorites list, but I will always LOVE Okay for Now (by Gary Schmidt), The Wednesday Wars (also by Gary Schmidt), Three Times Lucky (by Sheila Turnage), Last in a Long Line of Rebels (by Lisa Lewis Tyre), and Hope in the Holler (also by Lisa Lewis Tyre). I enjoy reading humor, so anything that makes me laugh is awesome.

Question 19

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Accepted Answer

Anything but a math teacher. But I grew up to be a math teacher anyway—go figure! Actually, I had a great teacher in high school that made math easy for me. I decided I wanted to try to make math easy for others too.

Question 20

What are you afraid of?

Accepted Answer

Spiders. Seriously. Anything with eight legs gets squished.

Question 21

Have you ever held a tarantula?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In a crazy attempt to overcome my fear of spiders I held one. Worse mistake of my life…and his unfortunately. (Just kidding. The spider lived.)

Question 22

What’s your favorite food?

Accepted Answer

I love Chinese food, chocolate, and sushi (not all at once though—that’d be gross).

Question 23

Do you believe pineapple is a LEGIT pizza topping? (*Super Important Question*)

Accepted Answer

Don’t you? It’s quite possibly the best topping in the world (aside from pepperoni, of course.)

Question 24

Do you have a favorite college football team?

websydaisy · Accepted Answer

Hook ’em Horns! My husband is a University of Texas at Austin alumnus and our family tends to bleed orange. I graduated from the University of North Texas (after attending University of Florida, University of Central Florida, University of Colorado, and a handful of community colleges here and there). Let’s just say I was “indecisive.” My apologies to Scrappy the Eagle, Albert and Alberta Gator, Ralphie the Buffalo, and Knightro the Golden Knight, but Bevo has my heart.

Question 25

Did you always want to be a writer?

Accepted Answer

No, BUT I’ve always enjoyed writing.

Question 26

When did you start writing?

Accepted Answer

In Kindergarten while practicing my ABCs on a Big Chief writing pad.

Question 27

Do you get rejections?

Accepted Answer

Yep—it’s part of the game. But I’ve learned to develop “rhino skin” over the years and don’t take them personally.

Question 28

Does it take you a long time to write a book?

websydaisy · Accepted Answer

I would say it depends on what you mean by “write.” The concept usually comes together pretty quick for me, but the fine-tuning of a manuscript can take quite a while. On average it takes me about two years to write a book.

Question 29

When you’re done with a story, do you immediately send it out?

Accepted Answer

No! I am lucky enough to work with a group of talented writers. We critique each other’s stories and help one another make our stories better and stronger. Having your creative work critiqued by others can sting sometimes (oftentimes), but it’s worth it.

Question 30

What’s an agent and do you have one?

Taryn Souders · Accepted Answer

An agent is someone who represents an author and takes their stories to publishers. It’s really hard (but not impossible) to get published without one. My agent is Bethany Jett with the MacGregor and Luedeke Collaborative, and I love working with her!

Question 31

Are you working on a book now?

Accepted Answer

Yes!

Question 32

What’s it about?

Taryn Souders · Accepted Answer

It’s another murder mystery, but this one takes place in Scotland! An American family moves just out of Forres, Scotland to run a hotel and tragedy strikes one of the guests . . .

About Me

FAQs

How do you pronounce your name?

What are your top 5 favorite books?

What did you want to be when you grew up?

What are you afraid of?

Have you ever held a tarantula?

What’s your favorite food?

Do you believe pineapple is a LEGIT pizza topping? (Super Important Question)

Do you have a favorite college football team?

Did you always want to be a writer?

When did you start writing?

Do you get rejections?

Does it take you a long time to write a book?

When you’re done with a story, do you immediately send it out?

What’s an agent and do you have one?

Are you working on a book now?

What’s it about?

FAQs

How do you pronounce your name?

What are your top 5 favorite books?

What did you want to be when you grew up?

What are you afraid of?

Have you ever held a tarantula?

What’s your favorite food?

Do you believe pineapple is a LEGIT pizza topping? (*Super Important Question*)

Do you have a favorite college football team?

Did you always want to be a writer?

When did you start writing?

Do you get rejections?

Does it take you a long time to write a book?

When you’re done with a story, do you immediately send it out?

What’s an agent and do you have one?

Are you working on a book now?

What’s it about?

Subscribe to my newsletter, The Briefing Room

Do you believe pineapple is a LEGIT pizza topping? (Super Important Question)