Why did you become a writer?
 Writing brings me joy! I have been a writer for as long as I can remember. I still have the diaries from my childhood as well as an entire box full of letters that I wrote to my husband back in our high school days (he adores me and saved every last one). What is more, I continue to write to the same pen-pal I have had since I was fourteen. I decided to write for children and young adults, however, when my favorite college professor—Dr. Marjorie Hancock—told me I should. If she would have said, “Tammi, you’d make an excellent sky-diver,” I would have agreed to it. She is one of those people who can make a person believe in herself.

What do you have to do to become a writer?
The most important thing to do is read, read, read. The more you read, the better you write. Make time to write every day. Revise then revise some more! Develop great characters that people can’t help but care about. Who are your favorite authors? Some of my favorite authors include Doreen Cronin, Jules Feiffer, Jenny Han, Maegan McCafferty, and Sonya Sones.

How do you get published?
It’s different for everyone. Some people acquire agents to help them find a publisher. Others do a lot of research about publishing companies and strive to seek out a good match for what they write.

What’s a typical writing day for you like?
My writing day is fairly short due to the fact that my husband and children are under the impression that I should be paying attention to them. This allows me about four hours a day to devote to writing. I generally begin by rereading what I wrote the previous day. I then do my best to write at least one full page or one full scene.

Where do you get your ideas?
Ideas are everywhere. A writer's job is to keep her eyes and ears open to them. The idea for COWBOY CAMP literally knocked on my door. One evening, my doorbell rang. At the door was a young boy. He explained he was selling newspaper subscriptions to raise the money he needed to attend a Dude Ranch. To me, he looked like the un-cowboy. I knew I had a story.

What advice would you give someone who wants to write?
Learn everything you can about the craft. Interact with other writers. Read as much as possible. Find a critique partner who takes writing as seriously as you do. Believe in yourself and never give up.