Author Interview: T.J. Hamilton

Buying Thyme was a recent release by talented former police officer TJ Hamilton which we featured here as a book club title, the reviews coming back from readers are quite varied. We were fortunate to also be able to get a little background on author TJ Hamilton about the book and her writing.

Hi TJ, welcome to Beauty and Lace and thanks for talking to us.
What made you want to be a writer?

I don’t think I actually ever set out to be a writer, it all just fell into place when I started writing out thoughts one day. I can’t turn off the writing tap now that I’ve started, and I absolutely love what I do.

How does your former occupation inspire your writing?

It’s given me plenty of stories to work with and I’m able to write about things that not many people get to experience.

What inspired you to write about prostitution?

I found the girls were so unlike my preconceived idea about them. I really wanted to explore what happens when a girl develops feelings in an industry such as that.

Can you tell us a little about your recent release Buying Thyme?

Buying Thyme follows a high-end escort, Miranda. She does well for herself as the most sought-after girl at her agency, but lines become blurred when she questions her feelings, beyond what she’s being paid to do to clients. With two very different men seeking her attention and company, she finds her world is flipped upside down. When tragedy strikes, Miranda learns just how strong she is when she takes on a dangerous investigation. But she can’t stop and she is desperate to learn the truth. It all comes down to just how far she’s willing to go down that high-stakes path, before there is no point of return?

How true to life do you think the novel is compared to your experiences?

There are a lot of secret deals and happenings within high-society that happen behind closed doors. I think there is plenty of weight behind this story line, but perhaps not to the extent that I’ve written about. I loved setting the story around actual locations in Sydney to really make you question how much of it is true to life and how much of it is fiction.

Can you tell us a little about your writing process, are you a plotter?

Apparently I’m organic! I always plot first. Some of my plot lines that I write out are short stories of their own. I have to have a clear idea of where I’m starting and how it will end, but my stories will always develop a life of their own. I couldn’t predict how some of the stories end up, which is always really exciting.

What do you love to read?

I read loads of crime and psychological thrillers, but then I’ll sometimes read a quick category romance in between to sweeten things up.

Which book are you most looking forward to reading this year?

Since this year is almost over, most of the books I’m waiting for come out in 2016. I can’t wait for Caroline Kepnes, Hidden Bodies in February. It’s the follow-up to her debut book You. I also can’t wait to get my hands on Kylie Scott’s new romance series ‘Dive Bar’ with, Dirty coming out at the start of the year.

Are you working on anything new you can share with us?

I’ve just drawn out my new plot for an untitled manuscript that I’ll start working on within the next few weeks. It’s a detective murder/mystery with a female lead and of course some romantic turmoil thrown into the mix.

Buying Thyme (Harlequin MIRA) is available for purchase at Harlequin or at all good book stores nationally for RRP $24.99/ eRRP $17.99

T.J. Hamilton can be found on her Website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.