It's a Book Trailer! I ♥ Animoto!

So, I just fervently created my own BOOK TRAILER for my novel, Secret Shopper. It was fun and FREE for 30 seconds or less on ANIMOTO... The music by Mike Schmid "To Show You My Love" is fitting....oh, the yearning.

I hope you will join my character's journey! Go, PHOENIX!



Mike Schmid's full song below! ♥ the LYRICS!


Follow my author page on FB...thanks!

The Indie Bookshelf REVIEW of SECRET SHOPPER, 4.5 STARS!

So, I'm really happy that my first official book review is completed and the results weren't as terrifying as I thought. I was hoping for 3 stars and a small blurb, praying they would put my Createspace created book cover up at the very least.

But, Erin Roth one of the fabulous reviewers who support INDIE authors did so much more. She gave me a perspective from someone other than a Chamorro. She helped me realize that my novel, Secret Shopper and my beloved character, Phoenix Lizama Farmer could survive outside the bubble of Guam or Chamorro life.

Erin gave Secret Shopper 4.5 STARS out of 5. Be warned, there are many SPOILERS--so if you don't want to know yet (until you've read the book), check her review out later. You can read her full review by clicking here.

Secret Shopper was a fun, interesting book. I loved being immersed in the culture of Guam, a place I know little about--I'm a super dork, I had to wiki, and then spent at least an hour clicking around. Taimanglo did an amazing job of incorporating the language, food, and customs of "a good Chamorro girl" into the story without it reading like a guidebook, even blending in a little of Phoenix's Korean heritage via her mother (I want some Phoenix rice, STAT!).

I was fascinated by what I learned, and I think that the comedic voice really made the culture accessible to the reader; every time Phoenix said "like a good Chamorro," I heard my mother-in-law telling a story about her childhood, always including "like a good Polish girl."

Secret Shopper was funny, sweet, and romantic. I was rooting for Phoenix and Thomas all the way and I think I'll continue to root for them in spirit. I hope to see Taimanglo grow and thrive in the romantic comedy genre--she was definitely spot on with this one!
--Erin Roth, The Indie Bookshelf

Thank you, Erin! I'll be doing my Carlton Happy Dance now.

Hip Hop Blog Wants to Interview Me? Time to Pump My Chest!

My friend, blogger, writer and mutual Guam Geek Nerd Herd Member, Michael Powell recently interviewed me for his BloodIsOne blog. It's a great blog that receives five times more views than mine, but its primary focus is Hip Hop music. I love me some Macklemore, but I'm known as a rock and roll enthusiasts among other genres. So, when Michael offered to interview me, I had to put on my big girl Wonder Woman underoos and dive in.

Here's a snippet. "I’m proud to be a geek, nerd, fangirl-- because, I appreciate the need to escape, the need to believe in a hero/heroine who can move mountains, because then it makes us believe that we can do the same. That belief is what fuels my writing. I love creating alternate worlds. I like creating my own heroes. Secret Shopper’s main character is Phoenix Lizama Farmer. Her first name is testament to my geekhood."

Here is the result. Click here.

Thanks for the support everyone! Hope you check out Secret Shopper on Amazon.com, my romantic comedy novel needs some friends.
Tanya

Secret Shopper, Making Headlines...

Book offers island life references, romance: Chamorro author Tanya Taimanglo's 'Secret Shopper'

My home"town"--island, rather has breaking news on my novel. Thanks to colleague and friend, Sandy Flores Uslander, my writing endeavors and new novel, Secret Shopper has reached the shores of Guam. I've done my best to make some waves from WA State, but it's nice to be in my hometown paper.

The link is here! GUAM PDN.

Sandy Flores Uslander also writes for the blog, GoIsland.net and recently blogged about the article she wrote. So thankful! Read about it here. Click!
Can't wait to receive the hardcopy from my family.

Thanks for the support everyone!

You're an Author?

I am.
I will be.
I've always been.

To celebrate that, I finally have an 'Official Author Page'...cue in dramatic, sweeping symphony music.

So, if you would like to follow my Author Page and my writing adventures, or misadventures. Feel free to click here, and get ready to be whelmed, or overwhelmed and hopefully not underwhelmed.

And, if you have my novel, Secret Shopper, thanks! Let me know what you think and rate and review if you can...it would be super helpful and greatly appreciated.

Tanya

It's Getting Hot in Here...So, I 'Member Guam.

Whenever it gets warm stateside, I’m flushed with memories of my childhood on Guam.

A few things I miss, and others not so much….

1. Foremost Macadamia Nut Ice Cream—I used to excavate the tiny pieces of macadamia and save them for last. Like a squirrel, it was sometimes futile collecting nuts...one per half gallon just about.


2. Ice Water Out of a Jar—Straight from the tap, we shared one large jar and had to wait for the white cloud to subside. I would watch it sizzle away, never questioning the health of that water. I’m fine today, except for the third eye behind my head.


3. Grease-The Movie, played every year. My parents didn’t care that I was eight and learning about sex and hickeys and working it. Lessons still not learned. “Tell me about it, Stud.”

4. Hagåtña Library-Even though I didn’t own an actual library card because my parents couldn’t be bothered to come in with me, they would occasionally drop me off to spend a few hours. A/C and books, a great combination.

5. Paseo-Walking around Paseo Park for exercise, then having Taco Bell after with my almost ‘nina’ and her son. That lesson of exercise so I can eat, all their fault.

6. Asan + Camel Rock + Low Tide= Aliling or sea snails. It was a family fun day, to have a bucket, mom’s enthusiasm and low tide in the village of Asan. I typically lagged behind my family, trying not to cut my feet on the jagged rocks, deathly afraid of attracting sharks. Once my tiny Korean mother hunted her weight in shells and sea snails, we headed home where only she and I would eat the chewy take out from the sea.

7. Sticking my face in the Family Freezer. Guam folk love their deep freezers. Meat doesn’t expire! Hot summer days, when my parents weren’t looking, my adolescent face was hanging into the freezer to chill out. Days before A/C was normal in the whole house.

8. Foremost Macadamia Nut Ice Cream. Oh, I mentioned that already? Sorry, I’m hungry.

Consumed by Art...When I'm not Writing.

So, I've been having much fun and 'therapy' with using my birthday gift...watercolor pencils. I released my novel about 3 weeks ago and maybe it's because I'm feeling a bit sad that it hasn't reached triple digit sales yet that I'm finding solace in creating art.

Okay, put your mini violins of sympathy away. Just happy to be afforded some time each day to paint/draw.

Carry on and thanks for the support!

If you've read my book (and three lovely women read it in one day or less--which is good, right?), please support potential interest/sales in SECRET SHOPPER by writing a review and rating it on Amazon. I have one great review, posted below. Much appreciated!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome story! May 14, 2013
By Sami
Format:Kindle Edition

I loved the story simply because it's like you can relate to it. I loved how respectful the author was in language. Probably because of her roots. And "Mufasa" had to have been the funniest for me. I laughed my head off for ever.
I would love to read a series on this.
Two thumbs up to Tanya for such an amazing book!