Author Spotlight: Tamara Mataya

Tamara Mataya writes the books I love to read. She hits on that emotional journey for her characters that has me forgetting the time, the soup on the stove, the clothes in the laundry... even the *gasp!* cupcakes in the oven. And now she's here, on my blog! Isn't she beautiful?!?

Inspired by...

It's no secret I love my agent Marisa Cleveland. She's epic. I could go on and on about her, but it would sound borderline inappropriate at best, and like shameless brown-nosing at worst. Note which I think is best. *lecherous wink*

BUT that love was reaffirmed when I saw This Post where she discusses her top ten inspirations. Number nine was my favourite if you're interested.

And it got me to thinking about mine. I wouldn't say that these are things I go to looking to be inspired, but when I think of them, or hear them, I get still inside, like the rest of the world falls away. And from the eye of the storm, I feel like I can do anything. I'm cradled, suspended in every possibility of Me. All I have to do is try.

The results are sometimes hilarious, sometimes tragic. Sometimes I emerge victorious at the end of the effort. But the following examples put that strut in my step, and make my heart sing.

I've selected two. And they're both from musicians.

Music itself is a HUGE inspiration to me. Without music, I'm 90% sure I'd cease to exist. I may not die, but it would certainly be the end of 'me.' I write and I sing. Writing is something I DO, but a musician is who I AM.

And I think inspiration should be something that tears down everything except the fundamental heart of yourself. For one brief moment moment you are rocked by a truth that resonates with who you are so deeply that it might have been you speaking those words.

Because they are yours, even though it wasn't you who spoke them.

And those words drive you to act on your passions, whatever they are. Today, it was in a blog post that Marisa Cleveland wrote. <3

But back to my words of inspiration...

I'm not going to tell you WHY these inspire me. I don't think that's something that can be described. Inspiration, much like art, is subjective.

Here are mine:

*Esthero: 'Music was the lamb that made a lion out of me.'
(Esthero's first album 'Breath from another,' is one of my favourites to this day. I can't recommend it enough).

*Fiona Apple: When the Pawn...
(This is actually the title of her second album which has been shortened to When the Pawn... But the full version is quite possibly one of the most perfect things I have ever read). Here it is:
When the pawn hits the conflicts he thinks like a king What he knows throw the blows when he goes to the fight And he'll win the whole thing 'fore he enters the ring There's no body to batter when your mind is your might So when you go solo you hold your own hand And remember that depth is the greatest of heights And if you know where you stand then you'll know where to land And if you fall it won't matter cuz you'll know that you're right.

What are some words of inspiration that have left their mark on you?

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Twitter: @tamaramataya