CONWAY, S.C. — “After administering a test, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I had just sat down and God spoke to me,” said Tamia Gore-Felton, describing the day she began writing her first book.
“The words were crystal clear. He said, ‘write a book about twin girls.’ At that moment, I started jotting down ideas,” she added.
What was supposed to be a typical day of substitute teaching at Homewood Elementary School in Conway turned into the day Gore-Felton would finally receive the inspiration to begin writing and working towards a goal she had set for herself the year before, when she graduated from Scotland High School in 2000.
The goal was to write and publish just one book.
It would take her 10 years to complete that book, which was titled “Bangles and Broken Hearts.”
The process of writing was chaotic for the first-time novelist, a time she described as an “uproar” where everything happened in fast-forward.
During that time, Gore-Felton would find herself awake in the middle of the night, scrambling to write down her ideas, which often came to her at inopportune times.
But she is grateful for the experience.
“I truly believe that writing is my gift from God,” she said.
So, when inspiration hits, wherever she is, she doesn’t take it lightly. Instead, Gore-Felton grabs a pen and quickly writes it down.
Although, she understands her characters aren’t physically real, Gore-Felton says they are real to her and to many of her readers.
“Some people can say they see a lot of themselves in these characters,” she said, adding that she often gets social media messages from her readers.
Gore-Felton recalled one message in particular she received from a reader at 3 a.m. who offered their thoughts of an alternate ending to one of her books.
Such success is no surprise to Dorothy Tyson, who taught Gore-Felton in culinary class during her time at Scotland High School.
According to Tyson, her diligence and dedication to her work have been qualities that have always been evident. These qualities have helped her surpass her goals of becoming an author.
Gore-Felton, a once teen mom, bears the titles of a published author, business owner of “Readers Delight Books and Accessories” and college degree holder. She has qualifications of a certified nail technician and clinical medical assistant, and soon she hopes to embark on a new beginning in real estate sales.
“I’m very proud of her,” Tyson said of Gore-Felton’s accomplishments.
However, despite her many accomplishments, her passion remains in her writing.
To anyone writing a book, she says, “Go ahead and finish it.”
Gore-Felton continues to travel to events and festivals in the region promoting her books. In addition, she tutors students and continues her career as a substitute teacher. Her books are available online everywhere. In addition, autographed copies can be purchased from her site at tamiagorefelton.com.
She has now written eight books. The majority of them span a three-book series titled “Bangles and Broken Hearts,” “The Hottest Summer” and “Headaches and Heartbreaks.”
Gore-Felton currently resides in Conway, S.C. with her husband and daughter.
Jessica Horne is a student intern from UNCP. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 910-506-3185.
