Conversations with Tatum Dire

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tatum Dire.

Hi Tatum, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Tatum Dire is a dark romance author with a heart full of wild dreams and stories that dig deep into emotion and truth. Originally from a small town in Southeast Texas and now tucked away in Eastern New Mexico, Tatum began her author journey with nothing but a story she couldn’t keep to herself, a supportive friend, and late nights. Her debut novel, -Not Him, Us, released in 2022, was a true passion project—self-edited, a homemade cover, and sent into the world full of raw heart.
What drives her isn’t just storytelling, but the freedom in it—the chance to weave raw emotion, lived experiences, and even the wildest dreams into something that resonates. For Tatum, the greatest reward is knowing her words have touched, healed, or empowered the readers who give her stories a chance.
In 2024, she reached a milestone close to her heart, republishing her debut with professional edits, thanks to the love and support of her growing readership. Her next release—a dark romance and the first in an interconnected standalone series—is set to launch in August 2025.
Tatum began writing as a way to understand herself, putting shape to feeling, then found, in the silence between the pages, others were listening. For her coming plans… she can only hope that continues.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like many writers, Tatum’s path hasn’t been without challenges. Balancing the demands as a growing author, managing chronic health struggles, and working another job to support her family often left her exhausted and stretched thin. The demands sometimes felt overwhelming, and her health challenges worsened under the pressure. Though, with the grace of God and her amazing husband, things shifted when she was finally able to quit that job—giving her the space and energy to focus on writing.
Through it all, she reminded herself that writing is her refuge—a way to escape the stress and doubt of real life and keep chasing the stories that won’t let her go.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Tatum Dire writes dark romance—stories that dive into the messy, intense emotions people often keep hidden. While she specializes in weaving raw, emotional journeys that push boundaries in the most twisted ways, she’s open to exploring other romance subgenres as her career progresses. What she’s most proud of is her ability to create characters and worlds that feel real and flawed, where readers can see pieces of themselves in the struggles, heartbreaks, and hopes, all while still creating a fictional world that takes you away from this one.
What sets Tatum apart is her commitment that intertwines with her impulsiveness. Starting out with no knowledge on how to make her vision successful, she did some light research and leaped into the unknown. She learned as she went, determined to become the author that stood proudly in her dreams, and that boldness shines through in her work. Her stories aren’t just escapism; they’re about finding healing in the darkest of places.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
For Tatum, risk-taking has been less about bravado and more about passion. When she started writing, she had no experience with publishing, editing, or marketing—but she took the leap anyway, driven by a story she couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t simple, and the uncertainty of the outcome was daunting, but her husband’s encouragement made the journey feel more manageable and exciting as he gave her the drive to keep going. Tatum doesn’t see herself as a reckless risk-taker, but she believes that growth requires stepping into the unknown at times. To her, risk means being willing to face failure and fear head-on, ready to pick yourself up and try again. Without that willingness, the readers she hopes to reach and the stories stuck in her head would never meet.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tatum-dire-author.square.site/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tatumdireauthor?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/517237363246709/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/tatumdireauthor