Welcome to Jersey Girl Book Reviews Tara! Before we get to the interview, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?
First off, I'd like to say how wonderful it is to be interviewed here on your blog! It's an excelle resource for readers, and I'm a huge fan. I'm also a voracious reader and enjoy hearing about new books to devour. My husband and I live in North Carolina currently, but we're both originally from Fairfield County, Connecticut and hope to move back there someday (if we can ever afford it). In addition to my two primary loves of writing and reading, I also enjoy cooking, gardening, and hitting the beach at every opportunity. I'm definitely a beach person, so the beautiful beach photos here and general theme of this blog is very appealing to me.
How long have you been a writer?
I've been writing regularly since I was eight and discovered how much I enjoyed telling stories. I love stories no matter how they're told, verbally or written or in a movie. The greatest draw is how they provide escape from stresses and worries as well as how they often offer perspective on things that are bothering me. Also, can't beat the feeling of being immersed in another place or time or world!
Do you have a "day job," or is being an author your career?
Right now I'm writing full time. My husband is incredibly supportive and it's great to have the time and energy to really produce as well as get engaged with readers.
What inspired you to become a writer? Describe your journey as a writer.
All the teachers I had growing up and into young adulthood were big fans of my writing, constantly saying I should become a writer. So, they were a large influence. As well, I just love it! My journey had a lot of starts and stops. At first I'd heard that you couldn't make a living as a writer and thought it would just remain a hobby. I wrote a novel that ended up re-written to death and stuffed in a drawer. I wrote lots of short stories and was lucky enough to see them published in literary magazines. Then, when I hit forty, I thought: why not go for it? So here I am with one novel published and at work on another. It's been a long road, but I'm thrilled to be where I am today.
Please give a brief description/storyline about Barefoot Girls.
When her hometown newspaper reviews Hannah O'Brien's newly released novel, the nature of her book is called into question when the reviewer suggests it is a memoir depicting her neglectful alcoholic mother - Keeley O'Brien Cohen, the most beloved of the Barefoot Girls - a little too accurately for fiction, citing rumors rather than sources.
Deeply hurt and betrayed, Keeley cuts Hannah out of her life. Desperate, Hannah does everything she can to apologize and explain, but her pleas fall on deaf ears. Meanwhile, the rest of Hannah's life starts to unravel, pushing her to risk her engagement to Daniel, the one man who had been able to scale the high walls around her heart. At the eleventh hour, the Barefoot Girls are able to convince Keeley to send Hannah the keys to the Barefooter house, the home and heart of their friendship. Barred from their clubhouse since she was twelve, Hannah grabs the chance to visit the little shack filled with memories and perched at the tip of Captain's Island in the Great South Bay on Long Island, New York.
As Hannah battles to come to terms with her equally blessed and troubled childhood and understand her mother and her sister-close friends, she's confronted with the power of forgiveness and the dangers of holding on to the past.
What was the inspiration for this story?
It was a combination of things that inspired Barefoot Girls. I've always loved books about the mother-daughter relationship and wanted to write about it. I felt that there had been many books that explored a mother's feelings of jealousy toward her daughter - missed opportunities and lost youth usually playing a large part. However, I had never read of a daughter envying her mother, and I had envied my mother quite a bit during certain stages of growing up. It felt that it was something that needed to be explored.
Secondly, one of the things that I see going on more and more with women today is the loss of long-term friendships in our lives due to various factors including the increased mobility of our culture, people rarely remaining in their home-town. Yet most women I know crave these close long-term friendships desperately. I wanted to show a lifelong friendship between four women witht he hope that women would identify with the "Barefooters" and enjoy getting to know them.
And finally, I spent many summers of my youth on a similar island to Captain's and thought it was such a unique and special place. Wanted to share that, too!
How did it feel to have your first book published?
It felt fabulous! And scary, too. As a writer, you're putting your "baby"out there - it can be nerve-wracking, hoping people will love it.
Do you write books for a specific genre?
I write contemporary women's fiction - basically, stories about women for women, covering everything from family relationships to careers to romance.
What genres are your favorite(s)? What are some of your favorite books that you have read and why?
Although I read almost everything, my favorites are women's contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and literary fiction. The list of my favorite books is miles long - so many - too long to list!
Do you have a special "spot/area" where you like to do your writing?
I work at a small dark computer cubby in our home. It works well as there's no window to gawk out of and there are few distractions.
How do you come up with the ideas that become the storyline for your books?
Ideas occur to me all the time: while listening to a song, while driving down the road, while reading someone else's writing. Usually I do a little conscious brainstorming, make some notes, and then let the unconscious (which is a better writer/creator in my opinion) get to work.
When you write, do you adhere to a strict work schedule, or do you write whenever the inspiration strikes?
Very strict: I write for an assigned number of hours per day and I'm not allowed to do anything else during that time. I won't even edit until I've gotten my writing done. It's all about getting the words out and then you can always edit later.
What aspects of storytelling do you like the best , and what aspects do you struggle with the most?
I love description and characters - they come very naturally to me. I also enjoy dialogue. The hardest part is plotting and I have found a very loose and flexible outline helps keep me on track.
What are your favorite things to do when you are not writing?
Being outside anywhere and especially at the beach. I adore cooking and baking and entertaining. Also, I love to dance and wish I had more opportunities to do it. As a result, I end up playing music in the kitchen when I cook and dancing around!
What is/was the best piece of writing advice that you have received?
Just write. Reading about writing is not writing. Talking about writing is not writing. Thinking about writing is not writing. Write, and don't make any excuses.
What is the most gratifying thing you feel or get as a writer?
When someone loves my book! Nothing makes me happier!
How do you usually communicate with your readers/fans?
I have a blog and welcome comments. I'm also considering taking the plunge and getting on Twitter. As well, I have my email address posted on the "About Me" page on my blog if anyone wants to contact me directly. Very wide open door - come on in.
Is there anything in your book based on real life experiences, or are they purely all from your imagination?
Yes, a little real life creeps into my writing, but for the most part it's a made-up story.
What authors have been your inspiration or influenced you to become a writer?
Probably the first one that comes to mind is Judy Blume. I loved her books growing up and then I read her "adult" books as well. She felt very real and personable to me and her writing made me think: maybe I could be a writer too.
What is your definition of success as a writer?
If you're always writing, continuing to produce the best books you can, you're a success. To me, if you only want to write one book, you're an author, not a writer.
Are you currently writing a new book? If yes, would you care to share a bit of it with us?
Yes, I'm working on another novel, but I prefer not to discuss the story until it's completed. I find discussion of an ongoing work damages my ability to write it. I will say that it's in the same genre, contemporary women's fiction, and that I'm very excited about it!
Thank you Tara for allowing me the opportunity to interview you on Jersey Girl Book Reviews, and for taking the time to share some things about you and your writing career with us!
About The Author:
Tara McTiernan grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and spent most of her childhood summers on an island in the Great South Bay on Long Island, New York., both of which has been the setting for her novel, Barefoot Girls, as well as short stories. Her stories have been included in literary magazines including Eureka Literary Magazine and Ultimate Writer. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, Ash.
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Book Description: Barefoot Girls
When her hometown newspaper reviews Hannah O'Brien's newly released novel, the nature of her book is called into question when the reviewer suggests it is a memoir depicting her neglectful alcoholic mother - Keeley O'Brien Cohen, the most beloved of the Barefoot Girls - a little too accurately for fiction, citing rumors rather than sources.
Deeply hurt and betrayed, Keeley cuts Hannah out of her life. Desperate, Hannah does everything she can to apologize and explain, but her pleas fall on deaf ears. Meanwhile, the rest of Hannah's life starts to unravel, pushing her to risk her engagement to Daniel, the one man who had been able to scale the high walls around her heart. At the eleventh hour, the Barefoot Girls are able to convince Keeley to send Hannah the keys to the Barefooter house, the home and heart of their friendship. Barred from their clubhouse since she was twelve, Hannah grabs the chance to visit the little shack filled with memories and perched at the tip of Captain's Island in the Great South Bay on Long Island, New York.
As Hannah battles to come to terms with her equally blessed and troubled childhood and understand her mother and her sister-close friends, she's confronted with the power of forgiveness and the dangers of holding on to the past.
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