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Interview with Terri Guiliano Long, author of In Leah’s Wake

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Tell us about In Leah’s Wake

In Leah’s Wake tells the story of a family in collapse. Sixteen-year-old Leah Tyler, a high school soccer star, has led a perfect life. When she meets a sexy older guy, attracted to his independence, she begins to spread her wings. Drinking, ignoring curfew, dabbling in drugs—all this feels like freedom to her. Her terrified parents, afraid they’re losing their daughter, pull the reins tighter.

Unfortunately, her parents get it all wrong, pushing when they ought to pull, and communication quickly breaks down. Soon there’s no turning back. Twelve-year-old Justine, caught between the parents she loves and the big sister she adores, finds herself in the fight of her life, trying desperately to pull her family together.

The Christian Existentialist thinker Gabriel Marcel said, “There can be no hope that does not constitute itself through a we and for a we.”  Marcel believed humans derive hope through the possibility of despair – and through communion with others. Pain and affliction—our very brokenness—connect us and make us human. This need to connect, the idea that we’re all in this together, is central to who I am and all I believe in. This theme plays out largely through Justine’s struggles, with community ostracism its antithesis—at its core, this is what In Leah’s Wake is about.

What genre is it?
Because the story is character-driven, In Leah’s Wake is often categorized as literary fiction, but I consider it contemporary fiction. Readers often tell me it reminds them of a Jodi Picoult novel.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?
Because of its topical plot and themes, In Leah’s Wake has been a popular book club book. For many months, it was in the top 5 or 10 on several Amazon book club lists. While this suggests a largely female adult audience, I’ve been surprised—and honored—by the positive response I’ve received from teenagers and guys. The book seems to resonate most with parents of rebellious teens, teens and adults who are or were rebellious, people who know families who’ve experienced the sorts of problems faced by the Tyler family, and readers who are interested in teen and/or parenting issues.

Complete this sentence for us: If you like ___________, you’ll love In Leah’s Wake.
Oh, this is a tough question. I’d say if you like Jodi Picoult novels, but comparing In Leah’s Wake this favorably to Ms. Picoult’s books—or any author’s book—feels arrogant somehow. May I say instead: If you like In Leah’s Wake, you’ll love (I hope) my forthcoming novel, Nowhere to Run.

To any parent out there, the thought of a child going off the rails is scarier than any made-up vampire or zombie apocalypse. Are you a parent? Did this story come from your own nightmares?
When I began writing In Leah’s Wake our four daughters were teenagers. As a parent, I knew how it felt to be scared, concerned about your children’s future. Like Zoe, I used to think, if only I knew everything would turn out well I wouldn’t worry so much. Of course we can’t see the future, so I was constantly anxious. I had a friend – a smart, caring, beautiful woman – whose youngest was a coke addict, in and out of jail. My friend’s husband would leave money on the seat of their car, knowing their son would come by at night to “steal” it. Theirs was among the most beloved families in town. The other three children were lovely and grew to be successful adults. You just never know.

In the film Finding Nemo, Dory tells Marlin, “Well, you can’t never let anything happen to him. Then nothing would ever happen to him. Not much fun for little Harpo.”  As parents we want to hold our children tightly, keep them safe, protect them from all the challenges the world might throw in their path. Yet if we hold too tightly, we stifle their growth. Becoming independent—learning to fall, dust off, pick yourself up—is part of the maturation process. Parenting is tough. It’s painful—because we can’t predict the future, terrifying—to watch our kids stumble. Yet, for their sake, it’s necessary. The key is in figuring out when to rein them in and when to let go. Zoe and Will struggle with this.

Although far from perfect, the Tylers are decent people and they love one another deeply. Had the community rallied around and supported rather than ostracizing them, perhaps Leah would not have gotten as lost. Most teens just want to feel accepted and loved – not for what they accomplish, but for who they are. These tough issues kept me awake at night—and ultimately emerged as this novel.

Tell us a bit about Leah’s sister, Justine, and what part she plays in the story.
Justine is twelve, in that awkward stage, not a child anymore yet not quite a teen. Justine is intelligent, faithful, and kind, a girl who sees the best in people, sometimes to her own detriment. Deeply religious, she sees God as Father and protector – a belief that will be challenged by her family’s turmoil and her own growth. Her best friend is Dog, the family’s aging Labrador Retriever. Despite her young age, Justine is left to be the rock as the rest of her family implodes; she tries desperately, if not always successfully, to save her sister and to hold their family together.

It has been a while since the publication of In Leah’s Wake. What’s taking so long?
Unfortunately, I’m a poke. I’m in awe of authors like Stephen King who can write a high quality book in a few months. It takes me days to write just a few pages. I finished the first draft of In Leah’s Wake in a few months. It was my grad school thesis, so I was under the gun. Then I spent several years revising. I started writing my forthcoming novel, Nowhere to Run, the same way, organically—in other words, with no plan—but the new novel has a far more complex plot, so I’ve had to go back, outline, and start fresh. I’m also working with a tremendously talented editor. All this takes time. I’m making headway and spending the majority of my time writing, so NTR should launch this spring.

Tell us a bit more about yourself.
Above all, I’m a wife and mom. I love nothing more than being with my family, whatever the activity. They make me laugh, they bring tremendous joy to my life, and they keep me centered. I also enjoy walking, hiking, and skiing. I love to travel, and true to my Italian-American heritage, I’m a dedicated foodie. For an amateur, I can hold my own in the kitchen. I’m also passionate about writing.

Professionally, I’m a contributing writer for IndieReader and Her Circle eZine. My stories, articles and opinion pieces have appeared in numerous publications, including the Boston Globe and the Huffington Post. I earned my MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College, and I’ve taught creative and nonfiction writing at Boston College since 1996. In Leah’s Wake is my debut novel.

Fun facts: I married Dave, the love of my life, when I was only 18. All these years later, by some amazing stroke of great fortune, he still puts up with and loves me. Although you might not guess this when you met me, I’m actually introverted and shy. I’m also a choco-holic and a shoe whore.

Have you got a website or blog where readers can keep up with your work? How can we follow you on social media?
Over the next few months, in preparation for the launch of my forthcoming novel, Nowhere to Run, I’ll be updating my website: www.tglong.com. Currently, it needs a complete overhaul. I use the blog regularly, though, so the information there is current and the blog is interactive, of course, making it a better place to connect. 

I’m also active on Facebook and Twitter.
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/tglongwrites
Twitter:  @tglong.

Where can we buy In Leah’s Wake?
In Leah’s Wake is currently enrolled in Amazon’s KDP Select program. Until March, when the contract ends, the e-book will be available only on Amazon ( US, UK). I realize people have different types of e-readers and I feel awful excluding anyone, so this was a difficult decision. The paperback—which has been newly redesigned—can be ordered through any online retailer or local bookstore.

What’s next?
This spring, I expect to launch my new novel, a psychological thriller called Nowhere to Run. Like In Leah’s Wake, Nowhere to Run is, at heart, a family story. Here is the newly written cover copy:

It’s been a year since Abby Minot’s six-year-old daughter, Molly, was murdered—and the tragedy tore the Minot family apart. Driven by depression into exile from her career as an acclaimed, Pulitzer-winning journalist, Abby has watched her marriage dissolve, and her teenage son, Jesse, retreat into alienation after being branded a suspect in his sister’s killing.

Now, accepting her first new assignment since Molly’s death, Abby is hoping a weeklong excursion back on the reporter’s beat will help her begin to pick up the pieces. But what starts as a routine story soon draws Abby, and Jesse, into a turbulent drama spanning multiple generations of a family touched by history, scarred by its own tragedy, and tormented by a legacy of secrets.

The murder of another young girl haunts the past of the blue-blood dynasty of Matthias Chase. A favorite son of New Hampshire, Chase has become a beloved Republican Congressman on the strength of his popular political platform—and his legendary ancestors’ renown for sheltering runaway slaves on the road to freedom. But only now is Matthias poised to rise from local politics toward greater prominence on the national stage, thanks to newly discovered conclusive proof of his forebears’ role in the fight against slavery.

This is the feel-good story of American history and humanity Abby has come to the town of New Madbury to chronicle. But before long, her research leads her in an unexpected direction—and into potentially dangerous territory—as she learns that the grand Chase estate has been concealing much more than the secret tunnels and hidden chambers of its Underground Railroad past. The more Abby unearths about the lurid death of Cornelia Chase one dark day in 1851, its damning circumstances and grim consequences, the clearer it becomes that a terrifying truth is crying out to be told to the nation.

With her keen journalist’s instincts once more aroused and energized, Abby is determined to expose the dark revelations that have been buried for more than a century—and zealously guarded by generations desperate to preserve the power and prestige of the Chase name. If she succeeds, one family’s crucial role in American history will forever be rewritten…and its future irrevocably changed. But the shocking truth may also solve the terrible mystery at the heart of Abby’s shattered world, and save another innocent child from the worst possible fate.

Thank you, readers! Time is precious and there are millions of rich, entertaining, beautiful books to choose from. I’m grateful for your interest and appreciate your spending this time with me today!

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One Comment

  1. Thank you so very much for this interview, David! I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet and connect with your readers.
    With my best,
    Terri

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