Interview with Sarah Tauber about romance novel The Story She Had to Tell

Sarah Tauber is here today talking about her romance novel, The Story She Had to Tell.

As she does a virtual book tour, Sarah will be awarding a $40 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Sarah Tauber is a world traveler who retired four years ago from a corporate job to pursue her passions of dressage riding and writing. Her first book, For Dear Life, is a memoir covering two years she lived in Tehran, Iran in the 1970’s. It is available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Xlibris.com. The Story She Had to Tell is her first novel. Sarah lives in San Diego County with her husband of eleven years.

Welcome, Sarah. Please tell us about your current release.
The Story She Had to Tell is a fictional love story about an old woman who wants to share her secret past with the world before she dies. She hires an old friend who is a writer to come live with her, interview her and create the book. Her secret has to do with what happened to her as a young woman when she travelled to Havana, Cuba with a girlfriend. The story runs between current day and Cuba, circa 1952.

What inspired you to write this book?

It is my second book. My first was a memoir. I wanted to write a novel. I awoke one morning with a working title in my head, “A life lived well.” It evolved into the idea of an old woman wanting to share stories of her life before she died. The Cuban theme came from the fact that my mother, as a young woman, travelled to Havana with a girlfriend before she married my father. Stupidly I never asked her what happened over there and now she is gone. I thought it would make a good storyline.


Excerpt from The Story She Had to Tell:
We continued to dance, and I continued to breathe him in. What are you doing, Madeleine? What do you expect out of this? You have had only one real boyfriend, a guy back home who wanted to marry you, but you felt nothing but friendship for him. And here is this amazingly handsome man with a Spanish accent who has swept you off your feet, but is it real, or am I going to discover later that I’ve made a terrible mistake? I’ll discuss this with Georgiana tonight when we’re back at the hotel and see what she says. She’s more worldly than I am. She’s probably had lots of boyfriends. She’ll help me decide what to do. I’m only twenty-three. He must be at least ten years older than I am. Maybe he’s a masher! Oh dear, now I am worried!

He walked me back to the table, kissed my hand and said he would see me tomorrow. I watched him leave the club. I sighed heavily.

I came back down to earth long enough to tell her that Carlos had invited both of us to go sightseeing tomorrow. “He said he would pick us up at 11:00 a.m. That will give us time to sleep in and have a late breakfast. Please say you’ll join us. I don’t really know him and don’t want to risk going alone.”

“Of course I’ll go with you, if only to chaperone!”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have written and published two books, one short story and a travelogue for a travel agency. I will be doing more travelogues in the coming years. When an idea for a new book hits me, I will start writing it. I’m certain there is at least one more book in me, probably a novel. When writing a novel you are only as limited as your imagination and I have a big one!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I suppose after I held my first published book in my hand. That made it official.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

There are probably as many writing disciplines as there are writers. With my two books I wrote usually twice a week, when the words in my head were about to explode. I couldn’t sit down at my computer every day and write. That didn’t work for me. But when I did write, I wrote between 2-3,000 words. No, I don’t write full time. I am also very involved in dressage riding which takes up much of my time.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I only write when inspired but then it pours out of me. Both of my books were written in under a year and within fifteen months of each other.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As a young child it was a nurse or a ballerina. As a young adult it became a wife and mother. (It was the 50s and 60s.)

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

The urge to write my memoir came suddenly after listening to a friend for over a year talk about her memoir. I signed up for an online memoir writing class and began my book about half way through it. In about four months I was finished. That was the easy part. I was overwhelmed at my choices for a publisher. That was another process. And then the hardest part, promoting your book.

There are three kinds of writers: “I want to write a book someday.” (Usually never happens.)

“I’ve started my novel. I have three chapters already!” (Usually never gets finished or published.)

“I’m writing a book. My goal is to write at least three chapters a week. So far I’m on track!” (Usually gets finished and published.) It takes discipline and commitment. And then you have to step out of your comfort zone, especially if you are introverted, and tell the world why they should buy your book!

Thank you so much! I’ve really enjoyed this opportunity.

Links:

Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Goodreads | Amazon

You’re quite welcome. Thank you for being here today!

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