Interview with Indie Author Tina Boscha

I am so excited to be doing one of my very first interviews with indie author Tina Boscha.  Hello, Tina and welcome, I am so happy that you are sharing your time with us today.

Bio:  

 

I grew up in the Midwest, the youngest of four kids. My parents emigrated from “Fries land”, Netherlands (where River in the Sea is set) and decided to find a place even colder to settle: Wisconsin. That said, the Midwest and the southeastern corner of the dairy state are near and dear to my heart.  I’ve joined the growing ranks of writers going the indie route; look for my novel River in the Sea on your e-reader (or in print, if you are so inclined) via Amazon, B & N, Smashwords, and more soon. I’m doing this with the blessing of myagent, Curtis Russell of PS Literary. I expect I’ll have a lot to say on the indie publishing sojourn but right now all I know is that I am excited to see how it turns out!

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

My earliest writing-related memory was when I was about five or six. I distinctly remember being in the car with my mom and brother, and we were in a bank drive-through lane. My mom was asking Ricky and me what we wanted to be when we grew up, and I said, “An author and an artist.” Honestly, I think I have always wanted to be a writer. It’s a funny thing, too, because where did that come from? How did I just know? I kind of like that magical mysterious part of it.

I read on your website that you live in Oregon, in an “itty bitty town” called Willamette, with your husband and your two step-daughters. So do they or the town provide inspiration for your writing?

Absolutely! For my current WIP, my little farming town of about 1600 is the setting. Oregon in general is a pretty amazing place to live. In a half hour we can be paddle boarding in the Willamette River, and with another half hour of driving we can be at the ocean. Go an hour the other way and you are in the mountains. All this beautiful nature makes Oregon a romantic place. But the people themselves are unique (just go to Eugene for a day, lol) which adds a different vibe altogether. It’s hard not to be inspired.
Plus there’s just the aspect of living in the country with not much more than the sound of birds and my own household filling the day. I find that very conducive to writing (or, at my procrastinating best, thinking about writing). For River in the Sea, my parents’ homeland was the biggest inspiration. There really just is no other place like Fries land.

I also read that you credit much of your success to The Center for the Study of Women in society. Could you share a bit on that experience?

CSWS made it possible for me to write this book, period. I was able to do a lot of drafting on my own – I tend to write in very short bursts, and get a lot of words on the page pretty quickly – but revision is a whole different story. It takes time and effort and a huge load of concentration. CSWS supports research projects of many different natures, provided they advance their mission of disseminating research about gender, culture, and inequality. I thought it was a stretch when I submitted my proposal to them about River in the Sea, but they were hugely supportive. Through the grant, I had a full summer to just focus on the work. It was more than just financial. Getting something like that is a huge boost to a writer’s confidence. They are an amazing part of the University of Oregon (where I teach).

Tell us about your novel, River In The Sea.

My favorite question! I think I always knew I would write this book, even though it took me quite some time to figure out what it would look like. I like to describe it as a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of war, where a seemingly ordinary 15-year-old girl must make extraordinary decisions and in turn, become extraordinary herself. It’s a novel that will make you cry, but not just for sadness. (If a book doesn’t make me at least tear up, I’m not a fan!)

Can you tell us what was your inspiration for you book?

My parents! Specifically, my mother. I grew up hearing the most amazing stories of her childhood. The only other kids I knew who had parents that grew up during World War II were my cousins. Together we heard about young men hiding in hollowed-out potato heaps, throwing bicycles in the canal rather than give them up to raiding soldiers, a downed pilot landing in a field. It was fodder to my imagination. As I grew older, I started to see the significance and just the utter trauma of what it must have been like, and I knew I had to write that story. World War II fiction can be tough, because there is a lot of it – and for good reason. But I also wanted to honor a different side of WWII that often isn’t depicted: the domestic.

What advice would you give aspiring writers like myself?

First of all, write! Figure out a process that works for you and you alone, and do it. Even if all you can manage is 250 words a day. It takes no time at all (especially if you use something like Write or Die), and beyond that, you won’t believe how fast that adds up. But beyond all else, remember you have options. I spent years feeling pretty depressed about not being published, but now? It’s a whole different world. There are many avenues to publication and I urge every writer to research them. Don’t rush the process – put out good work – but now the world is your oyster. So get writing!

Well,  I wanted to say, I am so pleased to have had you on my blog today and I wanted to thank you for being here with all of us today. I hope to have you back here again soon!    Remember, if you want to know more about Tina Boscha please go to:

 

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Amazon Purchase link below: 

http://www.amazon.com/Tina-Boscha/e/B005JZ9LL0/

website/blog  www.tinaboscha.com

Twitter: @TinaBoscha

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