Tide’s End by Meredith Egan

Please welcome Meredith Egan author of Tide’s End

Meredith Egan will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Tide’s End

by Meredith Egan

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GENRE: Contemporary Fiction

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INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

I’ve been inspired by the amazing people I’ve gotten to know over the past 30 years working with serious crime victims and the people who’ve caused the harm.

Accompanying them over the years has inspired me to share fictionalized stories so that others can realize that there are many ways to survive or thrive after harm has happened. These people are heroes. Who wouldn’t want to write stories of characters who are like them?

Which is why I write about topics that are so relevant and important in today’s world. Stories about #consent , and #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter.

2. How did you come up with ideas for your books? 


I’ve been privileged to work in prisons and with crime victims for about 30 years, and during that time I’ve heard astonishing stories of heartache and pain that humans bring to one another. I’ve often been told about sexual abuse that people experienced as children at the hands of the people who were supposed to be caring for the children – parents, foster parents, and guardians.

It’s heartbreaking and common and I think we aren’t used to hearing these stories because people feel such shame that they were hurt by the people who were supposed to be loving and caring for them – and as such, they believe they are somehow less loveable.

I knew that somehow these stories deserved the light of day, so dreaming up a young man who wants to rescue his little sister from the pain he’s experienced was born.

This work, of course, can be very difficult. Dreaming up a world that we are trying to encourage, one that is compassionate and safer for everyone, was so much fun!

3. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

My formal education is in health care, followed years later by mediation and business coaching.

My passion, however, is language.

How do we choose our words so carefully that we can encourage people to see and feel things that are in their imagination?
That’s magic!

However, the old adage of “write what you know” has also led me to write about the fascinating world I work in. I’ve been privileged to work in prisons in the field of restorative justice for decades, and I’ve met the most interesting people who understand and have lived through difficulties that (blessedly) most of us will never imagine.

Of course, the current interest in justice and oppression, and true crime, building a world where people are treated equally and with care and compassion has meant that my books are enjoying wide readership for these people!

4. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

I continue to work with prisoners, mostly engaged now in working to encourage writing and literacy! There are many great writers in prison!

I am inspired by people who overcome adversity – whether that’s trauma, health concerns, or family struggles. Which is why I am so energized and excited to be living at this time when we are in the midst of re-creating our world to be more equitable and environmentally sustainable.

5. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

I am working on my next novel which also takes place in the same world as Just Livingand Tide’s End. Many of the characters reappear, including Taylor and Jenny!

I am also working on a memoir – something I think everyone deserves to write. I don’t know if there will be interest beyond my family, but I want my grandchildren to understand what influenced my life, and how radically I changed gears/directions/capacities as my life unfolded.

I also look forward to working with others who are interested in writing their own memoirs or novels.

8. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?
I belong to 2 critique groups!
One is in my community, currently meeting over zoom. We read and comment to one another about our current ‘works in progress’. And it improves my writing immensely! We all bring quirks to our writing, and being reminded of voice, or setting, or bringing in more emotion are all important. Also, it’s really helpful to hear your work out loud.

My second critique group happens in a medium-security prison here in Canada. A group of inmates meet with me and we spend a couple of hours together every other week. Again, we read and share ideas about our projects. The genres are really broad with this group. We encourage anyone who plays with words to join us. We have songwriters, novelists, poets, people who focus on spoken word…even some graphic novels.

The folks in that group contribute an amazing amount to my novels. They make sure I’m authentic in representing their perspective and experiences. The parts of my novels that accurately represent prison life and impacts are stronger because of these people who are so generous with their insights.
It helps that I’ve known some of them for more than 20 years through my volunteer and contract work in federal prisons.

10. What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)

I get to work with Diana Gabaldon, and take her into prison every year to visit my inside critique group and the english students who attend school there.

She always says there are three rules to writing, and when I’m stuck, they help.

1. Read.
2. Write.
3. Don’t stop.

Other works I use as reference that help me are The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler which Robert Dugoni (who writes amazing thrillers, and also comes to prison with me) and works by Donald Maas, who encourages writing that evokes emotional responses.

11. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

Usually my books begin with an awareness of a character…some information, a voice, what they look like. Then, I learn a little about what’s going on in their life – an issue or concern, a point of conflict or struggle.

Beyond that, I write by the seat of my pants…which means that as I ‘get into’ a book, I often learn more about my characters and their world which allows me to expand and intensify the story, the relationships between characters and their world…and then I have the opportunity to go back and revise the earlier work and make it more rich and interesting.

12. Do you have any hobbies and does the knowledge you’ve gained from these carry over into your characters or the plot of your books?

I’ve had the privilege of studying and working in restorative justice and victims’ assistance fields, as well as decades of work in prison. Knowing about trauma, it’s impacts and what are normal responses, struggles and challenges all have informed my books.

As well, I have been so fortunate to have learned from First Nations Elders and communities that have allowed me to walk alongside them, fumble, listen and understand the oppressive and traumatic forces that have affected them for generations. I’ve learned to think more holistically about health, learning and relationships. My life is so much richer because of these teachings, and I am grateful.

BLURB:

Taylor Smythe dreams of having a loving family. But first, he has to rescue his little sister Jenny from the gritty underbelly of the child cyberporn industry. Taylor journeys from homelessness in the inner city to a community in the dripping forests of the Pacific Northwest to confront the relentless pounding of his fiercest pain. Can he become the big brother Jenny needs right now, and for the rest of their lives? Tide’s End explores the many faces of sexual assault and human trafficking, and how life can shatter for those most affected – the victims. Because #MeToo is more common than we can imagine. As is #ChildrenToo and even #BoysToo. It tears apart our families and neighbourhoods. And wherever there is suffering, there are guardians and helpers who still the relentless pounding to encourage Tide’s End.

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EXCERPT:

If this is what I have to do to rescue Jenny, I’ll figure it out,I thought as I drove along the dark, narrow roadway. My little sister is worth it, even if I feel like throwing up.Occasionally the overhanging trees dropped massive dumps of water onto my car. Or rather, into my car through rust holes and windows that didn’t seal. Every time there was the thunder of falling water, I ducked.

What the hell have you gotten me into, Marta?I thought, wishing daggers at the social worker who’d sent me here. Crawling further up the driveway, I turned a corner and gasped.

Holy crap,I thought, staring at the building in front of me. I’d stayed in dodgy motels. Run down apartments. But I’d never been in a place like this before.  Ever. In my life. This place was huge, and gorgeous, and knew I wouldn’t fit in. I’d registered for the Survivors of Sexual Assault Retreat, but would it be okay? What would it take to blend?

The money I’d need to pay for the rest of the damned retreat was in my torn duffle. But this looked decidedly upper class, and, well…here I was hoping my junker would make it up the driveway. It’d been my home for the last three months…so not upper class.

Is this really what I need to do to get Jenny back?I’d just turned 19, and getting custody of Jenny Benny, being an epically amazing big brother for a change…that was the most important thing to me. Marta thought I’d better deal with my sexual…history first.

My mind bounced all over. Then it landed on maybe tonight I’ll get warm. Like, to my bones, warm. I smiled.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Meredith Egan is an author of critically acclaimed novels, Just Living: a novel and Tide’s End: A Just Living novel. The stories are shaped from her work with crime victims and violent prisoners over more than thirty years. Meredith is trained in mediation and peacemaking circles., and has been honoured to learn from many First Nations peoples. Meredith coaches writers and other creative folks and offers workshops and training through her Daring Imagination work.

Meredith is the principal at Wild Goat Executive Coaching where her clients include leaders in the automotive, technology, government and small business fields. She lives at the Groundswell Ecovillage in beautiful Yarrow, BC. with her dog Mollie, and rambunctious feline sisters Firefly and Filigree. For fun she dabbles in cooking soup for her neighbours, and soaking in her hot tub with her four adult children when they visit.

You can find Meredith through her website, and on Facebook and Twitter for information about her novels, and her coaching work. Meredith welcomes opportunities to speak with groups about justice, and writing. Her books are available through Amazon and local bookstores.

Website: http://www.meredithegan.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meredith.egan.writer/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WildGoatCoach

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.ca/Tides-End-Just-Living-novel-ebook/dp/B083HCP264

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Meredith Egan will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

RAFFLECOPTER:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3403