BooksChatter: ℚ♫ In The Garden Room

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Tanya Eby to talk about In The Garden Room (18 July 2016, Blunder Woman Productions, 252 pages), a Gothic Historical Suspense.

“Never has a book affected me so profoundly. Suspense, betrayal, bonds broken and bonds forged - all set against the backdrop of raucous, gritty Chicago 1910 - a time when women and children were expendable. Heart wrenching, beautifully written, an important read for everyone. To see where we are going, we must understand where we have been. Bravo, Tanya Eby, you touched my soul.” — Dedramerg (B&N reviewer)

|| Synopsis || Teaser || Author Q&A || About the Author || Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Tanya Eby; thank you for joining us!

Here at BooksChatter we love music; do you have a music playlist that you used in In The Garden Room, or which inspired you whilst you were writing it?

"I listened to the soundtrack of Boardwalk Empire a lot while writing this. Got me in the spirit for an earlier, grittier time. "

What was the inspiration for In The Garden Room?

"IN THE GARDEN ROOM was actually the result of me brainstorming several opening lines. I came up without about ten possible opening lines to novels, and when I wrote the first line to IN THE GARDEN ROOM, it immediately made me want to find out more. Incidentally, that line is “Papa says we have to move the body and come up with a story before anyone finds out.”"

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for In The Garden Room - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"Thank you! The cover was created by my dear friend, Kim Hindman, of 10 digit press. We were roommates in college and I’ve always loved her artwork. The starkness of the novel really matched her aesthetic so I asked her if she’d read the book and create a cover. I love it so much. She perfectly captured the feeling of the book."

Why should we read In The Garden Room and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"Though it’s a historical novel, the themes are very timely. It shows a world where if women didn’t come from money, then they had very few choices available to them. I think that we forget how far we’ve come in equal rights, and that there is a great part of our history when a woman was only valued for her body. We still see this today…the idea that women are objects. It upsets me."

Can you tell us something quirky about In The Garden Room, its story and characters?

"As I wrote, I actually realized this was a prequel to TUNNEL VISION, and earlier novella of mine that takes place in a Northern Michigan asylum. So I guess this is the genesis story of some of the characters that appear in that novella"

Who would you recommend In The Garden Room to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"This is a dark piece. I think it will appeal to anyone interested in psychological stories, suspense, history, and women’s fiction. There are questions at the end of the book in case readers want to discuss it with others. I think it lends itself to a bookclub to discuss some of the serious aspects of the book."

If you could / wished to turn In The Garden Room into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"I’d ask that Sophia Coppola direct it. And let’s see, maybe Drew Barrymore for Cora. That’d be super interesting!"

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I actually write across genres! Most of my work, believe it or not, is in rom com fiction. But I do love literary fiction and I love gothic tales of madness and darkness. Something that’s good for cool autumn nights."

What is your writing process?

"I write in between narrating, so a sentence here and there throughout the day. It takes a long time."

What is in store next?

"I’ve got an idea for a women’s fiction piece, or maybe another installment to this world started with TUNNEL VISION. I’m interested in fleshing out more of those characters."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"Sure! Here’s a picture of our pup Reggie. She narrates with me and writes with me. Usually she’s at my feet, snoring."

Hello Reggie! You are such a cutie, and so well groomed! Lots of cuddles to you from all of us at BooksChatter :-D

Tanya, thank you so much for sharing Reggie with us :-D