Books by Tasche Laine

Wendy: Can you tell us what your books are about?

Tasche: Looking back, Tara wonders if what followed her first kiss was a warning of things to come. At age ten, her heart broke when her best friend Trey moved 1,500 miles away. Crossing paths five years later, the two teens exchange beautiful letters that cement their love. They embark on an idealized relationship, despite trauma and heartbreak on both sides, only to be forced apart shortly after. Tara enters college as a single woman and is forced to confront the ugly side of life, losing contact with her first love. As time marches on, she aches to know what could have been… until fate presents her with one last opportunity twenty years later.

In the sequel,the devoted single mom embarks on an exciting new career in Sunny California. She meets the alluring Dr. Geoffrey Jensen, a bedazzling psychotherapist who isn’t what he seems. Adept at manipulation Geoffrey toys with Tara’s mind, compelling her to change for him. When she discovers his shocking secret, will she find the courage to get out in time or will it be too late?

Wendy: Tell us a little about your background (your journey: where you grew up, your family of origin, your current family, your education and work experience.

Tasche: I was born in Wichita, Kansas, but relocated to the Pacific Northwest nine months later. I grew up shuttling back and forth between Portland and Seattle. I got my undergrad degree in Broadcast Journalism from Washington State University. Then I followed-up a few years later with two teaching credentials from California State University, Fullerton. I’ve worked as a proofreader, newspaper and TV news reporter, Boeing tour guide, producer, editor, technical writer, middle school and high school English teacher, and studio teacher to child actors in Hollywood. I recently moved back to the Northwest and currently reside in Vancouver, Washington, to pursue writing. My newly married daughter is a senior at California State University, Fullerton, and I visit as often as I can.

Wendy: When did you start thinking about becoming an author? Was there an event or “awesome” moment that precipitated your desire for a change or had this been brewing for a while?

Tasche: I started writing CLOSURE at age 19 with no thoughts of getting it published. I found it a few years later and worked on it a little, but only as a project for myself—I didn’t intend for others to read it. Eighteen years later, I made a new friend, Carol Snow, who just happened to be a successful published author of eight novels. She told me she didn’t write her first book until she was 42, and she encouraged me to finish and publish what I’d started all those years earlier. Somehow, I’d had it in my head that I was too old to start writing. Hearing Carol’s story gave me hope. It seemed to give me the permission I thought I needed… to follow my dream.

Wendy: How hard was it to make the decision to write your book/s? How did you get started?

Tasche: Once I’d met Carol, I was determined to finish CLOSURE. But I was a busy mom and teacher, and I devoted very small chunks of time to my writing. I was also terrified to let anyone read it. It would be another five years before I’d have that first book finished and published. After attending a writer’s conference that focused on traditional publishing, I queried 28 agents. I didn’t even make it past the query letter. Not one agent asked to for a copy of my manuscript. That hurt. But then I discovered a contest, called Kindle Scout. It allowed me to put my first three chapters online for readers to vote on, to help the Scout publishers decide whether or not to publish my book. I didn’t win the publishing contract (Scout shut down the contest after that) but I did get over 5,000 votes! That gave me enough confidence to publish it myself.

Wendy: How supportive were your family and friends?

Tasche: My mom and my daughter are my biggest fans. They’ve both rooted me on from the beginning. Most of my friends didn’t even know I was writing a book, until I started promoting it on social media. And the rest encouraged me to keep my day job.

Wendy: What challenges did you or are you encountering?

Tasche: I’m a very private person. Talking about myself is not something that comes natural for me. Yet, here I am opening my life up for the scrutiny of others. My life is literally an open book now. Those are two polar opposites and I laugh at the irony of it. I’m selling my books, selling me, with my face on the back cover—yet the shy introvert inside still wants to hide and remain anonymous.

Wendy: What did you learn about yourself through this process?

Tasche: Writing is a very solitary vocation, so I’ve spent a lot of time with myself. I’ve learned that I have perseverance, tenacity, and perhaps a control issue here and there (ha!). I’m also a lifelong learner and believe in continued self-improvement of my craft and myself. If I can Google it, I can learn it!

Wendy: Looking back, is there anything you’d have done differently?

Tasche: I would have worried less about what other people thought and started writing a lot earlier. I was too caught up in the notion that I had to have a ‘real’ job.

Wendy: What advice do you have for new authors?

Tasche: Go to writer conferences, meet other writers, find a community and get plugged in. Read books about writing. And, most importantly–write! Write every day. Writing a book is not a Herculean effort if you break it down. 300 words is a page. If you write one page every day, you’d have a novel-sized book in six months.

Wendy: What advice do you have for seasoned authors?

Tasche: Remember what it was like for you when you wrote your first book. Did you rely on the kindness of strangers for help? If so, pay it forward. Stay humble and remember we’re all in this together. There can never be too many books in the world!

Wendy: What’s next for you? Do you think you have another book in your future?

Tasche: My current work-in-progress is a YA series. In the first book of the series, the protagonist is a high school freshman. Being a mother and a teacher—I’ve been around many teenagers over the years, so I have plenty of material to work with.

Wendy: How can people contact you?

Email:  tasche@taschelaine.com

Website: taschelaine.com

Facebook:Facebook.com/TascheLaine