Writing about one’s life is always difficult, more so if
it’s about broken hearts, broken dreams and a broken self. That’s why I can’t help but admire
author Tarryn Fisher for her honesty.
Her book The Opportunist, she says, is her love letter to the man she
loved and lost.
Reading the book is heartbreaking. The flaws of the main character fully
displayed are raw and painful. During
the interview, I can’t help but try to read the person I saw in front of me. Tarryn was honest yet secretive. She was open but also guarded. A contradiction better understood
perhaps in the pages of her book.
So here it is, my conversation with author Tarryn
Fisher:
Lyn: Your series Love
me with Lies was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Where do you think they went wrong? Was it too much love and too little
trust?
Tarryn: I think that he was healthier than she was. She hated herself and had serious trust
issues. She didn’t want love and
it scared her and that’s why she just destroyed it. She was looking for a way out.
L: You said
you love villains. So how much fun
did you have writing Leah? Because
she was so evil, she was so good at being bad.
T: You know
that one was hard. I didn’t have
fun writing that one. That’s the
least read and the least popular of the three except in Australia…everyone there
loved DIRTY RED the most….not that all the villains are in Australia (laughs)
L: But she
is evil. She is manipulative,
conniving…
T: But
there’s a reason. It's like even
in real life when you meet a villain, there is a reason why they’re so
rotten. We are all born the same
innocent, beautiful babies but something forms us. Whether it's parents or…….nurture versus nature
L: In Leah’s
case it was the parents because she lacks attention
T: Yes she
has rejection issues and insecurities and she destroyed herself in a different
way because she wanted Caleb. She
was trying to hold on to him. Yeah
she was a very ugly person. And
these…… there’s a real Leah….. these characters are real
L: Are they
based on your life?
T: Yes.
L: How are
you as Olivia now? Have you moved
on?
T: I am
writing another romance book because everyone wants to know how I've
evolved. I am a healthier Olivia
but also broken because I really did that to my relationship and you can never
fix it
L: You have
no Caleb now
T: No
L: At least
you gave Olivia the happy ending that you wish you had
T: Some
people don’t think it's a happy ending.
I wrote the first book as an apology letter to him, to say sorry. And it ends there for me. The readers wanted more so I gave them
the other two sides of the story and closed it off for them but for me, my
story ended right there when they parted ways
L: Did your
Caleb read your story for him?
T: No….no
L: Is he
even aware that this exists
T: He is
aware but it's kind of painful. I
don’t blame him. I don’t know that
I would’ve read it
L: It was
very destructive. But I do like
that there’s a happy ending. They
still got back together however it wasn’t a fairy tale ending where everything
was magically perfect because of the cancer, the miscarriages….did you think it
would have been too unrealistic to give it to them?
T: I don’t
write that sort of thing. I like
flaws. I'm in love with human
nature. I'm more fascinated by
flaws than beautiful cover ups.
Life happens and it's so imperfect. They missed their chance, they missed their chance to have
children. I think that book is a
little bit of a warning like if you find it, protect it. Let it in and don’t destroy
everything. Because in the end
they were together but there were so many broken things in between.
L: Just too
many broken pieces…..is it difficult to write by the way with a friend? Because you have NEVER NEVER series
with Colleen Hoover
T: I wouldn’t
do it with another person. We
work. It's the strangest thing we
just just click and we love each other deeply so there isn’t selfishness
involved. I think if you have a
personal agenda when you're writing a book with someone eventually things are
gonna explode. There’s none of that
between us so it's easy
L: Is it like
you write a piece? A chapter? Then you pass it on to her and back?
T: We did
that and for awhile we were trying to put each other in a bad place so we would
end it (chuckling) somewhere hard and be like “hahaha how’re you gonna work out
of this one”
L: It's
like a challenge for you guys (laughs).
It's like a game
(Colleen Hoover, who was a seat away from me signing
cards quipped: She writes very
mean characters sometimes and I write really nice ones so she would make her
characters do something mean so my chapters…. I would do something nice….we
were trying to counter balance each other…)
L: So when
it goes back to you the characters become mean again
T: Yes!
L: Apart
from Olivia, Is there something a part of you in your other book characters
T: Yes. Caleb is more of what I became. The things that he loved…I put all of
myself into that character. His
love of flaws….his willingness to love the villain…..coz he was a little bit of
a villain too…. He changed himself by faking the amnesia. He spoke her language in order to reach
her. So yes I put a lot of myself
in Caleb
L: I still
like him the most though because I feel like he is still the biggest victim
among the three
T: Oh man a
lot of readers they wont agree with you…they’re so angry with him. There’s a lot of Caleb hate
L: Well I
like being on the different end (laughs).
On the other side you are a fashionista and you have a fashion
blog. So should we expect a book
with fashion in it from you or are you keeping those two parts of your life
separate from each other?
T: I
believe that artists should live their art….the way you dress….you write….everything
you do should be an expression of your art, who you are. And it keeps you constantly fresh and
motivated and in that mindset. I
don’t know about writing a book on fashion but it's part of me and I'm living
it
L: Well you’ll
love shopping here…..we are big on fashion in Manila. Okay so, may I have your top 3 book recommendations?
T: To Kill
a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and the entire Harry Potter series
FAST QUESTIONS on favorites:
L: Favorite
dessert
T: Crème
brulee
L: Drink
T: Sangria
L: Book
T: Harry
Potter
L: Author
T: JK
Rowling
L: Vacation
place
T: England
L: Relaxation
T: Shopping
L: Hobby
T: Writing
L: Movie
T: Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
L: Piece of
clothing
T: A pair
of Rag & Bone jeans
L: Type of
shoes
T: Boots
L: Hat
T: Fedora
You can catch Tarryn Fisher, along with fellow
bestselling authors Colleen Hoover and Christine Brae at their book signing
event courtesy of the National book store this Saturday, September 19, 2015 at
5pm at the NBS booth at the Manila International Book Fair, SMX Convention
Center.
Limited to 200 slots only! Registration starts at 10am for this event. Only books purchased from National Book
Store, NBS Express or Powerbooks will be accommodated.
A special thanks to Mr. JB Roperos of the National Book Store
A special thanks to Mr. JB Roperos of the National Book Store
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