Tara Coyote Interview Published on: 10, Jan 2022
Where have you spent most of your childhood?
I spent most of my childhood in Northern California. I would also spend summers in Kauai, Hawaii and New Hampshire as both of my parents were from there.
Were you an avid reader as a child? Do you still read books?Yes, as a child I frequently devoured books. I was always reading and absolutely loved reading. I definitely still do have a piles of books near my bedside table!
If you would've followed your childhood dream, then what would be your career right now?It would be to be a teacher and writer, which is both of what I do!
Your thoughts on traditional vs. self-publishing? What route did you choose and why?I chose self-publishing as from what I had heard it would be easier for me, due to not having a large fan base. I decided to take the time to learn how to self publish as I realized I could dictate exactly what I wanted to do with my book.
Do you have a "reader" in mind while writing?Yes, I did. My ideal reader would be one of two audiences: someone going through cancer and someone who loves horses. Those two paths often mix and I also have readers going through cancer who love horses.
What inspired you to write your memoir, ‘Grace, Grit & Gratitude?The Pandemic hit, the world went down into lockdown and quarantine. As I live on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean, travel became almost impossible. I realized I had 6 years worth of writing and a great use of my time would be to compile it in a book. The reason why I wrote it was to give a sense of hope to people going through cancer. The other reason was to share how incredibly healing being around horses is.
What was your reaction when your memoir became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in eight different categories?I was ecstatic! I knew that all the hard work I had placed into my book had paid off!
As a first-time author, with no books to your name, how did you market your book?I share a lot of my story on social media through posts and videos, so I continued to share about my book this way. I shared about it on my mailing list, through Amazon Ads, entering the cover contest like yours on All Author and any creative method I could think of!
How did you deal with roadblocks on the cancer journey?Through patience and perseverance. My attitude is that every challenge is an obstacle to overcome and is ultimately, a blessing. I focus my mind on the bigger picture and see every hard situation as temporary, which it ultimately is.
What is a helpful advice for people who are interested in writing their memoirs?Take your time and be present with the process. Let it unfold organically, but keep going when your resistance shows up. Writing a memoir is hard work, but it is ultimately a very healing process.
What's something you would like to tell the readers about your horse retreat center, Wind Horse Sanctuary?Horses have a powerful capacity to heal and I do believe that they are showing up in this modern day and age to help humans through a transformational time on earth. I encourage everyone who is curious about spending healing time with horses to check it out. It is an honor to help people in their process with horses.
What is the most effective way to practice gratitude every day?Find one thing to be grateful for, even if it something simple like a tree or flower. There is always something to be grateful for if you choose to find it. It can be a simple mind set switch to focus on what is positive instead of dwelling on the negative.
When writing memoirs, how do authors remember specific details of past events and scenes?I fortunately had years worth of writing to sculpt my memoir around, so it was not difficult for me to draw on those memories. If a writer did not have that to work with, then I would encourage him/her to do research and ask friends/family about certain events.
Which is the next book you are working on? Is it a series or a stand-alone book?I am currently working on a children’s picture book about my mustang horse Comanche, which is also a book to promote awareness about the plight of the wild horses in North America.
How did you first learn about the AllAuthor website and how do you think it measures up to other sites that you've tried?I found AllAuthor, because another writer friend of mine had entered her book cover in your cover contest! I love AllAuthor and all it has to offer!
