Interview of Trisha Fitzgerald-Petri

by

Jeannine D. Van Eperen

1) Trisha, it’s so nice to get to interview you. I know you’ve lived in several countries. Do you use the places you’ve lived in your writing?

Strangely enough, I think the very fact that I live abroad urges me to write about Ireland! I miss the culture, the Irish way of life and, of course, the humour. I try to combine all these elements in my novels.

2) Which comes first with you the characters or the plot?

Hmm, difficult to say. I usually start with an idea, and one or two main characters, but very often something unexpected happens along the way, so that my plot changes and new characters develop. It may not be according to rules (does anyone really know what they are??), but so far it has worked well for me. If I had to plan my novel down to the last detail before starting I’d probably give up before I put pen to paper!!

3) Tell us a little about Over the Wall.

Over The wall is close to my heart because a lot of it is based on actual experience. The first part of the book is about two friends who first meet in a boarding school in Dublin, and how their lives later become inextricably intertwined. Well, I went to boarding school in Dublin and it was exactly as I have described it in my novel. I get quite nostalgic every time I read it!

4) Which is more fun, writing the good guys or the villains?

Good question! I think the villains, to be honest. I take great pleasure in making sure they get what they deserve in the end, and there’s something very satisfying about that!

5) When did you know you were a writer?

I’d suspected there might be a writer slumbering in me somewhere for years. Even as a child I used to write short stories in school copy books, but it wasn’t until 1999 that I actually took pen to paper, and then quite suddenly. I’d read a novel that was so appallingly written I was convinced I could do better myself. I’d like to think I’ve succeeded. At any rate, I haven’t been able to stop since!!

6) I know Over the Wall isn’t your first book. How many have you written (published and unpublished) and are they all of the same genre?

All in all, I’ve written four novels and am working on a fifth. The genre is more or less the same--mainstream fiction with elements of suspense, humour and romance. All my books are set in Ireland, even though I’ve been living in Germany for years. Writing books transports me back to my home country!

7) Are there any pluses in being a writer and living in Germany? Also, what are the minuses?

Maybe living in Germany intensifies my memories and impression of Ireland, and makes me think of so many little things that the Irish living in Ireland probably take for granted. The disadvantages are that after so many years living abroad, I often find myself struggling to remember a word!! It also makes promoting my book more difficult, but nevertheless, I have them placed in a few local shops here and do readings. I try to promote as much as I can online.

8) Do you think a certain setting has a bearing on a story?

Certainly. I think plot, characters and settings are all ingredients that interact to form the perfect picture. I must admit I tend to overdo it now and then, but if one of my characters is walking down a country lane for example, then I have to let the reader get a whiff of honeysuckle or wild rose, or hear the buzzing of a bumble bee--otherwise my character might just as well be walking down a tunnel!

9) Do you write for a certain segment of time each day and do you have a special place in which to write?

Unfortunately, at present I write on and off. Sometimes I write non-stop all weekend and every evening, and then I suddenly grind to a halt and don’t write a thing for several weeks. I have another job which takes up a lot of my time, so it’s not easy to be consistent.

10) Do you find friends and family supportive of your writing career?

Well, in a way writing is my own little project and my family lets me get on with it, but they’re just as excited as I am when new books are released, and of course if I need to discuss something they always lend an ear!

11) Do you have any hobbies and what are they?

Yes! I love sailing! We have our own little boat and try to spend three weeks on it every year. This year we sailed around the Danish Islands on the Baltic Sea. I get great ideas for my books and can really relax. One of my books, Castng Off, is a nautical romp!

Thank you for giving me and your readers a chance to know you better. Maeve Binchey has done all right writing about Ireland, and I’m sure readers will enjoy your stories as well.