About Me
A former Texas high school teacher, I'm taking a break to raise my baby girl. As a teacher, I used
to coach a UIL journalism writing team, advise the newspaper and yearbook, in addition to
teaching journalism, photography and English. I can't wait for another classroom of my own. In the
meantime, I'll just write novels and design covers. That's right, I'm also a cover artist for The Wild
Rose Press.
to coach a UIL journalism writing team, advise the newspaper and yearbook, in addition to
teaching journalism, photography and English. I can't wait for another classroom of my own. In the
meantime, I'll just write novels and design covers. That's right, I'm also a cover artist for The Wild
Rose Press.
How I got started...
As a journalism writing coach, my team and I would attend day-long tournaments. While they were
competing, I'd read romance novels to pass the time. One day a student said to me, "Mrs. W., why
don't you write books?" Until then, I'd never thought of it. But why not? It took me a while to find the
genre that was right for me. I loved reading historical romances, but I sucked at writing them.
Then an idea occurred to me about some experiences that my two best friends and I had while
growing up.
competing, I'd read romance novels to pass the time. One day a student said to me, "Mrs. W., why
don't you write books?" Until then, I'd never thought of it. But why not? It took me a while to find the
genre that was right for me. I loved reading historical romances, but I sucked at writing them.
Then an idea occurred to me about some experiences that my two best friends and I had while
growing up.
My freaky house
I grew up, no joke, in a haunted house. Freaky things used to happen to me and my friends in that
house, which is where I get the basis for my stories. While most of what happens in my Secrets
books is fiction, I did have a few ghostly experiences.
When I was seven I'd made a new friend who'd just moved to town. She went to my school but
lived several miles away. One weekend, she stayed over at my house. A few months earlier, the
neighbor kid died of sudden heart failure. He was only about 14. I remember him vividly -
strawberry blonde hair and he wore that same red and white striped shirt almost every day.
My friend and I were playing hide-and-seek. My teen sister was supposed to be babysitting us, but
she took off right after my parents left. I hid behind the couch in our large, dark living room for
what seemed like 20 minutes. My friend was supposed to find me. She screamed my name once,
then nothing.
Finally, I went in search of my friend, who was standing outside, visibly shaking. She told me
she'd seen a ghost, a teen with strawberry blonde hair, and a red and white striped shirt, who
glided from one end of the living room to the other, disappearing behind the couch! Eeeww! He
passed right through me! I'm getting the chills just writing it.
We were so scared, we waited outside until my parents came home. That was when the electric
garage door opened and closed several times with no one operating the remote.
Freaky.
This was just the start of many weird experiences in that house, the last being when I was
sixteen. But you know what? That one is just too freaky to write about.
Tara
house, which is where I get the basis for my stories. While most of what happens in my Secrets
books is fiction, I did have a few ghostly experiences.
When I was seven I'd made a new friend who'd just moved to town. She went to my school but
lived several miles away. One weekend, she stayed over at my house. A few months earlier, the
neighbor kid died of sudden heart failure. He was only about 14. I remember him vividly -
strawberry blonde hair and he wore that same red and white striped shirt almost every day.
My friend and I were playing hide-and-seek. My teen sister was supposed to be babysitting us, but
she took off right after my parents left. I hid behind the couch in our large, dark living room for
what seemed like 20 minutes. My friend was supposed to find me. She screamed my name once,
then nothing.
Finally, I went in search of my friend, who was standing outside, visibly shaking. She told me
she'd seen a ghost, a teen with strawberry blonde hair, and a red and white striped shirt, who
glided from one end of the living room to the other, disappearing behind the couch! Eeeww! He
passed right through me! I'm getting the chills just writing it.
We were so scared, we waited outside until my parents came home. That was when the electric
garage door opened and closed several times with no one operating the remote.
Freaky.
This was just the start of many weird experiences in that house, the last being when I was
sixteen. But you know what? That one is just too freaky to write about.
Tara
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| I'd love to hear from readers about my books or my covers. Please email me at tara@tarawest.com Thanks for visiting my site! Tara! |
Contact Me
| All work on this site copyright Tara West 2008. |
| I'VE BEEN INTERVIEWED! Please check it out at teensreadtoo.com |