Ask the Author: Tricia O'Malley
Answered Questions (9)
Tricia O'Malley
I actually started writing after my dog got stolen! We rescued him, and I turned the story into a book so I could donate the proceeds to animal rescues. Once I'd written my first book, I realized how much I loved it, and then I decided to write the kind of escapist romance books that I loved to read. While traveling in Ireland, I woke up from a dream with the idea for the Mystic Cove series, and I started writing it the very next day.
Tricia O'Malley
I highly recommend visiting Scotland if you can get a chance! One area that inspired Loren Brae was Inveraray, as there is a lovely castle set just above a charming town, all nestled on the shores of Loch Fyne. We spent our honeymoon in a cottage just outside the village, and enjoyed many days walking along the shores of beautiful Loch Fyne.
Tricia O'Malley
I know, I know! What a huge "oops!" on my part. I'm not even sure why I typed that other than we'd just been to visit Hobbiton in New Zealand and had watched all the movies again in preparation for our trip. It was a seriously "my bad" on my part. The funny thing is, it went through four editors who also didn't catch it, so I truly do apologize. Just an honest mistake! It has now been updated.
Tricia O'Malley
Thank you so much Alex! I'm delighted you're enjoying the series. Agnes and Graham are definitely a fan favorite and I suspect they'll find their way back to each other before long. :)
Sparkle on.
Sparkle on.
Tricia O'Malley
HI Arlene
Thank you for the question. They are a mix of both! We live part of the year in Scotland, and so I love to visit little local pubs in small towns. For Gallagher's Pub, that is based off some of my favorite pubs in Dingle, Ireland. And for Tipsy Thistle I've based it on a few pubs, one in Inverararay and another favorite, Ensign Ewert, right on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.
Sparkle on.
Thank you for the question. They are a mix of both! We live part of the year in Scotland, and so I love to visit little local pubs in small towns. For Gallagher's Pub, that is based off some of my favorite pubs in Dingle, Ireland. And for Tipsy Thistle I've based it on a few pubs, one in Inverararay and another favorite, Ensign Ewert, right on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.
Sparkle on.
Tricia O'Malley
Thanks, Stephanie! I'm delighted you've been enjoying the series. You aren't the first to ask for an Agnes and Graham story. Have no fear ... those two will find their way back to each other at some point. I promise! Sparkle on!
Tricia O'Malley
Hi Maxwell
That's a tricky question to answer because one of my top strengths is ideation. So, it isn't coming up with an idea so much as selecting which idea to follow through with. What I typically do is let the ideas come (always when I wake up at 3 am or in the shower or on a walk) and then I write them down and email them to myself. I put those in a folder in my email and revisit it periodically. However, if one idea keeps sticking, I know to elevate that higher on the list. From there, I take an idea and flesh it out lightly in an outline. Just dropping a few key plot points that I could see happening and how I would want the story to resolve. After that, I start to build out my characters and see how they bounce off each other. Once I start writing, I keep adding to my outline or changing things as I go. I look at the outline as a loose framework, and then I expand from there. The actual writing process takes the least amount of time once I get to that point - so typically a rough draft can be done in anywhere from a couple of weeks to two months depending on the story.
All the best
Tricia
That's a tricky question to answer because one of my top strengths is ideation. So, it isn't coming up with an idea so much as selecting which idea to follow through with. What I typically do is let the ideas come (always when I wake up at 3 am or in the shower or on a walk) and then I write them down and email them to myself. I put those in a folder in my email and revisit it periodically. However, if one idea keeps sticking, I know to elevate that higher on the list. From there, I take an idea and flesh it out lightly in an outline. Just dropping a few key plot points that I could see happening and how I would want the story to resolve. After that, I start to build out my characters and see how they bounce off each other. Once I start writing, I keep adding to my outline or changing things as I go. I look at the outline as a loose framework, and then I expand from there. The actual writing process takes the least amount of time once I get to that point - so typically a rough draft can be done in anywhere from a couple of weeks to two months depending on the story.
All the best
Tricia
Tricia O'Malley
Thank you for your sweet words! The best that I can say is that I've created a world in my head that I can visit when I want to. So, I can see the cove, Grace's Cottage, Gallagher's Pub, the village...all of it. When it is time to visit again, I just drop back into the world and follow the story that comes.
Tricia O'Malley
A Good Soul - Book 6 in the Siren Island Series.
This book was about a character in the series who had dealt with a tragedy in her past when it came to love. I spent some time thinking about what her issues would be with trusting herself to love again, and what kind of partner would be able to break down her walls. Then I added some spice with making him a handsome Australian who has a heart of gold :)
This book was about a character in the series who had dealt with a tragedy in her past when it came to love. I spent some time thinking about what her issues would be with trusting herself to love again, and what kind of partner would be able to break down her walls. Then I added some spice with making him a handsome Australian who has a heart of gold :)
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