My love of the who-dun-it influenced how I presented my story. Like so many of Agatha Christie’s novels, my main character has a problem to solve, and she must go to great lengths to unravel the clues. I wanted my book to read like fiction, to function like a detective story, but to hold the elements of reflection which are fundamental to memoir.
Julie Ryan McGue – 15 May 2021
The Back Flap
Julie is a twin, and since their adoption was closed, she and her sister lack both a health history and the names of their birth parents. This becomes an issue for Julie when, at 48-years-old, she finds herself facing several serious health issues. Thus begins a rollercoaster search for her birth relatives that spans five years and involves a variety of agencies and individual help along the way. And by journey’s end, what began as a simple desire for a family medical history evolved into a complicated quest — one that unearthed secrets, lies, and family members that were literally right next door.
About the book
What is the book about?
Julie is adopted. She’s also a twin. Because their adoption was closed, she and her sister lack both a health history and their birth parents’ names–which becomes an issue for Julie when at forty-eight years old, she finds herself facing several serious health issues.
Julie’s search for her birth relatives spans five years and involves a search agency, a PI, a confidential intermediary, a judge, an adoption agency, a social worker, and a genealogist. By journey’s end, what began as a simple desire for family medical history has evolved into a complicated quest–one that unearths secrets, lies, and family members who are literally right next door.
Kirkus Reviews has called Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging, “An engaging, endearing chronicle of a woman’s quest to find her origins.”
When did you start writing the book?
As soon as my sister and I decided that we needed to search for our birth relatives, I began writing. First, I wrote in my journal about what was going through my head and then I described in detail the various sequence of events.
How long did it take you to write it?
I had the breast biopsy in 2008 and began taking writing courses at the University of Chicago in 2010. The search for my birth mom culminated in January 2011. The book will be released in May 2021. So, it was ten years from the initial idea of writing a memoir about my adoption search and reunion and the book making it into readers’ hands.
Where did you get the idea from?
The idea to write the book came from my mother-in-law. She taught reminiscence writing at a community college in Michigan. As the crazy, twisted adoption search story unfurled my mother-in-law said, “You are writing this down, aren’t you? It’s too good a story not to share. The things you are going through will be fascinating to so many readers.”
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Deciding what to leave in and what to leave out was a struggle. I wanted to include more about the ups-and-downs of my reunion with my birth mother, but those events detracted from the search piece of the story. Sounds like I have another memoir to write, doesn’t it?
What came easily?
Talking about my twin sister and our relationship was effortless, and so was recalling and reflecting about the moments when my four children intersected with my story. Writing about the elements of surprise that come at the end were enormously fun!
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Since Twice a Daughter is a memoir, all of my characters are real people. At the request of a handful of people, I changed their characters’ names to protect their privacy. In several scenes, I insert anecdotes with the family pets. I consider them supporting characters, too, and each one was definitely real.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I read all kinds of books: historical fiction, crime thrillers, poetry, commercial and literary fiction, and of course memoir. My love of the who-dun-it influenced how I presented my story. Like so many of Agatha Christie’s novels, my main character has a problem to solve, and she must go to great lengths to unravel the clues. I wanted my book to read like fiction, to function like a detective story, but to hold the elements of reflection which are fundamental to memoir. To understand memoir, I read many of the recent top sellers: Dani Shapiro’s, Inheritance; Kiese Laymon’s, Heavy; Tara Westover’s, Educated; Cheryl Strayed’s, Wild; Jeanette Walls, the Glass Castle; and Tobias Wolff’s, This Boy’s Life. The weaving of personal story with self-discovery is evident in all of these works.
Do you have a target reader?
My target reader is anyone who has been touched by the adoption experience. My audience is the adoptee, the adoptive parent, the birth parent, extended birth family, and the siblings in an adoptive family. I believe that social workers and adoption agencies would benefit their clientele by reading Twice a Daughter. Anyone who has wanted to understand their ancestry and delve deeper into their personal history should read my memoir.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so, can you please describe it?
I get up around five in the morning–without an alarm clock. While I wait for the coffee to brew, I reflect upon my writing goals for day, and then I meditate. After that first cup of coffee, I usually dive back into an unfinished project from the previous day. I always take an exercise break after two or three hours of writing. Sometimes it is a social game of tennis, a long walk, or a yoga class. Around lunch time, I catch up on emails, read literary blogs and the news. After another twenty-minute mediation, I get back to my writing projects: edit an essay, blog, or chapter in my latest book. So, basically, I write in two, two-to-three-hour chunks which are facilitated by exercise and mediation.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
When I am working on a book, I compose a structured three-part outline and add to it with chapter descriptions and Word document titles with word count. Some of what I write gets cut but I always keep track of the changes in this structured outline document. I often go back and re-use and repurpose material for essays and articles. I do not outline my essays or blogs.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I do edit as I go, but not so that it gets in the way of getting the story down. My writing projects are like Crock pot meals. I put the basics down on paper, let them stew a little in their juices, check on them periodically, add more spices and/or stir them up a bit, and then revisit them again to assess “done-ness.” I think most writers feel that editing is never really done.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I hired a professional editor to help with developmental edits before I submitted the final pages to my publisher. Through the publisher, Twice a Daughter underwent copy editing and a thorough proofread. In editing my own work, reading aloud is my favorite tool.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No music. I need silence to hear myself think. It drives me crazy when I can hear my husband on his speaker phone, or the yard crew blowing leaves. That’s when I close doors and windows or put on headphones.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I submitted the first chapter of Twice a Daughter to an agent I met at a writer’s conference. At the same conference, I met with a hybrid publisher who loved my book concept, which meant I didn’t need an agent. I ended up signing with the hybrid publisher, and I still do not have an agent.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I enrolled in a six-month memoir writing course co-taught by Brooke Warner from She Writes Press and Linda Joy Myers at NAMW. My writing flourished in this course, and I ended up enrolling in it twice, so that I could finish my memoir. It was a natural to sign up with Brooke to publish Twice a Daughter. She Writes Press was the 2019 Indie publisher of the year, and I have been thrilled with my decision.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The book cover was done by a professional: Julie Metz. The cover photo was from my personal scrapbook, and it is integral to the storyline in Twice a Daughter.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I do have an established marketing plan, and I have benefitted from hiring a reputable publicist and a social media strategist.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Get your manuscript written. Hire a professional editor and engage in as many conversations with published authors as you can to make an educated decision for publishing your work. Establish an author platform and following long before you get to the publishing process. You will benefit greatly from getting this headstart.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in La Grange, a western suburb of Chicago, attended Indiana University, married and moved around with my husband’s job until we landed back in Chicago. Twice a Daughter is set in Hinsdale, Illinois, two towns over from where I grew up.
Where do you live now?
I split my time between Sarasota and Northwest Indiana, but I spend a lot of time traveling to visit my adult children and grandkids who are geographically dispersed.
What would you like readers to know about you?
Little known facts: I still play competitive tennis, a sport I picked up as a kid growing up near a neighborhood park. Ten years ago, I bought a used Steinway and began taking lessons. I love classical music, travel, and taking pictures with my Nikon.
I am stubborn and resilient. I persevere often without asking the right questions. Because of this trait, I often get ahead of myself. Yet, somehow the paths I undertake lead me to the intended place. I believe in serendipity and synchronicity, but my experiences inform me that hard work pays off. As I say in my memoir, Twice a Daughter: Never give up trying to find a key to a locked door.
What are you working on now?
Two things. A collection of essays and another memoir which addresses what it was like to grow up as an adoptee and an identical twin.
End of Interview:
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Get your copy of Twice a Daughter from Amazon US or Amazon UK.