Interview with Terry Crawford Palardy

Published 2013-11-20.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in South Boston, Massachusetts. Mid-way through high school, our family moved to a small town north of Boston, near the New Hampshire Border. Going from a parochial school for girls to a public high school was a dramatic change. Observing the differences probably led to my seeking a career as a teacher.
When did you first start writing?
I wrote as a young child, primarily poetry. In fifth grade (still public school) I wrote competitively with one of my classmates, seeking the approval and reading of our teacher.
What's the story behind your latest book?
My husband and I are opening a quilt shop, as there is a need for a vendor of fabrics and sewing notions in our small town.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I am impatient. I've waited until retirement to begin publishing my work, and would not want to sit and wait for someone to read and agree to t he quality of my work.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
Smashwords allows an author to adjust the price for promoting my books among friends and relatives via their discount coupon program, for which I am grateful.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Being able to put in writing what I wish my grandchildren and one day great grandchildren will understand about a woman's life in the twentieth and then twenty-first century in the United States.
What do your fans mean to you?
I've had a life-long fan named Mary who has always encouraged me to share my writing. More recently I've had some fans who've shared the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and have expressed their appreciation of my writing stories that tell the truth about both the diagnosis and the medical 'treatment' offered.
What are you working on next?
I will continue the mystery series I've just begun, focusing on two elderly folks who live a life parallel to my own but are a few years older than I. It is my way of looking toward my own future with optimism.
Who are your favorite authors?
Stephen Puleo, a non-fiction author of histories of Boston. He writes well, researches well, and focuses the stories on the real people involved in and affected by events in our city's history.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
coffee, decaf, black.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
reading, quilting, housework, and dreaming of the next adventure.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Facebook recommendations, primarily.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I do. It was a "how to" book on applying to college in the sixties.
What is your writing process?
I call it my discovery draft. I begin writing, usually in a journal format, and see where it leads me.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
It was probably Dick and Jane, in kindergarten. I had an older brother Dick, and so I tended to personalize much of their story. Perhaps that is why my writings today borrow from my real life experiences.
How do you approach cover design?
Eagerly. For all of my published books, I have begun with the cover. It allows me to design my ideas into a visual representation, and that visualization stays with me through the completion of the book.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
I enjoy reading series of books. I loved Elizabeth Ogilvie's saga of a family living on a Maine island. I like the descriptions of settings and the development of character over a long period of time and changing relationships.
What do you read for pleasure?
I read books that are given to me for reviewing, and find pleasure in hearing back positive comments from the authors that I have reviewed.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I have a Kindle 2 or 3, black and white, no extra internet access and so no distractions.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Not many. Had i begun writing when I was still teaching, I would have had a larger social circle in which to share my work. I'm a bit isolated now from people who buy and read books.
Describe your desk
I have a few desks, but primarily I write here on the sofa, with a laptop on my knees.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.

Books by This Author

Mysteries in The Quilter's Quarters: Book 1, The Quilter's Quarters
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 23,150. Language: English. Published: November 20, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » General, Nonfiction » Social Science » Women's studies
The Quilter's Quarters is part memoir, part story, part how-to and part journal. The book contains brief stories of several quilts. It also introduces Helen and Henry, and elderly, happily married couple who own a small toy and quilt shop. This first issue includes the first mystery they will encounter through the series. The print version includes a full color photo album of thirty quilts.
Multiple Sclerosis, Melanoma and More
Price: $4.95 USD. Words: 29,080. Language: American English. Published: July 18, 2013 . Categories: Nonfiction » Biography » Autobiographies & Memoirs, Nonfiction » Psychology » Anxiety
Multiple Sclerosis, an Enigma was the first volume of the story of my unexpected diagnosis of RRMS (relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis) and the nightly injections that contributed to the end of my career. Told in first person point of view, the stories quickly engaged readers who had experienced their own unexpected disappointments in life. Multiple Sclerosis, Melanoma and More is part 2.
Teaching Vol. 2: Stories Reflecting the Classroom
Price: $2.95 USD. Words: 10,510. Language: English. Published: January 17, 2013 . Categories: Nonfiction » Social Science » Human Services, Essay » Sociology
Teaching Volume 2:Stories Reflecting the Classroom includes stories from the classroom, commentaries about teaching conditions, union status, and student support.
Georgetown at the Turn of the Millennium
Price: $4.95 USD. Words: 10,930. Language: English. Published: December 5, 2012 . Categories: Nonfiction » History » Social history
Georgetown is located 35 miles north of the City of Boston. It is in Essex County and has a number of historical seventeenth century neighbors. Unlike its neighbors, Georgetown has its own K-12 public school system, and is the home of "Erie Four," the oldest still operating privately owned fire company in the United States, funded primarily by donations. These are some of its citizens' stories.
Multiple Sclerosis, an Enigma
Price: $4.95 USD. Words: 40,140. Language: English. Published: April 16, 2012 . Categories: Nonfiction » Health, wellbeing, & medicine » Diseases / nervous system (incl. brain)
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
The true story of a middle-aged woman being unexpectedly diagnosed with a young person's disease: multiple sclerosis. The journey to diagnosis and the reality of the treatment brought a premature end to her career as a public school teacher. Making decisions about disease modifying drugs and their side effect/benefit ratio; receiving the support of a loving spouse; questioning the diagnosis.
Teaching Education and Academics at the Turn of the Century
Price: $2.95 USD. Words: 11,700. Language: English. Published: December 13, 2011 . Categories: Nonfiction » Education & Study Guides » Teaching
A collection of columns previously published in the Phi Kappa Phi Forum, focusing on Education and Academics. Topics include: vignettes of students and teachers; a sample parent/teacher conference and the players involved; a retrospective look at cyclical changes in the classrooms of public schools; the necessity of parent and teacher involvement in motivating responsible funding for education