Interview with author Tayna Parker Mills

Donna: Welcome, Tanya. Tell me about your book, "The Reckoning."

Tanya: It takes place in my own childhood in Baghdad, Iraq (and my father's undercover work in that country), as well as the approaching war. My book was self-published in September of 2008, was a finalist in two categories for the Whitney Award, and won the 2009 Indie Book Award for Multicultural Fiction.

Donna: Wow, that’s fabulous. Go ahead and give me the blurb:

Tanya: When journalist Theresa Fuller is captured inside Iraq in August 2002, and imprisoned by Iraq's secret police, visions of her childhood in Baghdad begin to haunt her. Tormented by the relentless Colonel Badr, she only finds relief in her growing attraction to Tariq al-Awali, the Iraqi captain who took charge of her capture. Before American bombs begin to fall, Theresa must find a way to escape the cruelty of an oppressive regime and save those she cares for most.

Donna: It sounds fantastic! Who are your main characters?

Tanya: American journalist, Theresa Fuller; her Canadian cameraman, Peter; and their Iraqi captor, Captain Tariq al-Awali.

Donna: That’s quite a cast of characters. In what ways do you think you are like them?

Tanya: I'm like Theresa in terms of sharing a childhood in Baghdad and having epilepsy...also her affinity for solitude; I'm not much like Peter; and, as for Tariq, I also have an appreciation for other cultures besides my own.

Donna: In what ways are you different?

Tanya: I'm not questioning my faith in God, as Theresa does; I'm not superstitious like Peter; and I like to think I would never have worked for Iraq's secret police as Tariq did, regardless of the circumstances.

D: What is your favorite scene in the book?

T: Towards the end, when Tariq's grandfather stands up to the bad guy, Colonel Badr.

D: After you wrote the book, how long did it take you to get it published?

T: Five years...I came close to getting a traditional publisher once, but it fell through, so I finally decided to publish it myself.

D: Where can we purchase a copy of your book?

T: You can purchase "The Reckoning" at Amazon.com, and an eBook version is also available on Kindle. Unfortunately, it's not available in bookstores...yet.

D: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

T: You can get a lot of information off of my website at www.tanyaparkermills.com (including my photo, a link to my book trailer, a description of my book, "The Reckoning," and an author bio). I also have a blog called "Seized by Words" at http://tpmills.wordpress.com which I try to update weekly. You can check out my book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awRkdBpsZUE.

Donna: Great! Thanks so much for joining me today!