Q&A With Tara Hodgson 

Mickey Mikkelson connected me with author Tara Hodgson the author of the books Chasing Through Time & her upcoming release coming out on October 15^th, At Least I’m Trying. I’m so excited about doing this Q&A with Tara today! 

Q: Welcome to Book Notions Tara! Would you tell us about your books Chasing Through Time & At Least I’m Trying? Where did your ideas for both books come from?

A: Both of my books highlight how technology impacts teens’ lives. I was inspired to write Chasing Through Time by what I’ve witnessed as a long-time junior high teacher. Also, as an avid YA reader, I have yet to find YA fiction that addresses how integral technology, specifically cell phones, is in their lives, so I wanted to highlight it. In the book, two high school girls who live in the same town and go to the same school become friends and help each other through their challenges. The twist? They live two decades apart. Sarah in 2001 is free from the constraints of social media, Emma in 2022 is not. By integrating the different timelines, I was able to show their similarities, but also highlight their differences due, primarily, to the added obstacle of social media in Emma’s life. 

At Least I’m Trying focuses on Snapchat specifically and is quite a bit darker and more thriller based than Chasing Through Time. The main character, Reese, loses her way after consecutive failures in the classroom and on the volleyball court. After missing a shot with a college scout, she gives up her perfectionist ways and seeks a new path with a strange guy from Snapchat. This backfires and leads her down a dark path. I wanted to highlight how predators are using social media apps to target young people. Even when parents think their kids are safe at home, they are connecting with people online who don’t have their best interests at heart. 

Both books were written to spark frank and difficult conversations about what’s happening behind the screens.

Q: Did you know that you always wanted to be an author or did you find out later on? 

A: I’ve always loved writing; when I was a kid, I would buy notebooks and write chapter books about me and my friends. However, I never considered being an author an option for me even though my Auntie, Barbara Hodgson, is a published author. Out of high school, I went directly into Education and gave up writing for a while. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that the premise for Chasing Through Time came to me and I changed my mindset from why me? to why not me? Now, I have so many ideas and can’t stop!

Q: How long does it take you to plot and write a book? 

A: It really depends, but around the 6–9-month mark for a full first draft. I also edit myself as I go before sending it off to the professional. It would probably go faster if I didn’t have a pesky day job, but at this point in my career, I’m sneaking in writing whenever I can, and it never seems to be enough.

Q: What’s a message or emotion that you want readers to take away after they read your books? 

A: I spend a lot of time trying to describe the emotions of my teen main characters to the point that my reader can feel them too. I want people to experience the pain, the uncertainty, and the anxiety that my characters are experiencing, so that people can see just how much teens are going through. When you are a teenager (we’ve all been there!), your emotions are incredibly heightened, and the added challenge of social media has only increased these emotions. That is what I want readers to recognize. I also hope it encourages some reflection and discussion about the role personal devices are playing in people’s lives. 

Q: Can you reveal details about the next book you are currently working on now or is it too early? 

A: I am over halfway done with my third manuscript. I took a break from YA fiction to play around with adult contemporary fiction. This time, I’m highlighting how technology is affecting adults, specifically, how it can become an obstacle in marriages. There is still a teen character, but this time I am writing from the mom’s perspective, so some of the themes from my YA books still exist just from an alternate viewpoint. I am having a lot of fun experimenting outside of the YA realm, but I think I’ll head back that way for book 4!

Q: Who would be your dream cast for the characters in Chasing Through Time & At Least I’m Trying?

A: This is always so hard for me because I am an older millennial, so far away from the Gen Z world – I don’t know who the popular teen actors are now besides a few!

One I know for certain would be that I’d want Reese, the main character in At Least I’m Trying, to be played by Lola Tung from The Summer I Turned Pretty. I love her and think she would be perfect!

Q: Kirkus Reviews said this about Chasing Through Time A resonant exploration of the lives of high schoolers with a time-bending twist. How does it feel knowing Kirkus Reviews gave a glowing review? 

A: I am very proud of this review and all the reviews I’ve received. Battling imposter syndrome was something I didn’t anticipate when I decided to embark on this journey, but it makes itself loud more often than I’d like it to. Reviews like this remind me that I am a writer, I have something important to say, and there are people out there who enjoy reading it.