Welcome to
Jilaine Tarisa, author of A Moment of Time and congratulations on publication. How do
you feel about seeing the book in print at last?
Thanks for inviting me, Jean! It’s been a long journey so I’m thrilled to
hold a copy of the paperback in my hands.
A Moment of Time is
about the paradigm shift that occurs when belief is replaced by understanding.
Jilaine Tarisa is a licensed attorney and certified mediator; she also
completed a Master of Arts degree in psychology and has studied personality and
relationship dynamics as well as social issues concerning the care and
treatment of the mentally ill.
You’ve written a lot of non-fiction material in
your professional career. When did you start writing fiction?
When I was twelve, I wanted to write a screenplay about teenagers on a
cruise ship. (I had gone to some bon voyage parties in New York City and imagined
all the fun—and trouble—teens could have on a cruise without parents!) Before
that, my best friend and I wanted to write for Dark Shadows, our
favorite television show. (Said friend became a literary agent specializing in
horror—and I became an attorney.)
After years of writing about factual matters, I was surprised I wanted to
write fiction, but I saw the power of a story well told. I started writing a
novel and drafted quite a few chapters. The characters were well developed and
I was clear about the themes—but I didn’t know where the story was going or how
it would end. Then I started writing lyrics for songs, and the idea for a
screenplay came into my head. This time I knew the ending, as well as the main
characters and themes, at the outset. So I abandoned the novel and learned
about screenwriting.
Did you ever complete the screenplay?
Yes, and I still hope a film will be produced someday. The first half of the story is told in A
Moment of Time. (I’m working on the sequel.) I’m calling the series The Red Rose Way.
I also wrote lyrics for the songs that would be featured in a film version,
which would be a musical.
Are your song lyrics featured in the book?
The story’s heroine, Caitlin Rose, always has pop songs running through her
head—foreshadowing her later attempts at writing her own songs. I had wanted to
include fragments of familiar songs that she might be singing, but permissions
are expensive and copyright law has a lot of gray areas. So instead of having
her sing the jingle of an old television commercial, for example, I made one
up—for a fictitious product.
When Caitlin’s creativity starts to flow, she writes a poem, and that’s
included in the book. The circumstances that surround her earliest lyrics are
introduced, along with a line or two of the songs in progress, to show her
development as a songwriter. I’m not a musician (I don’t play any instruments)
but I’ve studied with sound healers and I love to sing. The healing power of music
is one of the themes of the book as well as the screenplay.
How is screenwriting different from novel
writing, and why did you decide to write A Moment of
Time as a novel?
A novel is a finished product. It may be edited before publication, but the
writer’s work is presented directly to readers. A script is read by agents and
producers and actors; other professionals take the writer’s words and ideas and
turn them into a finished product. A motion picture reflects the vision of the
director, and significant changes to the script are sometimes made over the
course of production. A screenplay must follow a specific format to comply with
industry standards. It’s written in the present tense and is divided into
scenes rather than chapters. Each scene includes a brief description of setting
(location) and action. What’s happening? What are the actors saying and doing?
How do they respond to what’s happening? Lengthy descriptions are
unnecessary—and are discouraged.
A novel is a better vehicle for exploring a character’s inner reality. Instead of writing a self-help book about
spiritual principles or forgiveness or recovery, I wanted to show what the
transformation process looks like.
Is what you are calling the ‘transformation
process’ related to what you’ve told me psychologists call self-actualisation?
Yes, that’s a topic that has interested me since
I was a teenager. It just means realizing your potential and being true to your
own nature—which is not the same thing as pursuing self-interest and
gratification of the senses. A self-actualized person naturally gravitates
toward a concern for others and seeks what’s best for the whole, recognizing
that each of us is a part of the whole. Self-realization is another term
that is often used. The self is not the personality, the socialized
self; you have to strip away the labels and limitations that others have used
to define you and that you’ve accepted as true. As you move away from a focus
on self-image and superficial qualities, you are free to embrace your innate gifts
and talents, honor your heart’s desires, and live in accordance with your core
values. When you are honest with yourself about what you really want and need,
you may look for opportunities to get involved with your community, choose
relationships that nourish your soul, and adopt a lifestyle that supports your
growth and well-being.
Being self-actualized doesn’t mean you’re
perfect; it means you are comfortable in your own skin, free to express your
uniqueness, and striving toward greater awareness and fulfillment of your
destiny. You may not always see the truth, but seeing what’s false becomes
easier—if you are open and receptive. When you are convinced you know the truth
about something, you dismiss evidence to the contrary—and may overlook
important information as a result.
One of the issues in A Moment of Time concerns a vaccine preservative and the health
hazards it might present to children; is that controversy part of the
screenplay as well?
Yes, I realized early in the process that if my main character (who is an
attorney for the US Department of Justice) was going to confront her boss and
take a stand for something she believed in (and risk ruining her career in the
process), she needed to be working on a matter that was important enough for
her to feel strongly about ‘doing the right thing.’ I researched the
thimerosal-vaccine controversy—which hadn’t made headlines yet—for the
screenplay.
When I wrote the novel, I added a new layer concerning religion and myth
and the early history of Christianity.
Why did you feel this extra layer was important
to the book?
It wasn’t planned. When I sat down to write the
novel, I thought it would take me a month! I was very familiar with the
characters and the story, and I’d spent a lot of time working on that earlier
novel, so I expected writing the book to be straightforward and simple. The
creative process will take you on a journey, if you’re willing to allow the
story to unfold (and are not working under any time constraints).
When I finally completed A Moment of
Time, I realized that when someone’s life is transformed, every aspect is
affected: choices, relationships, lifestyle, goals and aspirations. Our beliefs
shape our experience. You can’t
grow if you aren’t willing to examine your beliefs and test their validity—and
let them go if you find they are no longer true for you. A Moment of Time
is about the paradigm shift that occurs when belief is replaced by
understanding. If you stop believing
what the people around you believe, you may find yourself an outsider for a
time. But heroes (and heroines) don’t follow the crowd; they
lead the way. Sometimes
unwittingly, but they attract attention and influence others.
You raise important questions and I'm sure each
of us will have different answers. For me, it's the debate itself that connects
people; there is no need to agree on the answers - or even find answers at all.
My aim is not to supply answers but to inspire
people to take their own journeys. I introduce ideas that may be new to some
people. I hope readers will explore in greater depth the topics that interest
them, whether that means reading about mythology or the Gnostic Gospels or
participating in a meditation retreat—or taking the first steps to living the
life they’ve always dreamed about.
Thank you for celebrating your launch on my
blog. Let's open that wine now! And I wish you all the success in the world
with A Moment of Time.
Cheers!
A Moment of Time by Jilaine Tarisa published September 19, 2014 by Inspired
Creations, LLC.
The Story...
A Moment of Time
When Justice Department attorney Caitlin Rose investigates claims that
a vaccine preservative is causing adverse effects in children, her boss, Neil
Morton, fears that his behind-the-scenes lobbying on behalf of the
pharmaceutical industry might be discovered. A reporter's daughter, Caitlin is
determined to expose the truth—and Neil is determined to protect his interests.
They can't both win, but they might both lose.
Neil pressures Caitlin to take time off while he
seeks an overhaul of the laws governing vaccines. Caitlin travels to Ireland,
where she meets up with her unconventional friend Kimo, a former client who is
studying to be a naturopathic doctor. After an inexplicable encounter with an
enigmatic figure causes her to question her assumptions about life and her
understanding of religion, Caitlin's paradigm shift begins. But before she can
act upon her newfound principles, Neil summons Sam Burns—and disaster is sure
to follow.
A story about finding your voice, speaking your
truth, and following your dreams, A Moment of Timeportrays one woman's quest for meaning, purpose, and
fulfillment.
My review for A Moment of Time
Exceptional and thought-provoking
Let’s get the criticism out of the way first
because I loved so much of this ambitious book and would rather talk about
all that I liked. The first section had enough narrative interest to hook me
into reading on, but much of it was a sermon on world
religions barely disguised as dialogue. Other readers might enjoy the
information for its own sake but for me it fell between two genres, spoiling
the narrative and yet delivering nothing factual that was new to me.
From then on, I was immersed completely in the
story and, perhaps more importantly, in the questions it raised about ‘right’
and healthy ways to live. I found it easy to empathise with Caitin. Her journey
from the competitive rat race of top level legal work to other ways of living,
took me with her through every experience, and made me reflect on my own life
choices.
When Jilaine Tarisa wants to write realistic and
moving dialogue, she certainly can. I found the mother-daughter relationship
heart-wrenching, each of them wanting to show that she cares, but caught up in
their history of antagonism and misunderstandings. Both viewpoints are
extremely well written. I love the fact that Caitlin still can’t deal with
her mother, however enlightened she becomes – how true to life!
Caitlin’s relationships with men echo her
professional journey from the conventional to choices that are different, even
dangerous and abusive. When Kimo, the naturotherapist, re-appears in Caitlin’s
life I am prepared for another theological lecture – and I get it – but I no
longer mind as I’m so caught up in the lives of the characters. Caitlin makes
her own very real choices and is not a mere puppet for the author’s theories.
This novel made me think about my life, my
values, my choices and the changes along the way. There
is wisdom here and some quotations resonate with me, especially
the sharp observations on society’s values, such as The Declaration of
Independence could have listed rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of
money,” he’d once said while toasting a success at the Club. Despite my
reservations about being lectured, the broad view of a spiritual dimension is
an honest journey across world religions and mythologies, and the conclusions
are attractive.
A book to read and re-read, if only to fully
appreciate the kitten.
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