Interview: Tatiana Goded talks about A Trip Towards the Sunset

Born in Madrid, Spain, and trained as a scientist, Tatiana Goded’s passion for writing goes back as long as she can remember. Writing stories has always been part of her life. Following her move to New Zealand in her mid-thirties, she rediscovered her passion for writing stories and took several courses in creative writing from the New Zealand Writers College. Tatiana was the second-place winner of the 1st Letras Latinas short story competition with her story A Trip to Vienna. Tatiana also had two short stories, Farewell and If I Went There for a Second Time, published in English and Spanish by Letras Latinas Publishing House. A Trip Towards the Sunset is her debut novel. Tatiana talks to NZ Booklovers.

Tell us a little about A Trip Towards the Sunset.

A Trip Towards the Sunset is a novel of deep emotions, beautiful scenery across islands and continents (New Zealand, Scotland, Spain, Germany), and relatable characters who find the strength and courage to live a more fulfilling life by reconnecting with the essence of who they truly are. It’s a book about finding yourself in the aftermath of grief and loss, and about the unbreakable bonds of motherhood, sisterhood and friendship.

It features three Spanish women rediscovering themselves in their forties. Cora, who has lived in New Zealand for more than twenty years, a single mum trying to follow her passions when her daughter becomes independent. Her sister Sofia, living an unsubstantial life in Spain since having had a traumatic experience in her youth. And Irene, Cora’s best friend, who has lived in Germany for the last two decades and is experiencing the empty nest syndrome and recalling her past passions. Estranged from one another, life will bring them back together following tragedy, and change their lives forever.

The novel also explores the challenges of living far away from your country of origin, of finding where home is after feeling in no-man land and as if you were divided into two. My love for books and for travelling features prominently in the book. Every place in the book is a place with a deep meaning for me. A Trip Towards the Sunset will especially resonate with those looking for a change in their lives or in need of second chances. This book will make you laugh, cry, and make you want to call those who matter to you to let them know how important they are to you.

What inspired you to write this book?

First, my own experience as a single mum from Spain living in New Zealand for fourteen years, and the struggles of finding who I truly am. My experience recovering my own long-forgotten dream (my passion for writing), and all the struggles to bring it back to my life in the middle of a busy life. And the experiences of many friends (most of them women) in the process of reinventing themselves and reconnecting with who they truly are. This has been (and still is) a deeply personal journey that requires strength, commitment and passion, as well as the support from friends and family, and that is what I wanted to reflect on in my book.

What research was involved?

Mostly collecting information from friends and people I know about finding themselves and recovering who they always wanted to be. The scenery corresponds to places I know well and where I have spent considerable time in my life. I have spent time in some of these places recently, which has helped me get the inspiration I needed.

What was your routine or process when writing this book?

I had a general idea of where I wanted to go, what I wanted each character to reflect, and their personalities to be. But I basically follow the flow of writing. When I start a new chapter, I never know where it will take me. I find this fascinating, and I let it flow. It might be very different from where I was envisioning, but it usually is so much more interesting!

What did you enjoy the most about writing this novel?

The whole process of writing, a passion I’ve had since I was a girl that I abandoned for decades to do what I was supposed to (get good grades, get a good job, etc.). The fact that I was writing almost every day filled me with an immense sense of joy and fulfilment. And the fact that I could actually write a novel, after many years writing short stories. Writing a novel requires a lot of strategy, consistency and planning that a short story doesn’t need. It was a huge challenge for me, but deeply rewarding.

What did you do to celebrate finishing A Trip Towards the Sunset?

I didn’t do much to celebrate when I finished writing it, but I experienced a deep sense of fulfilment like no other. Then I took a deep breathe and I shared it with some close friends for feedback as beta readers. I think I didn’t breathe properly until I got a reply back from them, saying that they loved it! I did celebrate with a nice afternoon tea with my daughter when the printed book arrived home. That made it more real than ever!

What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?

Lately, I am in a personal exploration for who I want to be beyond my forties, and how to connect to who I was as a young girl. A few months ago, I discovered the books from Sharon Blackie. Sharon is a neuroscientist, psychologist and mythologist expert on the power of myths to bring back our sense of belonging, especially for women. Her books are such a sense of fresh air. One book that has deeply impacted me is If women rose rooted a word-of-mouth bestseller exploring the connection of women past their midlife with places, and how these evoke different parts of the Heroine’s journey to rediscover the essence of who women are. She uses myths, mostly from Celtic origin, to bring back the archetypes of the old wise women, who bring depth and wisdom to our lives. It was a life-changing book that is helping me get rooted within myself like no other has in a long time.

What’s next on the agenda for you?

I am now starting my second novel, which explores the power of storytelling and how it can bring close family members who have been estranged for a long time. I love the process of intertwining short stories into a longer story in the novel, receiving powerful breakthrough moments and seeing family members understand each other better thanks to the stories.

https://tatianagoded.com/