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A childhood in Brooklyn. A struggle to become published. A heart-pounding encounter with spies in Romania. It’s all in author and playwright Edith Tarbescu’s book Beyond Brooklyn: A Memoir (Adelaide Books). Chronicling her journey through life, this memoir gives an inside look into the struggles of a first-generation New Yorker born to Jewish immigrants and how those experiences have impacted her into adulthood. We asked Tarbescu about her story, from the events within her latest book to what’s next in her writing journey.

Q: Why did you write Beyond Brooklyn?

A: I read several memoirs which caused me to become somewhat introspective. I started thinking about all the experiences I had and realized I wanted to write about them good or bad, especially since I had traveled far from the fire-escape in Brooklyn where I spent time day-dreaming while growing up. As an only child, my refuge were my day-dreams.

Q: What adjectives best describe your life and, as an extension, this memoir?

A: Imaginative, witty, warm, creative, curious, dramatic, stubborn.

Q: What would you say is the one defining moment that shapes your story and will resonate with your readers?

A: My persistence despite difficulties in getting books published or plays produced. I lived for years in a world that encompassed a lot of rejections. It was hard even after I started getting plays performed and getting books published. Maybe my mother’s attention to the little girl she always called “Edie honey,” meaning me, gave me the confidence I needed to persist because I never gave up. She died many years ago, but I still hear voice saying, “Don’t worry, Edie honey.”

Q: This book describes when you traveled to Romania with your husband and were harassed by spies. Tell us about that.

A: That was quite a memorable experience. My husband, Paul, born in Romania, had managed to escape while the country was ruled by a dictator and nobody was allowed to leave. Paul was an American citizen by the time we visited, but he was still nervous. And he had a reason to be. Shortly arriving in Romania by car from the West, we were followed by a man and woman who spoke fluent English, indicating they had to be high up in the Communist regime. When we told my sister-in law about our experience, she immediately said, “They’re spies. Be careful.” There is a suspense element to those chapters, but I don’t want to give it away. You have to read the book.

Q: You’ve written a variety of books — a mystery thriller, children’s books and now a memoir. How do you like bouncing from genre to genre in your work? What do you like best?  And what is next?

A: I found each genre fun. Writing for children gave me the pleasure of doing school/library visits to talk to kids after my books were published. I was even invited to visit a school in Belfast, Ireland. Writing the mystery was intriguing because of the intricate plotting and the research I did in New York. The memoir, which includes a few short humorous plays and a one-woman play all produced in New York, was interesting because I re-visited people, places, experiences from my past so I don’t really have a favorite genre. Next up are revisions of a couple of short stories.

Q: What is the one thing readers should know about you that will draw them to your memoir?

A: Theater was my first love. I was lucky and got accepted to the Yale School of Drama where I studied playwriting, also did some acting. I was told, “You’re talented, but get rid of the Brooklyn accent” so I took speech lessons. Going there gave me the confidence to call myself a playwright. After Yale Drama School, I alternated between having plays produced or having staged readings and writing books. A dream come true.

Q: What lessons or messages does the book convey?

A: Don’t be afraid to follow your dream. That’s a cliche, but even if you don’t achieve your dream, you will know that you gave it your all and feel good about that. And who knows what dream might replace the original dream? Keep going.

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About Edith Tarbescu:

The author of four books for young people (published by Houghton Mifflin, Barefoot Books and Scholastic) Edith Tarbescu is also a produced playwright. She studied playwriting at the Yale School of Drama where, in addition to writing for the stage, she also acted on the stage. Her various essays were published in newspapers and magazines including The Hartford CourantNewsdayThe Berkshire Eagle, Adelaide Literary MagazineThe Christian Science Monitor and The New York Times. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York then lived in Connecticut for many years before moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico twenty years ago. She is the author of a mystery titled One Will: Three Wives, available in print and as an e-book on Amazon.

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One Comment

  • I’ve loved Edith’s writing for decades! She can do it all–humor, anger, longing, love. And as a former writers’ group colleague and friend, I can attest that she has a sincerely entertaining in-person presence. Enjoy!

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