Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Writer Wednesday:Tamara McClintock Greenberg


 
Author Bio:
Tamara McClintock Greenberg, Psy.D., M.S., a licensed clinical psychologist, works with patients and family members affected by acute or chronic illness. She is an associate clinical professor and clinical supervisor at the University of California, San Francisco Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Greenberg has written three books and numerous chapters and articles on aging, illness, as well as issues pertaining to women. She writes for Psychology Today online and The Huffington Post. She also speaks to medical, psychological, and public audiences on the impact of illness, caregiving issues, and dealing with the modern medical system as a patient or loved one. She is in private practice in San Francisco.

Interview between Keira Kroft and Tamara McClintock Greenberg!

Welcome to Keira's Corner!

Keira: You are here today to promote your book When Someone You Love Has a Chronic Illness. Can you tell us a little about it?

Tamara: I offer hope and practical advice to those impacted by a loved one’s chronic illness. Providing easy-to-understand explanations for complicated feelings and behaviors, this book will help you not just cope, but thrive in your day-to-day life. Learn the important tools you need to help lighten the burden we all feel when someone we love is ill.


Keira: What do you wear, to write?

Tamara: Sweats or pajamas.  I can never write if I am in work clothes. 
 

Keira: Is writing your only talent?

Tamara: I hope not!  I am in private practice as a psychologist and so I hope I am good at helping my patients.  That work means a lot to me.  I also do a lot of supervision of younger therapists and I think I can help most people because I do have an ability to hear about a situation and imagine it as if I were there.  I have always been pretty good at trying to think about things from another’s point of view. 
 

Keira: Where do you find time to write?

Tamara: I write best early in the morning or late in the day.  This is based in part, on my schedule, but I often find that at the end of the day, I am energized and inspired by my work as a therapist and so I try to synthesize what my patients are telling me. 


Keira: Why are you a writer? 

Tamara: A few years ago, I would have said because I had to express my ideas and thoughts in writing as a way to organize what I am thinking. At that time, writing felt compulsive to me.  Now, I am just really interested in using my ideas to help others and to address causes that I think are important. 


Keira: If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?

Tamara: I would love anyone who writes for the New Yorker to be my mentor.  All of the writers are so talented!

 
Keira: How many hours a day do you dedicate to writing?

Tamara: I work full-time outside of writing, so a good day is when I can write for four hours. 


Keira: Do you use a particular writing method?

Tamara: I don’t.  I write ideas down when I have them, and trust that I can synthesize the ideas, though I understand I may have to wait until I am ready to put something coherent together. 

 
Keira: What advice would you give to an unpublished writer?

Tamara: Focus on a good proposal and find people who can help you do this.  A good proposal is the foundation for a book.  If you do the work upfront, you have less to do later on.  Think about a novel idea and one you can sell.  Being a successful writer is only partially about how good of a writer you are.  It is often related to a good and catchy idea. 

Let’s get personal…

Keira: What is your favorite food?

Tamara: Grilled cheese sandwich.  There is a place down the street that makes a different grilled cheese sandwich every day. 

 
Keira: What is your guilty Pleasure?

Tamara: Gossip magazines. 

 
Keira: What is your favorite Smell?

Tamara: Lavender.

 
Keira: If you could change one your physical feature? Would you? What would it be?
 
Tamara: My body from the neck down.  I would want to look like my perfect-bodied pilates instructors.  That said, I can deal with my current body. 

 
Keira: What is your favorite color?

Tamara: My favorite achromatic color is black.  My favorite chromatic color is blue. 

 
Keira: What is your favorite day of the week? 

Tamara: Monday. 

 
Keira: What is your favorite favorite animal?

Tamara: Dogs.

 
Keira: Can you tell us a secret? 

Tamara:My biggest pet peeve is people who sing out loud in public.  Life is not American Idol, right?

 
Keira: Do you have pets? 

Tamara: Yes. Charlie is our rescue dog, now 15, who currently eats out pants.  Max is our pug who has no behavioral problems at all and just wants to be loved.
 

Keira: What do you consider a household staple?

Tamara: All natural lavender dish and laundry soap.

 
Keira: What are you reading? 

Tamara: The most recent New Yorker. 

 




Visit the Nurture Virtual Book Tourz™ Blog for the complete tour schedule!

 

One lucky commenter will win an eBook copy of When Someone You Love Has a Chronic Illness!

 

Find & Follow Tamara McClintock Greenberg on:


Website

Psychology Today

The Huffington Post

PsychCentral

Facebook

Twitter

 

Buy the BOOK at:


Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes & Noble

 

Thank you so much for joining us today,

Much love,

Keira Kroft

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