An Interview with Sylvia Mulholland: Author of A Nanny for Harry

Born and raised in Canada, worked as a lawyer and partner in a mega-law firm for many years then chucked everything and made a break for L.A. to pursue a (pipe) dream of being a working screenwriter. A couple of years later, I went crawling back to that jealous mistress THE LAW, and have been practicing law in my own solo firm, in the US and Canada, and writing novels and short pieces since.

I have two great and very creative kids, and a really cool and supportive husband, who encouraged me to pick up those early books of mine, dust them off and get back at it! I am looking for a dog to adopt, probably a senior, who just wants a nice comfy retirement.

Tell us about your book.

A Nanny for Harry is about the joys and struggles of women determined to ‘do it all’–the famous juggling act of balancing career and family, not to mention marriage and home. Though it is fiction, much of it is based on my own life experiences, as a lawyer, struggling to make partner in a big law firm, with a husband still in a surgical residency, and a new baby. And having to find childcare so I could stay on the partnership track! A choice I question to this day.

Why did you want to write a book?

I had a real need to share my experiences with other women, who have gone, are going through, or will be going through the same thing, and to do it in a funny way –hoping to make readers laugh and cry, but stay engaged in the story through an element of mystery.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

An early version of this book was published almost twenty years ago by major publishers in the UK, Canada, and Germany. A Nanny for Harry is a total re-write and update, and I wanted control of it. The early version (entitled Woman’s Work), in my opinion, needed much more editing than it got, though I was grateful the book was published, of course. When I picked it up after many years, I realized that not much has changed for women, in the 20 or so years since the original book (Woman’s Work) was published. So I believed it was worth a do over and I believe I am a much more solid writer now, with a better sense of story, than I was back then. Plus I have more time for writing now!

What tools or companies did you use, and what experience did you have?

I have had a rough time of navigating all this, being no longer a young woman, and still practicing law, but I am getting there! As with anything worth doing, the process is full of frustrations but also delight, and has been a real learning experience.As for tools, the Internet, of course. I also found good people to help me with the cover and setting the book for Amazon (the paperback set up was a nightmare of frustrations) through Upwork and other gig sites.

Would you self-publish again?

My next book, Sisters in Law, will be available in October of 2018, so a resounding YES on that!

What do you think are the main pitfalls for indie writers?

Too much information, too many people offering you the world (e.g. ‘best-seller status’ on Amazon, if you pay enough!). It is tough to find real hardcore advice and cut through all the noise, offers and nonsense. It is very tough to get reviews! VERY TOUGH.

What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?

Talk to someone who’s been there done that and/or read all you can about what really works and what does not. Keep a tight grip on your wallet. Expenses can go through the roof with this stuff. Also – a big one – do spend money on a great enticing cover! Imagine yourself in a brick and mortar bookstore (one or two still exist). What cover would draw your interest and make you buy the book? I wasted much time and money trying to do covers myself, on the cheap, and finally paid a pro. I wish I had done that in the beginning! Much time and confusion resulted from changing covers! Do not ask friends and family for reviews as you will end up mad at them because all of them will readily agree and then never do it. I have stopped asking.

What was your steepest learning curve during the publishing process?

Marketing my book without a publicist or agent, and on a tight budget. It is depressing when it does not sell nor get reviewed and you cannot get upset by negative comments in reviews, though we are all very sensitive as creative types. It’s a tough world out there for everyone – self publishing is no different.

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

I try and set aside work days and separate writing days. Doesn’t always work out as planned but co-mingling is tough. I write all day on a writing day and jealously protect that precious time. (Annoyed when the husband takes a day off to stay home 🙂

How do you deal with writer’s block?

I never have that. I seem to have a geyser of stuff in my head that I can’t write fast enough. I quit typing class in the 9th grade and the teacher warned me I would regret it. Boy was he right! All I do, day in and day out, is (hunt and peck) type! Both as a lawyer and as a writer.

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

Humorous fiction, which I hope is also literary. I love words, and strive to write well and correctly and to entertain I love to think of readers reading my books and laughing, but also “getting it” as they know what I mean– i.e. have been there, done that.

Who are your biggest writing inspirations and why?

Margaret Atwood, who was a writing instructor of mine one summer way back, and the late great Pulitzer prizewinner, Carol Shields, whom I considered a mentor and friend, and think of, with sadness, almost every day. I also love English writers such as Anthony Burgess and Julian Barnes for their humor and style – both of which Margaret Atwood and Carols Shields also have in spades.

How do your friends and family get involved with your writing? What do they think of your book?

Meh. Most of them say they will read it but never do. Same with family. I don’t blame them. HAVING to read someone’s book can be a real burden, which is the opposite of what you, as a writer, want. You want someone to read it who genuinely wants to and then can’t put it down.

What are your plans now your book is published?

Get that second one out!

Why did you write about this particular subject?

My own painful, sad, funny and joyful experiences as a new mom with a demanding career and an overworked husband who was almost never home.

What did you learn on your journey as an author?

Well, it is not over (I hope) so still learning.

What’s next for you as an author?

Sisters in Law, my new book, then I will be returning to writing the legal thriller that I was halfway through before being derailed by re-writing Woman’s Work and giving it new life as A Nanny for Harry.