Topic of the Week: Family Secrets October 18, 2009

Teri Coyne

Skeletons in the closet and the explosive dynamics that result can devastate a family—or drive them together. Last week in LitChat we discussed character flaws and fetishes in fiction, this week we’re taking it a bit further in examining books that hinge on what happens when the ghosts of the past dredge up their unsavory secrets.

Joining us on Friday, October 23 is Teri Coyne, author of The Last Bridge, a novel about family secrets and the devastation they have on people and relationships. Teri says this about The Last Bridge:

“The idea for The Last Bridge started with an image and a voice I heard in my head. The image was of the kitchen of an old farmhouse with garbage bags taped to the walls and a note in a Ziploc® bag on the table. The voice in my head spoke the opening line, ‘Two days after my father had a massive stroke, my mother shot herself in the head’.”

Over the last 25 years, Teri has embarked on a creative journey, exploring the crafts of filmmaking, playwriting, producing, directing and acting. Teri also wrote and performed stand-up comedy in clubs around New York City for many years. She studied poetry with Philip Shultz at NYU, novel writing at the Iowa Summer Writers Workshop, memoir with Frank McCourt at the Southampton Summer Writer’s Program and fiction with Masha Hamilton at the Gotham Writers Workshop in New York City. Although Teri has written across multiple genres, The Last Bridge is her first novel.

In addition to her creative pursuits, Teri renovated a 110-year-old house on the North Fork of Long Island. She also works in the legal industry as technical writer and learning facilitator. Teri divides her time between the City and her home on Long Island and is currently at work on her second novel.

Follow Teri on Twitter at @TeriCoyne.