Diane Taylor-Moore

Diane Taylor-Moore tells us about herself:

I was born and raised in  Maine. Education started in a one-room school (with privy) in Frye and ended with a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern. My entire career was in special education and mental health, the majority as a special education director. I have written stories since childhood when my sisters and I entertained anyone who would watch our plays. Willy Goes To Sea was my first book, followed by Here Sits A Monkey seven years later. Now, I'm writing a mystery about special education. I have been retired for several years and spend most of my time working on house projects, gardening,   reading, and writing. My husband and I live with our dog in rural Maine, close to my family.

What are your ties to Maine or the Boothbay Peninsula?

I am a Maine native and from several generations of Mainers. My Taylor ancestors were among  the original settlers and incorporators of Roxbury. I've lived here all my life, and would not live full time in any other place.

What is your favorite thing about writing in Maine?

Honestly, my favorite thing about writing is finishing the story, as I have the components kicking around in my head for months until I put them in print.

What are the most important themes in your work?

Advocating for people who have no voice; drawing moral lines, beyond which a character won't cross; revealing the possible basis, if not excuse,  for some behavior; understanding events which may seem scary or threatening so that more people intervene.

Tell us about the book you will be signing at Books In Boothbay this year?

I'll be signing Here Sits A Monkey which is a murder mystery set in a state hospital in Maine. I'll also have  copies of Willy Goes To Sea, my illustrated children's book about a dog who has an experience on a schooner that sails out of Rockland.

What do you feel about the future of our local libraries?

I think that  libraries with real books will fade as the internet and virtual books take over. That's a shame. It may be a generational issue, but I can't curl up with a cup of coffee and a good kindle.

I read a  book or two a week and am astonished that after a small flurry, some books sit there for months or years without a reader. The local librarian says that most patrons are middle aged. Kids come in to use computers.

Come meet Diane Taylor-Moore and dozens of other Maine authors at Books in Boothbay on July 11!