Interview with Erica Colahan

This is your debut novel. How exciting! What message do you hope your readers take away from this latest release?

Mary, the protagonist in The Oystercatcher of Southwark, faces heart-wrenching trials in life but somehow holds onto her faith. I want to inspire my readers to find hope even in the darkest circumstances.

You mentioned picturing the story you researched every time you passed by the Delaware River. How long did it take you from the decision to write the story until you had researched enough to create a viable novel?

Everything happened simultaneously. I started researching while writing dialogue and character development scenes. My mom, an avid genealogist and keeper of family secrets, helped me tremendously.

You have multiple irons in the fire with your full-time job in accounting, taking care of your children and your household, and pursuing your hobbies. This also includes digging into your family’s past to write this debut novel. What literary pilgrimages (if any) did you take for book research? What was your favorite and what did you discover or learn?

My mom and I enjoyed lunch at The King George Inn and walked along the Delaware River. We toured the house and gardens at Andalusia. We spent an afternoon with my Aunt and Uncle, residents of Queen’s Village, the neighborhood once called Southwark. We meandered through the streets and spent time admiring Mary’s family’s home on the corner. I remember being awed as I placed my hands on the brick of the house.

My favorite literary pilgrimage was a trip to the Philadelphia City Archives with my mom. We were determined to find evidence of Mary in the Blockley Almshouse. I wrote a scene in the novel describing that excursion precisely as it happened. Finding my great-great-grandmother’s name in the asylum register was a magical moment I will never forget.

As writers, we often must be careful of our word count. Sometimes, that means snipping bits of what we write during the revision process. That being said, what did you edit OUT of this book?

Only a small amount was removed from the book! My editors were gracious in allowing most of my writing to stay. They originally wanted to remove the last scene with Rocco, the villain of the story, fearing it would glamorize vengeance, but I fought for it, and they acquiesced. I’m so glad they did.

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

Hands down, the best money I spent was a membership to ACFW! I joined the Scribes critique group and learned the craft from excellent mentors. Nothing teaches better than critiquing others’ writing and receiving critiques of your work.

Readers love reviewing books they’ve read, and we authors can’t resist checking those reviews. Some of them can sting a bit, but the good ones find a special place in our hearts. You already have over 30 reviews. Do you have any feedback from a specific reader that had a significant impact on you? What was it?

My favorite review came from an Amazon reader.

"This was such an immersive and heartrending book to read. The fact that it was based on the author's... family history made it real .... The setting of Southwark Philadelphia was brilliantly brought to life, as was the heroine's Italian heritage. While reading, I actually felt like I was there, like I was a part of the family."

This review covers everything I want readers to encounter—being immersed in the setting, experiencing Mary's heartbreak and joy, and feeling like a part of the family.

You mention filling every spare moment with reading and creative writing. What are some of your favorite books you’ve read this year, and what did you like most about them?


The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese. This is a sweeping novel that covers three generations of a family in South India. The lives of the characters and those in their community intertwine like puzzle pieces. The plot twists kept me guessing, and the characters were realistic and relatable. It’s an enormous tome, but I read it in record time because I could not put it down. Epic.

I also devoured two novels by Amy Harmon—A Girl Called Samson, and The Outlaw Noble Salt. Both stories are compelling historical fiction with incredible character development.

You’re already hard at work on book #2. Other than a setting in Philadelphia at the beginning of WWI, can you give any other teaser of the plot or perhaps the backstory of one of the main characters?

I'm excited about my work in progress, titled I Am Rushing Water, which revolves around Matilda "Mattie" Ashwood Schmidt—a Society Hill socialite, and her husband, Gabriel Schmidt, who is falsely accused of being a German spy at the start of WWI. When authorities imprison Gabriel in Leavenworth, Mattie runs away from Philadelphia to Kansas City in hopes of springing her husband from jail. Mattie and Gabriel befriend some compelling characters, including a spunky investigative journalist, a Hutterite family, a Jesuit priest, and the young Sioux he rescued from a flood as a baby.


You love to knit, walk in the woods, and kayak on the lake. Given the crazy pace of your life, these solitary activities no doubt give you some time to reflect. Did any of these ever lead to a defining moment that inspired something significant for your life?

Great question! When I'm walking, knitting, or kayaking, I can think straight, so these are the times I often have a Eureka moment. I developed the plot of Oystercatcher during these times of clarity. This is usually when I daydream, pray, and reflect on my life, so there have been many inspirations—too many to count!

If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

I would do nothing differently. My older brother and I were always storytellers. Usually enjoying humor, satire, sarcasm, and irony, we riffed off each other and enjoyed razzing our parents with antidotal stories. I gained confidence from my family's belief that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. I journaled at a young age and still have my first diary—a yellow Holly Hobby notebook. I took creative writing classes in college and was brave enough to submit my work for peer review. *Cringe*

Finish this statement: In the future, I will…

Own a Bed & Breakfast on a lake and continue writing fiction.

Anything extra you’d like to add?

I’m grateful to all of the folks who helped me get here. I sometimes have to pinch myself that my novel is out in the world. A friend recently checked the book out of the library, which was a pinnacle moment for me.

Thanks for sharing with us, Erica!

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Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having an active imagination and a flair for the dramatic. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who works as a homeschool mom and independent contractor, helping others become their best from the inside out. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Kentucky. They have a daughter and son, and 2 cats. She has sold over 25 books so far, three of which have won annual reader's choice awards. She is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. (www.tiffanyamberstockton.com)