The Astrid Notes

A powerful story of family, ambition, grief and love.

Astrid Bell
Dutiful daughter. Classical singer. Secret pop songwriter. And suffering from stage fright.

Jacob Skalicky.
Trust Fund Kid. Indie singer. Immensely gifted performer. And refusing to sing again.
Are they polar opposites? In his grief and fury at the world, Jacob certainly thinks so.
But when Jacob loses everything and Astrid uncovers a shocking family secret, they may need each other to make sense of their lives.

Taryn Bashford is the author of The Harper Effect and currently lives on the Sunshine Coast with her family. She has been an advertising sales rep, a ski chalet chef, a late-night newsreader and the CEO of an internet company, but writing is her true love. Taryn is currently working on her PhD in Creative Writing while tutoring undergraduates and writing more novels. When she's not writing or teaching, she's training for triathlons in the hope they will compensate for the fact she spends ten hours a day sitting at her computer.

The Astrid Notes
Pan Australia
Author: Taryn Bashford
ISBN: 9781760556440
RRP: $16.99

Interview with Taryn Bashford

Question: What inspired The Astrid Notes?

Taryn Bashford: It was two things, in fact. First of all, I felt as though Jacob was still a little 'messed up' at the end of The Harper Effect. He hadn't yet sorted himself out, although he had grown as a character. I wanted to give him his time in the spotlight so he could work through his issues, most of which had to do with being terrified of leading a forgettable life because his parents made him feel unwanted.

The music setting is dear to my heart too. As a teenager I sang in musicals, played the piano, clarinet and violin, and part of me wanted to become a concert pianist. I was classically trained and I wanted to meld the worlds of classical and popular music. This is why The Astrid Notes manages to be a standalone book – because it's Jacob's story, rather than a continuation of Harper's.

Question: What do you enjoy most about writing for young adults?

Taryn Bashford: Having spent many years writing adult novels, I changed to the young adult genre having read a book a friend recommended. The book was Susanne Gervay's That's Why I Wrote This Song, and it had a profound effect on me. I realised that had I read it as a teen, it would've helped me get through a lot of issues and helped me feel less alone. It was from that point that I knew I had to write in this genre, to provide that metaphorical hug or helping hand that Gervay's book had. I have received many messages from teens to tell me that my book has helped them deal with an issue in their life, or that it has inspired them in some way. To influence a young life like that is incredibly satisfying because, being so young, a book can (and does) change their life.


Question: What was the best part about creating the character of Astrid Bell?

Taryn Bashford: I loved the moment when she realised she didn't have to emanate her famous opera singer mother. This was when she began to pull away from the controlling hold Maestro had over her and it was satisfying to see that transformation occur. I also got to sing on stage with her vicariously, thereby living my dream of being superbly talented and able to perform at the Met. And at the moment when she became unforgettable in the story, I couldn't help but shed a tear of happiness for her.


Question: What message do you hope The Astrid Notes spreads to young adults?

Taryn Bashford: I'm a little old fashioned in that I like to write feel good books that provide an exciting world to escape into and I always like to give the message of 'never give up' and 'always go after your dreams'. I want to inspire readers to discover their own talents, to put their neck on the line, and to be unforgettable at whatever they choose to do, while showing that nothing worth having comes easily. When I talk to elite and over-achieving teens, this is the mindset that they have.


Question: What's next for you and Astrid Bell?

Taryn Bashford: While Astrid is busy on her world singing tour, I'll be busy writing a third novel. This one is not connected to Jacob, Harper or Astrid, but is set around a young girl who is a super talented artist. After witnessing the murder of her mother though, she loses her muse. Her story explores how we deal with grief, but it also conveys that message to fight for your dreams no matter the obstacles; even though it's a darker topic, I still want to inspire young adults.


Interview by Brooke Hunter

The Astrid Notes Pan Australia
Author: Taryn Bashford
ISBN: 9781760556440
RRP: $16.99