Tara Drouin is a teacher, musician, and children’s book author. She grew up in Merrick, New York and now lives in Bethpage, NY with her husband and daughter. Her band Iridesense has been performing and recording music for over 25 years. Their songs can be heard on shows like Zoey 101 and Drake and Josh. Tara’s first book, ‘One Heart’, is based on a song by the same name. Her experience working as a teacher inspired her to write the book/song, which talks about everyone having one heart inside, despite our external differences. Tara’s second book, ‘Red Rock Road’ is based on a song that she wrote with her kids band The Gum Drops. It’s about her parents’ home in the Catskill Mountains of NY and all the fun things they do together like swimming, singing, gazing at the stars, and being in nature. She is releasing her 3rd book, ‘Starlight’ in the autumn of 2021.
Amanda: Hi Tara! I’ve just been listening to your song, ‘One Heart’, and I loved it. I’m really excited to talk to you today. Let’s start with a simple question: How would you describe yourself?
Tara: I’m pleased you liked the song! I am a creative, outgoing, and determined person. I love music, the arts, and teaching. My daughter is my inspiration to continue to follow my dreams while inspiring her to do the same.
Amanda: When did you first get the idea to start writing children’s books, and how long did it take you to publish the first one?
Tara: When I wrote the song ‘One Heart’, I knew that the message was really special. I could see images in my mind that would go along with the book. I collaborated with an art teacher named Nancy Noskewicz who helped to bring the lyrics to life. It took me about two years since I released the song in 2016, and then the book in 2018. I also had the help of my friend and photographer, Mike Rathsam, who formatted the book to get it ready for print.
Amanda: It must have been quite a journey. What else do you do besides creating wonderful music and books?
Tara: I play music in two bands, ‘Iridesense’ and ‘The Gum Drops’. I’m also an elementary school teacher. I have taught grades K-6, all subject areas, music, drama, and songwriting. I love sharing my music with the students, and it is the highlight of my day when I hear them singing my songs.
Amanda: Wow, two bands, writing books, and teaching kids must be hectic! What challenges do you normally come across?
Tara: It is hard to juggle everything, but being a mum comes first. I try to manage many creative projects in my life, so time management is key! I released a new book in December of 2020 called ‘Red Rock Road’ that I am trying to promote. Marketing is so important, but not my favorite part of being an author. I also released a new song called ‘Starlight’ on July 6, which will be a book in the autumn. It’s hard to find the time to do everything but I always find a way!
Amanda: How does being a mum impact your goals?
Tara: I have one daughter named Kaya, who is a beautiful, talented, and smart 10-year-old. My goals as an author, a musician, a teacher are always in line with what’s best for my family. I don’t want to take on too much, as I want to have time to spend with them. I also try to include Kaya in my creative projects, and she sings and dances on stage with my kids’ band ‘The Gum Drops’. We even wrote a song together during the Pandemic while we were at home called ‘I Believe This Will Be Over Soon’. ‘One Heart’ was written when she was young so I wrote it as a message to her and other children. We may not all look the same, but inside everybody’s got one heart!
Amanda: That is such an important message, and the song is really upbeat and catchy. I loved it! How do you manage your time?
Tara: I try to carve out time each day to meditate or just be outside. I love sitting in my yard listening to the birds, or the wind. Going to the beach is another one of my favorite places to be. I think it’s important to stay present and just be, because there are so many stressors these days, and things that keep us distracted. I like to set goals for myself each week, such as sending emails to new people for possible opportunities. I also post to my different accounts to stay connected and keep people up to date on what’s going on in my life.
Amanda: A woman after my own heart! I enjoy everything you just mentioned as well, in fact, being outdoors is where I get my own inspiration from. Can you describe a typical day in your life?
Tara: I wake up in the morning, and always have a cup of coffee. I listen to music on my way to work. My day during the school year is a lot different than my day during the summer. During the school year, I enjoy teaching my students something new each day. I like to watch TV at night with my husband and daughter. Being a teacher gives me a lot of free time in the summer which is nice. I spend time checking emails in the morning, and then head out for the day. Maybe go to the beach or the pool with my daughter.
Amanda: Sounds like a great way to spend the day! What steps do you take to raise your profile both online and in real life?
Tara: Since I am a musician and a children’s book author I have separate accounts for both. I share any upcoming releases or gigs we have coming up. I am hoping this summer we can get back to playing as we have been on hiatus a bit since the pandemic. I have an author website http://www.taradrouinauthor.com, and a website for my band Iridesense http://www.iridesense.com. I post any upcoming shows, interviews, new music, etc..
Amanda: What has helped you achieve your goals?
Tara: Networking has helped along the way. My family are my biggest supporters. My brother is in PR so he has helped to get me different press releases about my books, ‘One Heart’, and ‘Red Rock Road’. There were a bunch of great articles and interviews for ‘One Heart’ last summer. My mum helped to get ‘Red Rock Road’ in a local and online newspaper in upstate NY since that is where she lives, and where the story takes place. I also did a school visit for ‘One Heart’ in Oneonta, NY. The whole school was singing the song with me which was so awesome!
Amanda: Oh, how lovely! It’s so nice to have (and acknowledge) your family’s support. What are you working on at the moment?
Tara: I just released a lullaby called ‘Starlight’ on July 6th. It’s about how kids shouldn’t be afraid to go to sleep at night because dreams can be a magical place, where fairies bring you dreams, and you can imagine being a superhero or a king or queen. I just hired an illustrator for it, and I can’t wait to see what she creates! It should be released on Amazon sometime in the autumn.
Amanda: What’s the best thing that has come out of following your dreams?
Tara: Without a doubt, it’s the joy that it brings me, the satisfaction of following through on a creative idea that I came up with, seeing the smile on my students’ faces when I share my book/song, or hearing a parent or teacher say I inspired their child to write a song or story. There are so many reasons why it’s important to follow your dreams. I have a song I wrote with my band ‘Iridesense’ called ‘Don’t Say’. Some of the lyrics are
‘having the choice to go after your dreams,
Learning to see the truth through smokescreens,
Trusting your gut is the only way to survive.’
You have to be true to yourself and follow your passion to be truly happy.
Amanda: Who has been instrumental in helping you achieve your goals?
Tara: My husband always has my back, and supports my goals in my career. He is the drummer of Iridesense too so we are used to following our dreams together. My brother is also in the band, along with my friend Rob, and we have been creating music together for over 25 years. My parents, of course, since my mum has been singing with us since we were kids.
Amanda: Wow, that is an amazing family collaboration! Beyond your family, Is there anyone you admire?
Tara: I’ve always admired Oprah because she is such a powerful and strong woman. Her positive influence on society is incredible. She set goals for herself and achieved them.
Amanda: What’s the best advice you can give to anyone who has a dream?
Tara: Believe in yourself, and go after your dreams. Happiness comes when you live your life with intention. I love the poem by Langston Hughes, “hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.”
Amanda: What a perfect quote to end this fascinating interview. Tara, thank you so much for your time. You can find ‘Red Rock Road’ on Amazon. It’s a delightful book that brings back wonderful childhood memories.
