An Interview with Maureen Ellen O’Leary

My creative nonfiction and poems (some award-winning) have appeared in numerous journals, anthologies, magazines, and newspapers. Originally from Boston, I remained in California after completing my PhD at Berkeley. I was a tenured professor at a community college for many years and live in Oakland with my husband. Fortunately, my daughters and grandchildren live nearby so I am a very active gramma! My website (changing in December) is www.maureenellenoleary.com.

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Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

For much of the publishing process, I had a title that seemed to work—but didn’t feel ideal. The first part of the title referenced a proverb that I was not confident that everyone was familiar with: “A Sow’s Ear and a Silk Purse.” What appeared after the colon was very straightforward: “A Childhood in Public Housing.” But that was too straightforward for my taste. Then I had a Eureka moment. One chapter in my book was titled “O’Leary House” referring to the house my family lived in before moving to public housing. Apparently, a plaque with our family name was affixed to the house by the college that bought the place after we moved. Probably named after a generous donor. Since that house and all the houses we ever lived in were, in fact, “O’Leary houses,” using that for the title felt absolutely perfect. I am now delighted to see that title on my book cover.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

Lovely. I had written much of the book years earlier and kept returning to it through the years. It was a project close to my heart covering, as it did, so many years, so many events and people, and experiences that I had not shared with others before. Holding that book in my hands with its lively, evocative cover was a moving experience for me. “There,” I said. “Done,” I said.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I think I wrote in my head even before I was capable of writing. I loved reading and continually made up stories in my head. My father was a voracious reader and all of his children became avid readers as well. Writing felt like the next step. As I got older, I wrote more. And the more I wrote, the more I found to say.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

With some chagrin, I admit to a rather limited professional scope. I began teaching as a graduate student at Berkeley where I earned my PhD. And then … I taught! One exciting year post undergraduate and before graduate school, I spent working at a world-famous social science research center in Paris. Part of my job was to translate short, personal letters from French scholars to colleagues in the US. Very cool.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Pulling together experiences and memories from decades earlier in my life and shaping them into a whole, into something that I could share with others. This is the girl I was, this is the family I was fortunate enough to grow up in, here are the people who enriched my early years. Enjoy!

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

Responses from individuals who have read my book suggest that the O’Leary House gets across what I hoped that it would—that my childhood was a complicated, complex mix of dark and light, serious and funny, challenging and enriching experiences.

What creative projects are you currently working on?

I continue to write poetry and short, creative non-fiction pieces, but my major ambition is to return to a mystery that I began a few years ago. It is the second in a series with the same protagonist. I hope to send the first out into the world soon (writing is far easier for me than the work of finding an audience) and then complete the second. Stay tuned!

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

I was delighted with the process. I was very fortunate to have thoughtful, helpful, smart, and kind professionals guide me through the process. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole ride.

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