Cook, Trish

Personal

Married; husband's name Steve; children: Courtney, Kelsey. Hobbies and other interests: Playing electric guitar, seeing her favorite bands in Chicago, jogging down Sheridan Road.

Addresses

Home—Winnetka, IL. E-mail—trish@trishcook.com.

Career

Freelance writer.

Writings

So Lyrical, NAL Jam Books (New York, NY), 2005. Overnight Sensation, NAL Jam Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Sidelights

Illinois-based novelist Trish Cook writes books aimed at a teenaged and female audience that integrate elements of romance, poetry, and music. Her first novel, So Lyrical, follows the trials of a teen who is on a quest to identify and find her unknown father. Raised solely by her rock-music-loving mom, Trace desperately wants to know who her father is. Unfortunately, Trace's mother is no help when it comes to providing information on the illusive man. Left to her own devices, Trace begins to suspect that she is the daughter of one of the rock singers her mother still worships—perhaps even rock legend Bruce Springsteen! Elements of additional drama are added to So Lyrical as Cook intersperses themes of teenage romance and friendships into her teen-focused plot. Nancy Chrismer, writing in Kliatt, acknowledged Cook's ability to interlace multiple components within her storyline and concluded of the author's debut that, "amazingly, all the elements come together well in a resoundingly nice chord at the end."

Overnight Sensation, Cook's sequel to So Lyrical, follows Trace and her boyfriend as they travel to California to meet Trace's father. An online reviewer for Young Adult Book Central summarized Overnight Sensation as a novel "sprinkled with popular music references, poignant self-realizations, and honest observations about jealousy, self-image, and love." In Kliatt contributor Amanda MacGregor commented that "Cook doesn't patronize her audience," but instead gives readers of Overnight Sensation "complex characters and a fully fleshed out storyline."

On her home page, Cook noted that to become a published author it is essential that would-be writers write. "Sounds simple," commented the author, "but it's harder than it seems. Give yourself a writing schedule and try to be consistent." Cook also advised aspiring authors write about things that interests them and, for inspiration, suggested that novices join local writing groups.

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Kliatt, January, 2006, Nancy Chrismer, review of So Lyrical, p. 15; May, 2006, Amanda MacGregor, review of Overnight Sensation, p. 18.

ONLINE

Trish Cook Home Page,http://www.trishcook.com (December 1, 2006).

Young Adult Books Central Web site,http://www.yabookscentral.com/ (December 1, 2006), review of Overnight Sensation.