Publications

The Haunting of Strawberry Water, Myriad Editions. 2020 (Best Novella, Saboteur Awards 2020)
Watermarks Anthology, 'Locomotion', Frogmore Press. 2017
A Sea Change. Creative Future Award, 'Tributaries'. 2016
Snapshots, an anthology of stories inspired by Wedding Present Songs, 'At the Edge of the Sea'. Scopitones, 2010.
Don't Know a Good Thing, Asham Award Collection, 'Bliss'. 2006.

Praise for The Haunting of Strawberry Water. Good Reads

'A gripping tale of post-natal depression, this short story reads like a modern retelling of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and has much in common with Sarah Water' The Little Stranger in its realisation of psychological distress as a supernatural phenomenon.'

'A haunting and raw exploration of a daughter’s non-existent relationship with her mother who left her aged one, and the effect that has on her when she becomes a mother herself. Chilling and honest, this is the mash up of supernatural and unconventional motherhood that I never knew I needed. If you only buy one of these editions, make it this one!'

'The writing and the storyline were equally as disturbing and worked in tandem to deliver to the reader the same perpetually unsettling emotions as the protagonist herself was feeling. Everything became infused with a miasma of dread. For example, the sky is described as "pewter-grey, with a glowing strip of red where the sun pushed up, as if congealed on the horizon." This story might only measure in at just over 60 pages but I found at least two to three lines I wanted to pause and ruminate on, on every single page. My only source of displeasure was that there wasn't more of it.'

'A sensuous and strikingly visual story, this tale about motherhood is at once singular and universal. It taps into those equivocal feelings we all have about the conflicting burdens and joys of creating and supporting a tiny life, while showing us one woman's particular challenges. It is a ghost story which, even in these supposedly rational times, we completely fall into.' – Julia Crouch.

'Tara Gould knows an essential truth, that ghosts exist in the darkness of the mind. And that sometimes those ghosts can exit the mind and take up residence in the world. They need to be both real, and unreal, at the same time. It is a difficult task to pull off, and Gould tackles it superbly. This beguiling and unsettling story has a very powerful effect on the reader.' – Jeff Noon.

'An eerily evocative snapshot of a young woman possessed by her own lost history, The Haunting of Strawberry Water takes what should be the most secure of bonds, the relationship between mother and daughter, and transports it to a new and terrifying landscape of the uncanny.' Ian Breckon.

'Elegant and profound, this is powerful nature writing as much as it is a compelling ghost story, and an expertly handled meditation on the prickly nature of intimate relationships.' – Hannah Vincent.

'Tara Gould depicts an elegant but deeply heart-breaking tome that displays the links between motherhood and mental health. It's disturbing but so very perfect. A totally original, emotionally charged short story.' – The Coy Caterpillar Reads