Tara writes fiction about people and satire about everything. Originally from the west of Ireland, she now lives in Dublin, where she also works, eats, and occasionally, sleeps.
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OBLIGATORY/AWFUL LIST OF AWARDS AND STUFF
Annual Bloggers’ Bash Awards (ABBAs) – Funniest Blog 2017
Blog Awards Ireland –
2014: Winner – Best Newcomer and Finalist – Humour
2015: Finalist – Art & Culture
2016: Finalist – Books & Literature
2017: Finalist – Books & Literature
2018: Bronze Award – Books & Literature and Finalist – Best Blog Post
RTE Today Show / New Island “Get Your Book Published” Competition 2014
Finalist (Shortlisted), for the novel In June
Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair 2014
Highly Commended (Longlisted), for the novel Statistical Anomalies In The Probability Of Love
Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair 2012
Highly Commended (Longlisted), for the novel In June
OTHER PLACES TARA WAS SEEN HANGING AROUND BESIDES THIS BLOG
Short Fiction
“The Narcissist” – published in The Bohemyth
Regular Features
“The Lighter Side” – Featured Guest Blogger on Writing.ie – see all articles here
Articles Published Elsewhere Which May Also Be Vaguely Humorous (but that might depend on your mood, in fairness):
(AnneRAllen.com) Dear Santa: This Is What a Writer Wants For Christmas
(AnneRAllen.com) The Twelve Days of Christmas… Writing Clichés
(AnneRAllen.com) Book Title Generators To Get You Through The Holidays
(Headstuff.org) Mr McGuffin’s Plot Device And Writer Unblocking Emporium
(AnneRAllen.com) Ten Reasons Being A Writer Is Like Being Santa Claus
(Writing.ie) Writing Weather
(Writing.ie) An Arts Festival Is No Time To Get Creative
(Writing.ie) Writer’s Twitch, And Other Illnesses
Tara Sparling writes 
Hi Tara!
Fellow Irish blogger and best humour nominee here 🙂
Had a good ole creep through your blog and just wanted to say that it is hilarious/brilliant.
Glad to have found it!
Jane
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Hi Jane, I’m glad we found each other! I really enjoyed your take on things and your style of writing. Were you there last night? You want to get a posse together to go down to Waterford and sort those guys out? 😉
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I actually couldn’t go 😦 I would have loved to, purely for the fact that I would have pulled a Kanye and ran up on stage 😀
Ha, yes I think we need to! Plus we can stock up on blaas while we’re there!
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They weren’t there! So you missed nothing – there were no opportunities for sabotage AT ALL. Still, we could start a boycott-the-blaa movement and start producing maps of the country missing one corner. That’ll show ’em. And we’ll win next year.
Oh yes. Victory will be ours…
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It wouldn’t have been much of a sabotage without them. We could have shouted out “this competition is a sham..and a farce…and A SHAM!”
I’m definitely not eating a blaa again or
drinking out of anything remotely crystal.
We will! And we can make some kind of “this is Sparta” speech 😀
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Hi Tara, This is Steve Moore, Jack ‘Blimprider’ Tyler’s mate from Scribblers Den in the Steampunk Empire. What a mouthful. Well I just wanted to say Congratulations to all the Irish people and the Irish Rugby Team on Super Saturday when England beat France but were still disconsolate, as it was not enough to hoist the trophy. Bravo Ireland as you are set fair for the World Cup. I also love your wit and verve Tara and wish you well. Steve Moore the Old English Steampunk Cowboy from over the water to the East. Slainte Steve
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Hi Steve! Your congratulations are much appreciated, as were several of France’s tries yesterday, although I was yelling obscenities when they started arsing around at the last minute… it really was a Super Saturday, wasn’t it? Every warm wish from here to you there also, Steve, and commiserations on a battle hard fought and lost by a hair. Thanks for the visit 🙂
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Thanks for thinking of me Eilish, will definitely have a look!
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In June and Statistical Anomalies In The Probability Of Love. When will we be able to read these? They aren’t already out there and I’ve somehow missed them??
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Er… yes. That article rather made it look like I’d let these babies walk around by themselves, didn’t it?! Those two novels are written, but not published. I only let them out to play in competition. I’m currently doing surgery on no. 3. Trust me, if and when I do publish, you’ll be on your knees, pleading with me to shut up about it!
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Um gulp, you’ve won awards and you’ve followed me!? Shouldn’t it be the other way up? Or round? Or some other multi dimensional shape. I touched in a totally normal uncreepy way and deeply humbled much as I was in the playground every time sides were picked for it and stuck in the mud. Ta. Muchly gratified. Will return the oojit.
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But I liked your blog very much, and you can’t stop me 😉 And I was very taken with your writing style, and your recent piece about our mums before they became our mums struck umpteen chords with me. In fact I think it was an entire orchestral piece…
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Ah ha a strings and pipe girl too. Excellent
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Hi Tara. Cool blog, thing I’ll stick around. Pleased to meet you, Marina
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Thanks Marina. Please to meet you too. Do stick around. I’ll try and come up with something half decent to make it worthwhile!
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I usually always take a look at the “about” page of a blog very early on, Tara, but strangely, it seems I’d never visited yours before. I wasn’t very surprised to read that you spend all your spare time with words. I already knew you were good with those. However, I was stunned to learn that your job involves also being good with numbers.
I don’t know how you can fit both words and numbers into your brain at the same time without riots breaking out. They’re so different from each other. Words are cute, friendly and approachable. Numbers are stern, critical and unforgiving. I’m terrified of the latter and only ever go near them if I have no other choice.
I really like the photograph you use on this page, by the way. To me, it suggests a tremendous love of books, a wonderful sense of humor and a filing system not dissimilar to my wife’s.
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I’m glad you commented, Bun, because I forgot this page was there. It’s hopelessly outdated. I’ve had a haircut since I put this up. I’ll get my PR firm on to it immediately. They’ve already sent me a crisis management document about the state of the place since Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up book changed fashionable interiors forever.
On another note, you’re wrong about numbers. Truly. I know it’s mad, but much as I love words, they can’t give comfort like numbers can. Numbers, for instance, are questions that can always be answered and answers to questions that can’t even be asked. I know there’s something wrong about that, but it just feels so right.
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I’ve had many discussions with people who find the precision and certainty of mathematics magical rather than intimidating. I know too that so much of science can only properly be described mathematically. Those who can’t follow the equations are left forever on the outside, having to make do with clumsy approximations constructed entirely of words.
I don’t blame you for loving numbers, Tara. I imagine you’ve simply never seen their nasty side. I’m sure they are perfectly capable of being nice to people when they want to be. Unfortunately, they’ve always hated me. No matter whether they’re describing my age, my readership or my bank balance, numbers have never wasted an opportunity to twist the knife just that little bit more.
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Well, I never said they were kind. Just honest. Sorry, Bun. Or am I…?
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Of course, I’m doing numbers a disservice by calling them unkind. Like nature, the universe and our childhood crushes, they just don’t know we’re here.
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Thanks for passing by my blog!
I like your ‘About Tara’ description.
You know, I find logic (referring to number thinking) and writing have a lot in common. But am not sure can explain it. The most beautiful and inspiring writing I find is describing something with as few and fitting wording.
As the opposite of Tolstoy with an incredible amount of adjectives …
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I agree wholeheartedly, Red Breast, and thank you. My favourite writing is sparse, using smallish words and complete sentences. It’s how the words fit together which counts. Especially when words are put together which don’t usually go together. Like job and blog. 😉
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Thank you for the reminder Tara and I’ve gone in and done all my voting and guess who I included? 🙂
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Trump? Macron?? Bieber???
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So many congratulations on winning the Annual Bloggers Bash Award for the funniest blog!
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Thank you guys. Delighted with it!
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A brilliant win, and well deserved i know funny isn’t funny to write and you do it so funnily… ?eh! *swipes hand through the air* you know what I mean.
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I know exactly what you mean, Ellen, and thank you kindly. I do spend the vast majority of my life with my hands in the air. It seems exasperation is my gift to the world…
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Congrats on your ABBA win 😀 I am delighted I backed a winner and delighted for you. Richly deserved.
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Thank you SO much. I had no idea people would vote for me like that. I’m putting it down to mass hysteria 😉
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😀 😀 😀
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Hi Tara loved your last blog which I’ve reblogged and now I’m following you and looking forward to having a good chuckle over a pint or three.
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Thanks, Dermott! Wish I had a pint or three. I have a Friday feeling, but sadly it’s only Wednesday.
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I know that feeling but I haven’t worked in almost two years because of health issues. Right now I’m on disability allowance so if I save the pennies for a while I can break out and have a pint.
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Sorry to hear that, but I d hope you get that pint…..
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I did last night, just a couple down the local to watch a match on the tv
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Not so bad!
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Just wanted to let you know I nominated you for the Leibster Award
https://writet.wordpress.com/2018/02/19/the-leibster-award/
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Thanks Adam!
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De nada.
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From one Irish kid to another, your blog is awesome!!!!!!!
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Ah now stop, you’ll turn my head. and I’ve a fierce crick in my neck since Sunday. 😀
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You too? Ouch. Clearly the crick bug is going around.
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