Q&A with Caro Claire Burke Author of Yesteryear.
Goldsboro Books – Fresh Ink edition
Q1. Your book invites readers into the world and debate surrounding influencer culture, exploring the pressures and performance behind one the most discussed aspects of modern life. Was there a particular moment, event, or observation that inspired you to explore this theme in Yesteryear?
In the winter of 2024, I was on a hiatus from writing after another failed fiction project. On a whim, I downloaded TikTok, right at the time that the tradwife discourse was taking off, and I immediately immersed myself in the conversation. A few weeks later, the idea for YESTERYEAR was born.
Q2. You speak about womanhood and what it means to be a mother. Do you think the pressures of what it means to be an ‘accomplished’ woman/mother are something that will always be relevant in our society?
I’m sure there will always be an element of tension for women between the cultural demands of womanhood and motherhood, but I very much hope the tension will not always be as profound as it is now. One example I would give of what I call an artificial tension has to do with care work: we undervalue it as a form of labor, whether that entails taking care of children or taking care of elders, and we could absolutely prioritize legislation that honors and properly financially values this kind of work.
Q3. Are there any books or authors that have profoundly impacted your life or shaped your approach to writing?
Oh, so many! Just off the top of my head: John Cheever, Flannery O’Connor, John Green, Donna Tartt, Patricia Lockwood, Sally Rooney, and Toni Morrison, to name a few. Oh, and one novel shoutout: REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, by Richard Yates. A knockout.
Q4. Are there ways in which the past feels familiar to the present, despite the centuries that separate Natalie’s two worlds?
I think yes, very much so — and if you read my novel, you will likely get an idea of where I see the crossover between our past and our present, culturally speaking.
Q5. If Natalie had access to social media in 1805, what do you think her first post would be?
OOOOH GREAT QUESTION: maybe something like, woke up and found myself in some kind of heaven. #blessed #simpleliving
Q6. What do you hope readers will take away and think about long after they’ve finished reading Yesteryear?
I don’t want to put any expectations onto the shoulders of readers — but for me, what has stayed with me most regarding this novel are the threads of generational trauma, as well as generational healing.
