Goodreads asked Sarah Ménage:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Sarah Ménage There were several ideas which came together for 'How To Make Life Nice''. I was thinking about family dynamics and especially about families with two parents and two children - a boy and girl. I thought it might be an inherently emotionally incestuous set-up and wondered what would happen if you threw an all-round charismatic and desirable person into the mix - someone who might want to seduce every member.

The next inspiration came from dealing with my parents' belongings after they'd died. I realised that through the hoarding inclinations of both parents, a grandparent, and a great aunt, I and my siblings had material coming down to us that covered two hundred years' worth of history. I was intrigued by the oldest things which included a miniature portrait of a woman but no clue as to her identity. I longed to find out who she was and became quite haunted by the idea that she had been real and was probably one of my ancestors.

I was interested in hoarding itself. I realised that writing might be a kind of hoarding behaviour.

If I give too much more away, there'll be no point in reading the book.

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