John Falstaff
John Falstaff asked Lois McMaster Bujold:

Reading 'Mirror Dance', I was just out of Premed, and our psychology professor had vividy described anorexia nervosa, where the adolescent uses her own body to obtain control that the overbearing family otherwise denies her. Mark's coping mechanism is quite similar, regaining a measure of control that way. Did you come up with this on your own, or did you actually use current research? Both would be quite impressive!

Lois McMaster Bujold
Mark came mainly from, well, insight into Mark. He is largely his own invention, in more ways than one. (Also from my own notions about the fundamental biological bases of behavior.) Since the book was written in the early 90s -- 1992 - 93 -- I'll have to acquit me of using "current" research. Or even then-current research, beyond what leaked in from the general culture.

Ta, L.

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