DeAnn
asked
Mary Beth Keane:
You write so authentically about dealing with alcoholism. Is this personal experience or did you speak to others for writing this?
Mary Beth Keane
Both. I grew up in an environment that didn't really shelter kids from alcohol. It was just part of everyday life. The thing that interested me when I was writing this book - one of the central questions, I suppose - was why some people grow up around alcohol, start drinking quite early, and don't end up having a drinking problem. Others who grew up the exact same way DO end up with a problem. Why do some people get off easy, and others don't? And how much control do we have over our own destinies? Is it possible that even recognizing a pattern can help a person break it? I was also interested in looking at functional alcoholism, as opposed to the fall-down-drunk types seen more often in novels and film.
More Answered Questions
Danielle Dandreaux
asked
Mary Beth Keane:
How much time do you spend researching a book? Is this something you do while you are still conceiving the plot of a book or do you research as you go? If you are not an established writer, how do you connect with people to get the information you are looking for?
Amy
asked
Mary Beth Keane:
The scene with Anne in the grocery store in particular was so vivid, I could feel it from her perspective and an observer in the store as well as the vignettes of Kate and Peter's marriage. Were the people or setting (or both) based on your personal experiences, or do you draw from other places?
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