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Mary Beth Keane:
Just finished reading Ask Again, Yes. A great novel dealing with complicated emotions and humanity. The book was divided into 4 parts by using 4 different sub titles including Gillam, Queens, Two By Two, Muster. While Gillam and Queens were referring to where the story happened, what Two By Two and Muster as the third & forth sub titles meant regarding to the chapters following?
Mary Beth Keane
Thanks for the question and I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Two by Two is just a reference to the fracturing of the larger cast. Kate and Peter pair off and are their own unit. Francis and Lena, etc. They have to live their own lives as best they can. Muster is a nod to the number of police officers in the story. "Muster" is the meeting at the start of a given shift, updating all officers on duty of the goings on since they were there last (a simplified explanation). In AA,Y because of the crisis, they must also come together to help Peter.
Structuring a novel has always been one of the main difficulties for me and I try a number of different structures before I find the one that feels right. My new novel, The Half Moon, is set over the course of a week. I wanted to try a more constricted set of time after the sprawling forty-five years of Ask Again, Yes.
Structuring a novel has always been one of the main difficulties for me and I try a number of different structures before I find the one that feels right. My new novel, The Half Moon, is set over the course of a week. I wanted to try a more constricted set of time after the sprawling forty-five years of Ask Again, Yes.
More Answered Questions
Jade
asked
Mary Beth Keane:
I worked as a Case Manager in a mandatory AOD Rehabiliataion Centre, and I was really impressed with your portrayal of addiction- specifically, the moment where Kate was contemplating how you define addiction, especially high functioning addicts/alcoholics. I really loved that you had this middle class, otherwise considered 'successful' family dealing with this issue. Did you need alot of research around this topic?
Annie
asked
Mary Beth Keane:
I don’t have a question - I just want to thank you for a wonderful read!! There is a wonderful book store in Glen Arbor, Michigan called the Cottage Book Store. I work at the post office in Cedar, MI but fill in at other offices, and whenever I am in Glen Arbor, I can walk in and tell Sue - I need a book. She’s never steered me wrong, especially with your book. I laughed and I cried - and it just made me so happy!!?
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