Author News & Interviews

Interview: Mary McGarry Morris, author of A Hole in the Universe

Mar 18, 2004

Q: Where did the idea for the novel originate? What research was required in terms of understanding Gordon's experience inside and outside of prison?

MMM: I was fascinated by the idea of culpability and guilt. How does so ordinary and decent a man as Gordon Loomis become involved in a murder and then how does he live with the consequences? How does he rationalize the wrong? Can he return to any kind of normal living? Beyond the nuts-and-bolts research, I did what a novelist does, I put myself in Gordon Loomis's head and heart.

Interview: Laurie Albanese, author of Blue Suburbia: Almost a Memoir

Mar 1, 2004

Q: Is Blue Suburbia a real town, a state of mind, or simply a clever phrase you created?

Interview: John Murray, author of A Few Short Notes on Tropical Butterflies: Stories

Jan 20, 2004

Q: Numerous themes recur throughout the stories: the difficulties facing immigrants and the children of immigrants, the ways children are affected by their parents' relationships, individuals who travel to remote corners of the world in order to do good, or to do scientific research, and issues faced by those in the medical profession. What significance do these and other recurring themes have for you?

Interview: Karin Slaughter, author of A Faint Cold Fear

Sep 16, 2003

Q: So could you talk about the inspiration behind writing A FAINT COLD FEAR?

Interview: Rebecca East, author of A. D. 62: Pompeii: A Novel

Feb 1, 2003

Q: The setting of your book (which I thoroughly enjoyed!) is Pompeii, just before Mount Vesuvius blew. Have you seen Pompeii and what was it like?

RE: Most parts of Pompeii are just the skeleton of a city: streets and walls and doorways. It's crowded with tourists and stray dogs, and choked with weeds and dust. Unfortunately, the ruins are gradually being destroyed by exposure to the weather, and souvenir takers, and the wear and tear of more than two million pairs of feet a year.