Today, I have a lovely special guest! My friend Lillian Keith recently published her book, Should We Tell Her?, and I'm helping out with the book tour. Today we get to go behind the book and ask Lily some questions about her fantastic story. Read on; and after the interview, you can find links to get the book and to enter a giveaway for a free copy!
Hey Lily, thanks so much for being here today! Why don’t you tell me a bit about your book?
Hi Lily. Thank you so much for having me on your blog! My story is about three sisters whose mom is in a coma. As they struggle to cope, the youngest (only two at the time) can’t understand where Mom went. So the two older sisters play a make-believe game that Mom is away on a trip; however, it’s hard to keep it up for long, despite the older sister trying really hard to keep it all together.
What gave you the idea for this book?
My mom and sister. We had a discussion on what made a compelling, meaningful story. Eventually, we came to the idea of a sister story, where their love for one another went to great lengths to help each other through a difficult time.
The second/first person point-of-view is really unique, and actually kind of cool! Why did you choose to do it this way? Did anything specifically prompt this decision?
Thank you so much! A long time ago, I read a short story written in the second person viewpoint. I’ve never read or tried it before, but I thought it was an interesting way to tell a story. Then, when I started Should We Tell Her? I decided to give the second person viewpoint a try, because I thought it’d be cool if Aspen (the main character) was talking to her youngest sister in the future and explaining what had really happened. By the time we were editing the story, my sister had me read The Bridge Home, which was told in a similar fashion, and it helped me refine my second-person viewpoint (as a side note, I recommend bringing tissues if you read The Bridge Home.)
When did you begin making this book?
Uh, let’s see. I believe I started writing the first draft somewhere in October of 2021, not too long after publishing my short story, An Apprentice Escapes. I finished up final edits in July of this year.
How much has the plot changed over time? When you first started, what did the basic concept look like?
Looking back over old notes, I’m surprised to see a lot. The basic idea was pretty much the same; the two older sisters would pretend mom was away on a trip to keep the littlest from worrying. But I cut a lot of scenes that didn’t fit, like a ballet recital, a hospital scene in Chapter One, a possible treasure hunt with Curtis and his eccentric great-uncle and Mr. Abernathy (I…really don’t know why I came up with that idea XD.) Plus, I rearranged a few chapters to make it flow better.
What was the hardest part of writing this book for you (plotting, the ending, a specific character, etc.)?
Oof! The ending is always hard for me XD. I get a lot of momentum in the beginning of a book, but when I reach that climax, I hit this invisible wall, and I usually end up rushing the whole thing. Then I have to go back and figure out how I can fix it all, end in the right place, and leave readers satisfied. Sticking the landing is hard.
What was the inspiration for the title? Who made the cover of the book?
For the record, I’m terrible at coming up with titles. That changed quite a few times over the entire writing process. But my mom was the one who actually suggested Should We Tell Her? since that seems to be the question the two older sisters were struggling with. Plus, it was catchy, intriguing, and fit well with the final cover design. Speaking of which, my younger sister, Amy, illustrated the main cover herself, and then designed the rest (text, spine, back), in Canva.
Are there any special people in your life that helped with parts of this book or that are inspirations for it?
My whole family helped with this book, in many ways. My mom and Amy not only helped brainstorm the idea, but they are also my hard-core editors and alpha readers. My dad helped with typos, and my other sibling gave feedback on whether they liked it or not.
What character was the easiest to craft, or did you relate to the most?
I relate to Aspen the most, but as for the easiest to write, I’d say Wren. From the moment I started the story, I could already see this bubbly young girl who pulls her older sister into trying crazy ideas.
And last, but not least, what did you enjoy the most about the crafting of this story?
I think after getting the first draft done and starting the main edits was very satisfying (by main edits, I mean the major plot issues, or refining description and character voice. The nitty-gritty edits toward the end…were not as fun XD) Either that, or arranging the illustrations in the book. I loved how professional it turned out *lol*.
Thank you SO much for being here and I wish you the best with your book!
Thank you for the fun interview!
Readers, please check out Lillian Keith's amazing book both on Amazon and on Goodreads! Or, visit her at her author site here.
Plus, there's a book giveaway going on for Should We Tell Her?. For U.S. residents who would like to win a copy of the paperback, plus a few cute felt characters, visit the giveaway here. For people outside the U.S., there's an option for you too: a free copy of the e-book found here!
Please, feel free to visit the rest of the book tour! Today five other posts come out:
Vanessa Hall — Sneak Peak
Grace A. Johnson — Spotlight and Guest Post
Sisters Three — Author Interview and Sneak Peak
Rooted Scribbles — Behind-the-Book Interview and Spotlight
Saraina Whitney — Author Interview
are you excited about should we tell her? are you intrigued after reading this interview?
Toodeloo, friends!
~Lily May