Not Logged in.
Book Jacket

The Comfort of Lies


"The characters crackle with both intelligence and wit." - Kirkus
More about this book
Author Biography

Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Created: 04/27/13

Replies: 10

Posted Apr. 27, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert

Join Date:

Posts: 0

Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Randy Susan Meyers graciously joined us to answer questions in late May 2013....


Posted May. 24, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
kristi

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 5

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. I would love to hear about the genesis of this novel -- what inspired it? Would also love to hear how you came to the multiple narrator structure, if that was something in your initial conception of the novel or if it developed in later drafts?


A. I always enjoy writing multiple narrators. For me, it’s like seeing a prism from every side (and everyone thinks they’re the star of their own show¬—and believes their own story is the true one.

Collateral damage in families—emotional and physical—are my particular fixations. When writing, I want to explore the effects of one particular incident as if reverberates through all members of the families involved. A husband, wife, and children will live in one family and contain the history of four people. The disparities of those four histories fascinate me as a writer and inform my choice of a revolving point of view.


Posted May. 24, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
norahp

Join Date: 04/27/13

Posts: 22

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. I know you're busy, but what do you enjoy reading in your free time? Any book recommendations for your fans who loved 'The Comfort of Lies"?


A. I am always in the middle of two-three books! Recently I loved "The Headmaster’s Wager" by Vincent Lam and "Three Graves Full" by Jamie Mason. And I am now in the middle of "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer.


Posted May. 24, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
norahp

Join Date: 04/27/13

Posts: 22

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. I read that your first novel, 'The Murderer's Daughters,' was inspired in part by real-life incidents from your past. Was anything in 'The Comfort of Lies' informed by your own life, or the lives of people you know?


A. Writing "The Comfort of Lies" drew me to dark places. Blowing up emotional truth into a "what-if" novel forced me to visit past sins of my own, and sins that were visited upon me.

Did I give a child up for adoption? No. Did I adopt a child? No. But I struggled with issues of infidelity in ways that allowed "The Comfort of Lies" to come alive in my mind (and hopefully on paper). I haven’t suffered through all of the above, but I've been close enough to imagine them all far too well.

Exploring lies is the backbone of this book - the lies we tell ourselves to feel better, and the lies we tell others (that we think are to protect them, but usually serve to hide our darker side). In the end, I could only conclude that the comfort of lies is a false consolation indeed.


Posted May. 24, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
AntoinetteC

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 26

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. I wonder what it is that you enjoy most about connecting with your readers? Is it harder to connect with them meaningfully online than it is at in-person appearances?


A. I love it both ways. When I do readings and book clubs I discover new facets of my material. Every time! And I am a reader first and foremost, so connecting with readers is very natural for me. Online is an amazing way to grow and grow my circle of reader-friends.


Posted May. 24, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
JuliaB

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 17

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. What does your writing and revision process look like? How do you spend an average writing day?


A. When writing a first draft, 2-3 hours of fresh material is about as much as I can produce. Revision! I love it and can do 8-10 hours a day with glee.


Posted May. 25, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
mariannes

Join Date: 12/17/12

Posts: 206

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. Do you plan to write a sequel for this book? I'd be interested I'm what happens to the characters.


A. I have an epilogue--from Savannah’s point of view--that I wrote, but that did not end up in the book. In it, she is 13. I plan to expand it and put it online (for free) when my paperback comes out.


Posted May. 25, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
SarahD451

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 14

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. How did you first get published? Was it a long haul for you to find a publisher? Any hints for those of looking for that first big break?


A. Ah, that is a long story--one I wrote in great detail on The Huffington Post. You can read it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-susan-meyers/post_2283_b_919766.html


Posted May. 25, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
SarahD451

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 14

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. I see that you coauthored a book, "What To Do Before Your Book Launch", to give advice to writers on what to do when their book is being published. Was this born out of going through a huge learning curve yourself to understand the process?


A. Yes! Plus, I started working with M.J. Rose (she has an author marketing company, Author Buzz) and we became great friends. We found we had complementary information and points of view (and I am a tremendous planner and researcher) and this bore the fruit of doing this guidebook.


Posted May. 25, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Sharlene

Join Date: 04/10/13

Posts: 78

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. Like some of the others, I'm curious as to what prompted you to write the book. Do you have adoption in your life?


A. Some of the answers to this are above; in addition I have a particular interest in adoption because of a dear, dear cousin who was adopted by my aunt. She was kept in the dark about her past (despite it all being available--as it was an open adoption) and this affected her greatly. This was one of the keys to my ‘what if’ for this novel.

This interview was all about how I feel about the topic of adoption:
http://www.deborahstein.com/?p=1511


Posted May. 28, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
vickiward

Join Date: 05/28/13

Posts: 1

RE: Ask Randy Susan Meyers a question about 'The Comfort of Lies'

Q. I would like to know if any of your characters has a special place in your heart?

A. In truth, all my characters live within me forever, however in The Comfort of Lies I had a the softest spot for Savanannah. I wrote an epilogue from her point of view when she was 13--because I had to know how she turned out. (I was worried about her.) I plan to expand it a bit and put it out for readers as a free bonus when the paperback comes out in early 2014.

I also worried about Tia--she was on the precipice of change at the end, and I wanted to know how she'd manage. The epilogue gave me an opportunity to catch up with her (and all the characters.)


Reply

Please login to post a response.