What's the wackiest or most unusual gift or moment you've had from this tour?

Well, there hasn't been anything wacky.

I mean, I got a really sweet painting of Dexter, my cat.

I saw that.

But have you guys had people come and they've got like, they put tabs, color-coded tabs in your...

I actually love that.

And it's like, wow, just deep dive.

So can you tell us a little bit about the Save the Libraries organization you founded and why that work is so important to you?

And yeah, the kind of the continuation, obviously, then we'll talk about the

book.

Okay, well, so I was born.

Yeah, you know, I think like most writers, you can't not write.

So even if I still had a real job, I would still be a writer.

I wouldn't be as happy, I don't think.

I'd be kind of annoyed that it hadn't happened for me as far as getting published.

But I don't know if you want to talk a little bit to that.

... because our minds naturally go there? Do you think it is a kind of, um, we are discouraged from it and so we lean harder?

Well, I think it's a combination of things.

I mean, if you think about historically, women's literature was so inconsequential to the male reviewer and, you know, so you have people like Jane Austen who was writing about slavery and class structure and, like, created, like, pioneered a, a completely new style of writing, um, you know, and created this whole genre and sh- sh- people will still dismiss her.

Um, and I think that happens a lot.

You know, it, it still happens with women where if a woman says something, it's not as important as if a man says it.

Um, so I think that was definitely a part of it, that they just, th- there wasn't a lot of attention being paid to the stories that women were interested in, and there's a tendency to write those stories through a male lens, you know, where there's always going to be a male superhero type who saves the woman, which, you know-

Yeah? [chuckles]

I mean, I, I always felt like you can't make a, a living as a writer, and that's true, you know? 1% of us are able to do that.

Being in the cabin, surrounded by nature, moving through the seasons, is an important ingredient for her creativity.

That whirring sound is my blinds going up on the windows.

I've been working in my office since around 6:00 this morning, and it was still dark outside when I started, and it just occurred to me that I should let some light in.

Unfortunately, it's been raining since last night, so it's a bit overcast.

I'm sitting in my recliner with my laptop, and I can see a bunch of trees and the mountains in the distance.

I think it's the Cohuttas.

This is the time of year for leaf lovers because all the fall colors have just exploded up the mountains.

But did you have a sort of spark of inspiration of what you wanted the crime to be for this one?

I mean, there were uplifting scenes and speeches at the recent opening of the Obama Presidential Library, but equally, the prospect of the next one, uh, being opened, it would be more likely to be a glorified hotel than something with books.

Yeah.

Well, I don't know that it will open.

I mean, we'll see.

Um, but yeah, I think, I think there's a sort of nostalgia that's taking over, where people are thinking about what, the way things used to be.

Um, you know, and it- we are s- some of us are just really hoping, uh, that there's some kind of correction in our midterm elections, where we get some checks and balances back in place.

Um, you know, it, it is in our constitution [laughs] believe it or not, the, the Congress checks the presidency, and you know, there's the, the judicial system will also check all of these things.

How healthy are libraries in the United States now?

But it also gives you context of perhaps she's not always making the best and greatest choices because it's where she's up to.

Yeah, you know, it's interesting because, you know, I gather from you raising your hand for the Gen X experience of juggling everything, you know, sometimes it's a relief to be at work because it's like, okay, well, no one's going to, you know, get to my heart, like these family situations and, you know, being good at your job sometimes is the only thing a woman feels like she's really good at.

Right.

Um, you know, if you have a child, you're not going to get positive reinforcement.

At certain points, you're the stupidest person on earth, right? And then with your parents, you always feel this diminution from them because they're your parents, but you're also taking care of them.

And it's a very fraught relationship.

But for Emmy, at work, she's the boss.

Getting elected and that sort of thing.

We've got a reading from you now as part of the show.

The shooting in school? Okay.

All right.

Four shots, each a distinctive, terrifying echo to the past.

Just like before, her mouth went dry.

Just like before, her heart stopped beating.

Her throat closed.

And we have time for one more reading from you if that's okay.