But it's also about caretaking and illness and grief and Miley, I have to wonder, is this book personal in any way to you?

Yeah, very much so.

I have now been in Vegas for 20 years, but I'm from Washington State.

So a lot of that draws on autobiographical experience of growing up in the 70s in the overcast Pacific Northwest.

And that was really interesting revisiting that vibe from here where the climate is almost diametrically opposed.

But also my mother had early onset Alzheimer's and she I was already rooted here in Las Vegas and my sister was also living here at the time and we moved our mother to Las Vegas and she lived at home with us for a while and then we found a great memory care place here so actually that part of the novel also draws on autobiographical experience

Now, despite you having been with the same publisher for decades now, I wonder from an author's perspective, if you can speak to how the publishing industry has changed over those last 10 to 20 years.

From what I've learned from my students and from friends as they are going through the process, because I feel a little sheltered being with Graywolf the whole time.