What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write When Things Go Missing?
Actually, I wrote a whole blog post about this called “What If? – The Catalyst that Compelled Me to Write a Novel.” It began from a dark place. At the time, I was a mother struggling to hold my family together, feeling helpless to support those I loved. Overwhelmed and despondent, I had a wild, reckless urge to run away from it all. But how could I abandon the very people who depended on me to keep our family intact?
When I shared these feelings with other mothers, they immediately understood. Many of us have felt that fleeting urge to escape, but we stay because we love our families too much. What would they do without us?
That’s when the what-if, the spark behind so many stories, came to me: What if a mother like us, devoted to her family, actually did leave? What would happen to those left behind? That single question became the seed that grew into this novel.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of When Things Go Missing, what would they be?
For Cal, early on, when he’s deep into his addiction, it would be Riders on the Storm by The Doors. Later in the book, it would be Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, as sung by Jeff Buckley. For Kay, something sad early on, like Cry Me a River, and something sexy later, like The Look of Love—both sung by Diana Krall. For Walter, The Long and Winding Road, sung by George Michael, works well throughout the book.
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
I have eclectic tastes in both reading and writing. I love literary fiction when it has a plot and moves at a fast pace, or when the language is so sumptuous or the ideas so profound that you want to linger and savor them. But I also love a good thriller, love stories set during wartime, and novels that explore political themes—all of which you’ll find in the book series I’m working on now. Historical fiction and fantasy are also genres I love. And a guilty pleasure: novels about Vikings.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
Oh, my! So many! Here are three at the top of my list: The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich, Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War, and Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’m in the midst of reading Survival of the Fittest by Jacqui Murray and Of Wind and Wolves by J. M. Elliott, and I just finished Little Fires Everywhere. I usually have two or three books I switch between at the same time.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
I’d have to say the love scenes were some of my favorites—when Kay has that meltdown in the art gallery and meets Richard, when Cal first realizes how strongly attracted he is to Ivey, and the scene where Walter meets Franny’s doppelgänger. While not a love scene itself, that’s the moment it becomes clear who he truly loves.
Other scenes I loved writing were about art and archaeology. I enjoyed creating Cal’s metal sculptures and Fran’s photos, and writing about Kay on her dig.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
No, but I love to listen to instrumental playlists while I write—nothing with lyrics, as it throws me off. My tastes in music are as eclectic as my tastes in books. Right now, I’m listening to Kokoroko, and before that, Chet Baker.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
This one by E. B. White has been a favorite, capturing the conflicting inclinations I’ve felt while balancing work and pleasure: “Every morning I awake torn between a desire to save the world and an inclination to savor it.”
And this one by Martha Graham sums up how I feel about my work as a writer:
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good or bad it is, not how valuable, not how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.”
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
I hope readers who come from messy, dysfunctional families and who are struggling will find hope, encouragement, and reassurance in reading about this family and how they found their way home to each other. I hope readers come to love these characters as much as I do and, in turn, look upon their own difficult family members with loving-kindness.
I also hope that readers gain valuable insight into addiction and homelessness and come away feeling compassion for those who struggle with these conditions. Lastly, I hope they see how making art and sharing it can lead to healing for themselves and for others.
Deborah J. Brasket is the author of the new book When Things Go Missing
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