Sister Dear
Page 31
And finally, to Rob, love of my life and man of my (ICQ) dreams, who became my world more than two decades ago, and to our boys, Leo, Matt and Lex. I’ve no idea where I’d be without you, but wherever it is, there’s no way it would be this much fun.
SISTER
DEAR
HANNAH MARY McKINNON
Reader’s Guide
Questions for Discussion
How much did Eleanor’s upbringing influence her personality, behavior and obsessions? If her childhood had been different, what might have happened instead?
What do you make of Bruce and Sylvia keeping Stan’s identity from Eleanor? In what situation do you think that choice might be justified?
How do you think the story would have unfolded if Eleanor hadn’t taken Victoria’s ring? Did that moment decide her fate, or do you think it was something else? If so, what?
What do you think Eleanor was most terrified of? How did Victoria use those fears to her advantage? What, if anything, was Victoria afraid of?
Victoria and Eleanor both seemed to turn out like their mothers, whether they wanted to or not. Might this be inevitable? Do you think sociopathy runs in either of the families, and if so, what are you basing that observation on?
Did your allegiances switch from Eleanor to Victoria or vice versa—and back again? Why and when? Was there a point where you felt sorry for Eleanor or do you believe she got what she deserved?
What scene was the most pivotal in the story for you? How would the novel have changed if it had been different or hadn’t taken place? What did you expect to happen?
What surprised you the most? What didn’t you see coming? What was obvious?
At what point did you realize Victoria had manipulated Eleanor into doing her bidding? What could Eleanor have done to escape her half sister’s clutches and when?
At the end, Victoria says, “This whole ‘good triumphs bad’ shit is nothing but an illusion, a complete fantasy. It’s what people tell themselves, and each other, to hide from the truth because admitting the world is a despicable place, full of greed and hatred, is too terrifying for most.” What do you make of that?
How do you feel about stories where evil wins, at least temporarily?
What do you expect will happen next to Eleanor, Lewis and Victoria? How do you think Gemma will grow up? How much impact will Victoria have on her? What can Eleanor do to protect her daughter?
A Conversation with
Hannah Mary McKinnon
This is your fourth novel. What was your inspiration for Sister Dear?
I heard a radio segment about a woman who’d found a wedding ring at a playground, and she was trying to locate the owner through social media. It got me thinking—what if the woman found out the ring’s owner had a dream life, and felt jealous? The more I thought about it, the more twisted my imagined outcomes became. I realized the individuals had to be related somehow, and if I made them half sisters, it would add to the drama and intrigue. It seems some of the most despicable acts are carried out within families. That was something I wanted to explore.
Did any of the characters appear fully formed? Did the story end the way you’d initially thought?
Not fully formed, no, my characters don’t arrive in that state, never mind how much I’d like them to. However, I knew one of the sisters would have a distinct lack of confidence, particularly regarding her physical traits. She’d perceive herself far more negatively than anybody else does—primarily because of her relationship with her mother—and suffer from a kind of body dysmorphia. I wanted to show how the attitude of others can impact a person, how we carry these things forward and what they can do to us. It made Eleanor complex and interesting to write, and most of the time I wanted to give her a hug. Having said that, while I hoped the reader felt sympathy for her, I didn’t want it to be so during the entire novel. She did make some rather dubious choices, after all.
In contrast, Victoria was always going to be Eleanor’s alter ego, but she presented another challenge—she had to fool everyone, including the reader. I had to develop her side of the story almost in secret, and make a list of what she wanted and how she’d get it, before feeding all that in without making it obvious. I hope I succeeded.
As for the ending, I plotted this story far more than my previous novels, and that’s likely why the conclusion didn’t change much from my original plan, with one exception. In my first draft, Victoria was pregnant, not Eleanor, but the level of malice skyrocketed when I flipped it around. I remember sitting in front of my computer, rubbing my hands together thinking, “Yes, this is way more evil.” (Cue maniacal laugh.) I think sometimes my husband worries about me...
What did you have the most fun with, character or plot?
Both! I’ve had trouble plotting novels in the past because I tend to get overexcited about the story and impatient about writing it, so I jump in too fast. Doing so has led me to typing about thirty thousand words very quickly, before meandering around an awful lot because I’ve lost my way. Not so this time. I took a course called Plotstormers with WritersHQ.co.uk, during which I outlined this novel, and it streamlined my approach. I slowed down, used lots of sticky notes I put all over my dining table to develop the story, completed far more character interview sheets and wrote a clear sixteen-point plan which I broke down into thirty-two smaller steps. It sounds technical, but I didn’t get stuck this time.
As for the characters, I adored developing Eleanor. Taking her from self-conscious to brazen to distraught was quite the ride, and I could feel her backbone growing and collapsing the more I typed. Victoria was a treat to write, too, because I knew how scheming she was from the start. And Lewis...he was my guilty pleasure. I love writing male characters (my last novel, Her Secret Son, was written exclusively from a man’s point of view) and he was the person in the story with the strongest moral compass. I needed him to keep me grounded.
You write about some pretty messed-up families. Why do you think that is?
I’m not entirely sure, considering my family is anything but messed up. I was raised in a traditional nuclear family environment. My parents have been together since the early ’60s, They’re generous, loving and open and have always supported us. I get along very well with my sister, too, and we all enjoy spending time together whenever we can. I’m extremely fortunate. Maybe that’s why I write these dramas—having a highly dysfunctional family frightens me; it would rip away a large part of what gives me stability and comfort, and what my husband and I want to provide our kids with. Writing about it lets me explore those fears from the safety of my keyboard and reminds me not to take what I have, and the privileges that come with that, for granted.
Do you ever include anything about your own life, or people you know, in your stories?
It seems the more I write, the less I draw on my personal life and people I know, with one notable exception in this book. Candidly, I share some of Eleanor’s body image issues, which I’ve found hard to deal with, yet somewhat therapeutic to address. It’s a work in progress.
There are also a few anecdotes here and there, things my husband or kids will chuckle at because they know the backstory, but I’d never take a real person and drop them as they are in my books. I’m an author; it’s my job to make stuff up. Creating these characters and the worlds they live in is always an interesting challenge; it’s part of what stretches me as a writer. I spend a lot of time thinking about my cast (and talking to them out loud, which is weird, I know). Readers telling me they felt the characters were so real, they almost expected them to walk in through the door, or that they missed them after finishing my novels, or even that they felt strongly enough to absolutely detest them, truly is the highest compliment.
How has your approach to writing changed since the publication of your first novel?
The biggest change is that, four books in, I feel more
in control. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily get easier. Self-doubt always, always creeps in, particularly when I’m writing my first “skeleton draft,” which is a first, very loose version nobody will ever see. It’s rough, dirty and...terrible—my skeleton drafts always have been.
However, I’ve learned to trust my writing process. If I can get the bones of the story on paper, I’ll subsequently add layers and complexity as I go over the novel again and again in preparation for my editor’s eyes. I’ve learned the finer details will come. Just like most people who draw, paint or write music or books, the first draft will never be my best work and I’m glad I’ve accepted that—it stops me from being overly self-critical when I start a project. I’m also more disciplined than in the past because I have deadlines from my editor. And I’ve always loved deadlines—especially beating them.
What can you tell us about your next novel?
It’s another psychological thriller about a man who wakes up on a beach, not knowing who he is or how he got there. When he makes it back to his hometown in Maine, he discovers he’d abandoned everyone and everything two years prior. Not only do some of the locals suspect him of murder, but he’s also faced with the daunting challenge of figuring out the truth about what he did, and to whom. I’m very excited to introduce you to another cast of messed-up characters!
ISBN: 9781488055522
Sister Dear
Copyright © 2020 by Hannah McKinnon
Use of quote kindly permitted by The Society of Authors, on behalf of the Bernard Shaw Estate.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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