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CL: When you started writing this novel, did you know what would happen at the end? How does your writing process work in terms of plot development?
LL: I felt when I began the story that the novel would come full circle. Generally when I approach a story, the characters and setting come first, and a sense of the plot in broad strokes, but the details come with the evolving character. The characters often tell me who they are and sometimes contradict me (because at first I'm only speculating). An example would be -- when I began writing The Girls I imagined that Rose would tell the story, Ruby would read each chapter and add her response. I realized, almost right away (because Rose told me) that Rose wanted to tell the whole truth (her version of it anyway) and this meant she had to keep the story a secret, in the same way she has kept other secrets from her twin. It was incrediby liberating to let Rose write her true story, and to find Ruby's voice as she told her own very different version of their lives together.
CL: If you could, would you go back and change something about the book? If so, what?
LL: I wrote a little bit about Uncle Stash's approach to art. He explains at one point that we never really "finish" a thing (life, art, relationships), we simply abandon them. We accept our imperfection, and must go on to the next challenge, which we will again leave somewhat incomplete, and necessarily imperfect. That's how I feel about The Girls.
CL: How do you choose your characters' names?
LL: I try different names on characters until they fit. I cannot begin the writing process until I know the character's name.
CL: If you were organizing a book club meeting about The Girls, what is the first question you would ask people to discuss?
LL: I think it would be interesting to discuss the myriad contradictions in The Girls. Rose tells the story about visiting Dr. Mau. Ruby mentions it too, but their sense of what happened is not the same. And I think it's interesting to note, too, what the girls say about each other, which doesn't always jibe. Then, there are the many loose threads. I love to hear readers speculate about what Nick went to jail for, about the nature of the affair between Mrs. Merkel and Uncle Stash. That sort of thing.
CL: What authors do you consider yourself most influenced by?
LL: John Irving. John Steinbeck. Mordecai Richler. Alice Munro. Margaret Atwood. Margaret Laurence.
CL: What are three novels you think every Canadian should read?
LL: I wouldn't begin to know the three books but I might cite three authors: Margaret Laurence, Mordecai Richler and Alice Munro.
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