When I read several books by one author, no matter how dissimilar their subject matter ostensibly certain themes inevitably recur. I once read the entire works of Flannery O’Connor: mundane life in the South punctuated by horrible tragedy. Ethan Canin writes about tension between siblings. Scott Spencer obsesses about obsession. Some of this is conscious choice, but I believe most of it stems from the subconscious.

In my fictional career, I’ve written two published novels (Wrong Highway, It’s Always 9/11); several unpublished short stories; and an almost finished screenplay (Liability Insurance). If I cast the same analytical gaze on my own writing, I come up with several repeating themes:

1). Gutsy if sometimes foolhardy female protagonists

2) A craving for authentic experience, a tug between being drawn to danger and a retreat to shelter and the illusion of safety

3) Children—usually teenagers, sometimes younger children

4) Lots of food and music references. I always hear a soundtrack as I write.

5) Road trips

6) Ambiguous endings

The genesis of a lot of this is obvious. I believe in writing what I know. I am female. I have a strong personality. I try to be gutsy. I always feel the tug mentioned in (2). I have four children and six grandchildren. Food and music are very important to me. I’ve been on some revelatory road trips. I believe life is nuanced and ambiguous. Yet sometimes I set out to write and purposely try to avoid one of these obsessions—but they inevitably sneak in in some form. I guess they need to see the light.