Splenditude follows a literary-minded woman coping with mental illness and looking for love and a fulfilling life in 1990s Chicago. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Beginning the novel at an Irish wedding highlights Deirdre Collins’ ethnic and religious roots. Chicago is introduced in its beauty and toughness, foreshadowing that Deirdre’s expectations of a traditional trajectory for her life will be upended.

Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing, or did it come out organically as you were writing?

I outlined the novel before I started to write it, using a Save the Cat format as a general guideline. Some plot changes were made during the writing, but I am more of a planner than a pantser.

There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?

I wanted Deirdre Collins, the protagonist, to change from an unreliable narrator to a reliable narrator as she moved toward the positive. I also wanted to show Max Fletcher’s humanity in spite of his troubles and missteps.

Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?

I am working on a short story collection which will be published by High Frequency Press next year, and a novel about children and gun violence slated for 2027.

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