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Quirky Curmudgeonly Women
Harriet Hates Lemonade follows a rule-loving widow who stumbles into her neighbor’s dangerous marriage, where she’s forced to confront the emotional abuse she once called love. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for the setup came from the idea of a forced collision between two very different kinds of isolation. Harriet’s isolation appears to be self-inflicted, with her rules and rigid ideas of how life should be lived, and Robyn’s isolation is imposed upon her by her controlling, abusive husband. I wanted to take a woman like Harriet, who uses rules and rigidity as a fortress to keep the world at a safe distance, and literally trip her up. The broken ankle caused by a neighbor’s dog is the physical catalyst, but the true setup is Harriet stumbling into a reality she can’t ignore, where she is forced to get out of her comfort zone and become involved in her neighbor’s messy life.
As Harriet begins to peer into the cracks of Robyn’s life, she stops seeing a neighbor in trouble and starts seeing a mirror. I wanted to explore that terrifying moment of cognitive dissonance, where you try to help someone else escape a dangerous situation, only to realize your own relationship was built on the same foundation of control and manipulation. Having experienced the way an abuser’s voice can rewrite your own thoughts, I wanted the setup to be a slow-motion realization. Harriet doesn’t just stumble into Robyn’s marriage; she stumbles into the truth about her own marriage, and she finally has to admit that the rules she thought were protecting her were actually confining and isolating her. I wanted to show that Harriet’s prickly exterior isn’t her personality. It’s a learned survival mechanism from decades of being told she was inadequate. Her journey is about unlearning those lies and reclaiming her own voice.
Harriet is sharp, judgmental, and often difficult—yet deeply compelling. What drew you to writing a protagonist like her?
I’ve always loved quirky, curmudgeonly, initially unlikeable women in literature, characters like Eleanor Oliphant or Olive Kitteridge, who refuse to cushion their opinions to spare anyone’s feelings. With Harriet, I wanted to find that sweet spot where a character is grumpy and rigid, yet still hilarious and human.
Initially, she came to me in snippets, inspired by real-life encounters with high-drama neighbors and overzealous HOA members I met while living in a perfectly manicured neighborhood in Bozeman. But as I dug deeper into her history, I realized that her judgment was actually a shield. She uses rules and high standards to create a sense of safety in a world that has been unkind to her. I loved the challenge of making a woman who can be quite awful into someone the reader would ultimately want to hug. Once I understood her trauma and what made her tick, Harriet took the wheel and started telling the story to me.
Scenes like the grocery bag mix-up or the off-leash dog crusade are comedic, but also revealing. How do you see humor functioning in Harriet’s emotional armor?
Humor is the release valve for both Harriet and the reader. For Harriet, her crusades against neighborhood minor offenses, like off-leash dogs or decorations left up too long, are her way of exerting control when she feels powerless. The humor lies in the absurdity of her rigidity. There’s something inherently funny about the contrast between a perfectly manicured lawn and the high-stakes battle Harriet is willing to wage over it.
But as a writer, the humor is also a tool. It allows me to lead the reader into very dark, heavy territory, like the domestic violence Robyn is facing, without the story feeling like a lecture or a pamphlet. By letting the reader laugh at the grocery bag mix-up or the DNA testing for dog poop suggestion, I’m building a bridge of empathy. The humor allows the reader to take a breath between the heavy moments in the novel. But then, it makes the heavy moments hit harder for two reasons: it fosters a deep empathy for Harriet that makes you truly invested in her, while simultaneously lowering your defenses so the heavy moments hit even harder.
If Harriet could speak to readers directly at the end of the novel, what do you think she would say?
I think she’d start with a huff and a comment about the font utilized in the book, but then she’d get to the heart of it. She’d tell readers that being self-sufficient is a lonely way to live and that the rules won’t actually save you. She’d say that she spent so many years thinking that if she just kept her house tidy and her mouth shut, she was safe, but she wasn’t. She was just alone. She would urge people to invest in their friends, their neighbors, their families. She’d tell readers that getting involved is messy, butting in is risky, and you’ll probably get some dirt on your shoes, but it’s the only thing that really matters. Finally, she’d tell readers to pick up after their dogs, but she’d say it with a wink and a smile.
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Harriet has life all figured out, and she doesn’t hesitate to inform others of their shortcomings. Though her attempts to become president of the homeowner’s association failed, that doesn’t stop her from berating “off-leash-dog-man” or reporting the neighbor who had the audacity to leave their Easter decorations up an entire week past the holiday. The problem is, unbeknownst to her, Harriet’s rigid rules and judgmental opinions are not her own.
Her ordered life plunges into chaos when a twelve-year-old neighbor knocks on Harriet’s door seeking help because the girl’s father is physically abusing her mother. Reluctantly, Harriet comes to her neighbor’s aid and, in the process, recognizes her own insidious abuse which has unwittingly shaped her isolated, rigid existence. To escape her crushing loneliness, she must learn to break free from the patterns of control and isolation that have defined her life and learn to connect with people she previously viewed as heathens.
Harriet Hates Lemonade
Harriet Hates Lemonade follows Harriet Henderson, a rigid and lonely widow in Bozeman, Montana, who breaks her ankle after a showdown with a neighbor’s off-leash dog and suddenly cannot outrun her own life anymore. Stuck at home with her beloved dog Bibbo, she clashes with new neighbor Robyn and Robyn’s young daughter, then slowly notices that something is very wrong inside their house. As Harriet gets pulled into their struggle with an abusive husband and into group meetings at Harmony House, she starts to recognize patterns from her own marriage to Les and the ways she has buried those memories. The story tracks Harriet’s halting attempts to help Robyn find safety, her growing bond with Audrey, and her reluctant softening toward community, small kindnesses, and even a few messy surprises. Underneath the neighborhood gossip and petty HOA battles sits a clear through-line about the cycle of emotional abuse and the work it takes to break it.
I really loved how the writing lets me sit deep inside Harriet’s prickly head. The narration stays close to her thoughts and habits, so her sharp comments about neighbors, librarians, and lemonade stands made me laugh even when she was objectively being awful. Scenes like the humiliating hospital pickup, the underwear-in-the-grocery-bag mix-up, and the crusade against the off-leash dog feel both funny and sad at the same time. The prose itself is clean and unfussy, and the humor feels natural, not forced. I also appreciated the sensory details around aging and the house, from the cave-like wood paneling to Harriet’s irritation with her own body, because they grounded the story in a very tangible midlife reality.
The ideas in the book hit me harder than I expected. The sessions at Harmony House walk through the cycle of narcissistic abuse, love bombing, devaluing, and hoovering, and the explanations are clear without turning the novel into a pamphlet. I found myself wincing as Harriet initially resists the word “abuse” and defends Les with religious language and talk about old-fashioned vows, because that denial felt painfully believable. The story shows how emotional abuse hides inside “rules,” jokes, and backhanded remarks, and why leaving is not a simple act of will. I liked that Robyn’s journey does not follow a neat straight line and that Harriet’s support is clumsy and sometimes controlling, since that messiness mirrors real life. The book also nudged me to think about community and neighborliness, how easy it is to hide behind privacy and routine, and how risky it feels to butt into someone else’s marriage even when every instinct screams that something is wrong.
Harriet Hates Lemonade will suit readers who enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction, small-town settings, and complicated, not-always-likable women who have to unlearn a lifetime of bad lessons. If you have liked books in the vein of A Man Called Ove or Olive Kitteridge, or if you are interested in stories that unpack domestic abuse with compassion and plain language, this novel is a strong pick for you and for book clubs that like big feelings and big discussions.
Pages: 330 | ASIN : B0G2YPGWHV
Adventurous Spirit
What Happens in Montana follows a seasoned chef and gardener whose quiet life at a retreat is disrupted by the arrival of a group from Las Vegas, leading her to confront past heartaches and the resort’s supernatural secrets. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration came from my real group of girlfriends who I met in Las Vegas at a Mommy and Me Playgroup twenty-one years ago. These friends really do exist! They were so helpful in crafting dialogue. I could just ask myself what one of them would say in a certain situation, and I could hear their response. As for the crazy, run-down, haunted retreat, it exists as well, and I was brave enough to stay there by myself. It was just for one night, but that was more than enough! I wasn’t really sure I believed in ghosts, but after staying there, it is a definite possibility. I found the place quite by chance. My husband and I were driving to the lake a few summers ago and there was a detour that brought us near this retreat. It looks so majestic from the road, so I asked my husband about it because he has lived in Montana for over thirty years and so he knows almost everything about it. He told me its history as a place for celebrities back in the 20s and 30s. He also knew that its current owner turned it into a holistic retreat free of alcohol and that she had only had enough money to fix part of it up. Guests really do stay in just a small grey building next to the massive stucco building. The picture on the cover of my book is the real place, but you have to look closely at the spine and back of the book to find the part where guests stay. It is very strange! I thought it would bring out the adventurous spirit in the friends in my book, and I think it worked.
As for the ghost, it is said to be haunted by Simone. I used her real name, but all that is known about her is that she was a prostitute who was murdered there. I had a blast making up the rest of her backstory with the help of a ton of research. I was shocked to learn that eighteen percent of Montana’s original homesteaders were single women. I can’t imagine coming to Montana alone and building a little homestead, learning to farm, ranch, and survive in this harsh climate back in the late 1800s. Simone’s backstory adds a historical element to the book which I truly enjoyed learning about.
Can you share more about your process for creating such intricate and complex characters, especially Maude and the women from Las Vegas?
Well, I suppose I already talked about my girlfriends from when I lived in Las Vegas. We do reunions every couple of years, and while we’ve never actually done one at that retreat, we have gotten together in Montana and Vegas. They are the kind of friends where we don’t have to see each other often to know how much we care about each other. I also think that those friends you make when your children are small are very special friends. You go through so much as a new mother; loss of identity, loss of sleep, fear of failure, to name a few, that those people who are right there with you and support you are your lifeline. Like they say, “Write what you know.” So, these friendships allowed me to write authentically about how important these bonds are. As for Maude, I just love quirky characters. My grandmother was a spunky, tell-it-like-it-is kind of lady, so I thought quite a bit about her when writing Maude. She was spunky till she died at age 96. Unfortunately, she had a series of mini-strokes toward the end of her life, and she would be unconscious for up to ten minutes. When she woke, she said, “Am I still here?” She was a crack-up and so full of life up until her last day. I wanted an older voice of reason for the ladies at the retreat to balance what I knew would be a wild ride for them, so my grandma fit the bill. I also thought of Betty White for Maude’s character because I loved her spunk as well. The idea for Maude to be friends with the ghost just made sense to me because she is a loner, but even loners need someone to talk to, so her dog and the ghost were perfect for her.
How did you develop the supernatural elements in the story, particularly the character of Simone, the resort’s ghost?
Well, in addition to the historical research I did to make her character authentic, I did quite a bit of research about haunting. I wanted to know more about how and why ghosts haunt. I really didn’t want my novel to be hokey, though. It’s a fine line with the paranormal, I think. I love the idea of a ghost, but I didn’t want her to be overwhelming or unbelievable. I wanted the ghost’s presence to be subtle, just enough to keep it interesting. I wanted her to tell her story because that period in history is fascinating, especially the women’s side of the story, which hasn’t been told much. So, since I find strength in telling stories, I thought the ghost might, too. It was fun to imagine what it might be like to be a ghost and what she might want. How would she get these living people to do what she needed? It was a fun puzzle to solve.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
Despite quite a few of my early readers asking for more of these characters, that is not the direction I’m headed, at least not for this next book. Instead, I am doubling down on my love of quirky, initially unlikeable characters, and my love of writing dialog. This next one is called Harriet Hates Lemonade. Harriet is cranky, set-in-her-ways, and very opinionated. She is also quite funny, much to her dismay. She is the way she is because she was unwittingly abused by her husband. I am aiming to show the insidious side of emotional abuse in as light-hearted a way as possible. It will be big on character, especially Harriet’s, but also big on transformations, heart, and learning to find your way when you didn’t even realize you were lost.
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At a hot springs retreat in Montana, whiskey-swigging Maude, the nearly eighty-year-old chef, longs for the glory days when the retreat hosted martini-sipping celebrities instead of long-haired hippies who refuse to wear deodorant. Brooke, feisty, adventurous, and a bit reckless, proposes a reunion at the retreat with her best friends to get away from the chaos of her life with teenagers and the emotional aftermath of her postponed wedding. One of those friends, Tracy, has devoted her life to her children and her husband despite her excruciating boredom. But a long-held secret could cost her the most important friendships in her life. Haunting the place is a ghost who, in life, dealt with tragedy by turning to prostitution which led to her murder over 100 years ago at the very place they all are staying.
What Happens in Montana explores friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness with blunt truth and witty insights. Together, these friends learn to navigate empty nests, infidelity, deception, and poltergeists. Most importantly, they learn their friendship is strong enough to get them through it all.
What Happens in Montana
What Happens in Montana by Kim McCollum elegantly weaves a tapestry of mystery and interpersonal dynamics set against the backdrop of the Bridger Hot Springs Retreat in Montana. McCollum introduces us to Maude, a seasoned chef and gardener at the resort, who has an affinity for solitude, her loyal dog Toby, and an unusual friendship with Simone, the resort’s famed ghost. This paranormal element adds a unique twist to the narrative, particularly as the plot thickens with the arrival of a group of women from Las Vegas.
Each character in this ensemble, notably the women from Las Vegas, is meticulously crafted, revealing the complexities of their lives in their forties. McCollum’s skill in character development shines through in the portrayal of Brooke, who resonates deeply with Maude, evoking memories of her late daughter, Jenny. The inclusion of a diverse cast, including the resort’s owner and a young yoga instructor named Max, enriches the narrative.
The novel’s strength lies in its exploration of human nature, capturing emotions like drama, passion, heartbreak, and the enduring power of friendship. Even the supernatural elements are handled with a sense of authenticity, lending an additional layer of intrigue to the story. McCollum’s attention to detail in developing the backstory for each character, particularly the ghostly Simone, is commendable. The novel balances its elements of mystery with themes of personal growth and the complexities of adult friendships. It’s a refreshing take on the genre, blending suspense and emotional depth in a way that keeps the reader engaged.
What Happens in Montana is a compelling read for those who appreciate mysteries interlaced with rich character studies and themes centered around friendship and growth. McCollum’s novel is a testament to the intricacies of human and supernatural connections, making it a recommended read for fans of drama and mystery alike.
Pages: 360 | ASIN: B0CNQV2WTT
