Unveiling Secrets and Loss: Jill Bialosky’s Intimate Journey Through Grief and Memory
LL: I’m always curious about structure, which I think we discussed a bit in the first question, but I’d like to go a little deeper. Did you set out to tell a reverse chronology of your mother’s life, or did it come forth organically? Was there a ‘muddy middle’ that pushed you over that threshold?
JB: The form came organically, and I also welcomed the challenge. As I attempted to tell this story from reverse chronology I read a screenplay for Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, also told in reverse chronology from the end of an affair to the beginning. I so admire that play and it was inspiring to take the challenge. I had this idea that since my mother suffered from Alzheimer’s and I slowly watched part of her disappear, wouldn’t it be amazing if the reader could gradually see her come alive again. It was a challenge, especially knowing what not to give away, or how much to give away, and after many drafts I felt confident that it was the right way to tell this story.
