This Fragile Life

How Much of Me is in the Story?

As a writer, I often get asked how much of my writing is autobiographical. The easy answer is, of course, not much. I write fiction; I make up stories in my head. None of it is real.

But there is a more complicated answer, because in another sense a lot of me–all of me–is in every story I write. I bring my emotions, my thoughts, my dreams and hopes and fears, to everything I write… just as I imagine every writer does, whether he/she realizes it or not! You can’t keep yourself from revealing who you are in your writing, at least a little.

And as for This Fragile Life? The premise is nothing I’ve experienced. I haven’t struggled with infertility. I haven’t become pregnant as a young single woman. I haven’t asked a friend if I could adopt her baby.

So, no, none of that is from my life. But the stress Martha feels about her personal situation? The sense of aimlessness Alex struggles with? The balance of power Alex and Martha negotiate? I can relate to all of that, and I hope other women can too.

And without giving away any spoilers, the end of the story–a certain kind of grief–is something I can relate to as well. This story really began when I realized in my own life how grief can give life to hope.

Writing, whether an author means it to be or not, is an exposing act. No matter what kind of fiction you write, you are putting yourself up there on the page, and that can be hard to do–but also freeing and wonderful.

This Fragile Life is a story of my heart, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. Do you ever feel like you get a glimpse into the author’s life when you read a story? Leave a comment and one random commenter will receive a digital copy of This Fragile Life or a paperback copy of one of my Harlequin Presents–your choice!

Thanks for having me here and happy reading,

Kate

This Fragile Life is available at these outlets:

Carina

Amazon

This Fragile Life

You love your best friend. You trust her with your life. But could you give her the most precious gift of all? Alex’s life is a mess. She’s barely holding down a job, only just affording her apartment, and can’t remember when she was last in a relationship. An unexpected pregnancy is the last thing she needs. Martha’s life is on track. She’s got the highflying career, the gorgeous home and the loving husband. But one big thing is missing. Five rounds of IVF and still no baby. The solution seems simple. Alex knows that Martha can give her child everything that she can’t provide. But Martha’s world may not be as perfect as it seems, and letting go isn’t as easy as Alex expected it to be. Now they face a decision that could shatter their friendship forever.

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