Book World Live

"The Interruption of Everything"

"In her novels and short stories, Terry McMillan has proved gifted at addressing the concerns of modern African American women, particularly with regard to romance and the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters.

"There is no shortage of such characters in her latest novel, a warmhearted, largely meditative tale of midlife restlessness in contemporary Northern California." 'Woman on the Verge' (Book World, July 17)

McMillan, well known for titles such as "Disappearing Acts," "Waiting to Exhale" and "Disappearing Acts" was online to discuss her latest work, "The Interruption of Everything."

Join Book World Live each Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET for a discussion based on a story or review in each Sunday's Book World section.

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Atlanta, Ga.: Do you think the movie portrayal of "Disappearing Acts" capture the essence of the book? Were characters portrayed the way you wrote them in the book? I thought Wesley Snipes made Franklin seem a lot worse - he made you not like him at all. What are your thoughts?

Terry McMillan: I actually liked the way they handled "Disappearing Acts." When someone doesn't behave in a noble fashion, sometimes it doesn't mean they are unlikeable. And the whole point was that people go through times in their lives when they have problems. There's also a reason why I told the story in written form so that it could be read and afforded the opportunity to get inside of a character. It's hard to do on screen.

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Alexandria, Va.: How do you come up with such interesting characters? Are they composites of people you've met or you know? I haven't read the book yet, just the review in the Post, but I can't wait. The character sounds just like me!

Terry McMillan: Almost every character that not only myself but most writers create are composites and it doesn't mean that they are bits and pieces of different people that we know, but I give my characters personality traits that make sense with their behavior. And in such a manner that it causes them problems. And in such a manner that they are forced to deal with these problems. I also believe in creating realistic characters with realistic problems and who deal with them in a realistic manner. Hopefully I am a better person for going through it with them.

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New York, NY: I recall reading an interview years ago where you mentioned getting up at 3AM to write your first novel in between caring for your child and working a 9-5. How do you structure your writing life in terms of delineating time to flesh out new projects, ongoing work, editing, journaling, etc.? Has time management gotten easier with money and fame, or does having more options make it that more difficult to be disciplined?

Terry McMillan: When I am writing a book, it's almost like an obsession. You are compelled, it's exciting. You want to keep visiting these people's lives. Because I don't what's going to happen next. Basically, I write just about every day and I'm a morning person and I prefer the morning because it's when I'm freshest. All the chores and emails and everything from the rest of the day don't require the same kind of energy. And I prefer to give my work the clearest nonobtrusive attention that I can. But there's no magic. I don't care how much money you have. You still have to write it, which is the best part of the process.

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Washington, D.C. : Hello, Ms. McMillan: Thanks for spending time with us today! I'm wondering if my first take is true: even though the main character of this novel is in another economic class, do you consider this novel the "flip side" of Mama, told from "Mama's" side? I think it's fascinating to view similar characters from different points-of-view. I especially appreciate your storyline as a recent single empty-nester who has had her offspring return to the nest. A stunning turn of events.

Terry McMillan: I hadn't quite thought of it that way. I don't deliberately tell stories based on a character's economic uposition or with it in mind. I'm more interested in the dilemmas and problems they are facing. And in some cases, money has nothing to do with it.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Marilyn's husband doesn't do much to preserve the marriage, but do you think Marilyn, in retrospect, could have done anything to respark the marriage? I ask because this is such a widespread problem, and sometimes we like to think there is hope somewhere that both parties can wake up and say: let's begin anew, if differently.

Terry McMillan: I don't know if you're a man or a woman, but from my observations over the years, women are the ones who do everything they possibly can to spark the marriage, which is one of the problems. We do everything. And men should be held just as accountable for keeping the spark-alive in a marriage as women are. They rely on us to be good mothers, good wives good lovers, good everything. But many of them don't see their lack of creativity in helping to keep the love and energy and all of that stuff alive. I'm tired of men always blaming women. And even the question is there something Marilyn have done...how about Leon? Is there something in his memory bank empty? One of the reasons men use when they cheat they always use women as the excuse. They blame us. When in fact sometimes they don't realize they haven't done much to contribute to make the marriage better. Or that they aren't exactly a thrill a minute themselves, but they expect us to be.

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Washington, D.C.: I still have to say that I enjoyed "Disappearing Acts" the most, of all your novels. Will you be doing any booksignings in the DC area?

Terry McMillan: Check the paper, but I'll be in Washington soon -- I'm on the East coast now.

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Chicago, Ill.: Hi, Ms. McMillan, I'm asking this question as one of your Hispanic readers: There isn't a Hispanic-American writer who has broken out into the kind of audience that you enjoy. Would you attribute your success to your dedicated African-American fans? Or is the answer that you've managed to cross-over, where they haven't quite managed to . . . ?

Terry McMillan: That's a good question and a very complex one. I think it's unfortunate becasue there are a lot of Hispanic writers, Julia Alvarez,Sandra Cisneros, quite a few who have a very strong following that cross cultural lines. But I think that it's unfair the success of a writer's work by bestsellerdom. But I don't like the word crossover, and I think that basically if our children were educated and were allowed to read books that were represented by all different ethnicities by the time they're old enough to buy books for themselves they would not select them based on ethnicity. So we might see a change one day. I really do think that our educational institutions, if they made more of an attempt to get kids and people in general to respect and appreciate everyone's experiences I think we might be a little more compassionate and tolerant of others. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

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Rockville, Md.: Will recent events in your life change your writing process?

Terry McMillan: I have more time. I have more time to myself and loving it.

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Laurel, MD: During the release of the Movie "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" and "Waiting to Exhale", women across the country made movie and dinner dates to view and discuss the movie vs. book. Were you surprised by the tremendous turnout with both movies?

Terry McMillan: Yes. Stunned.

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Virginia: On your Web site, you state: It takes years to learn how to look at the destruction of beautiful things... to learn how to leave the place of oppression.... and how to make your own regeneration out of nothing.

Everything I write is about empowerment.

I think that's beautiful, and to me reflective of the breadth of your work. Thank you for writing in a way that's liberating and empowering for women.

Terry McMillan: I still feel the same way, but those are not my words. I think it comes from a poem from "Mama." Thank you for your comments and for reading.

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Washington, D.C.: Just so you know, Mama is my favorite book ever and I read alot. My question is simple, which book did you most enjoy writing and why?

Terry McMillan: It's not just one. "Mama" and "A Day Late." "Mama" because I couldn't understand how my mother raised five kids off and on on her own without going insane and I thought she did a good job. I have much more respect for her after writing that book and much more respsect for mothers, motherhood. "A Day Late" : Family dynamics can be very political. And it basically allowed me the opportunity to see that each family member's feelings are just as important as the next one's. I feel a little more democratic even though that doens't mean folks can't get on my nerves.

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Washington, DC: What is your opinion of the state of black literature. Over the past decade there seems to be a lot of soap opera-esque novels but nothing expansive in the tradition of Gloria Naylor, Toni Morrison and others who were at their peak in the late 70's early 80's. I can't say what's bein cranked out now and getting the big publicity is actually literature. It seems like many authors are writing to fill what is perceived as a demand for sexy/erotic "urban" themes with little substance.

Terry McMillan: (I agree but you didn't hear it from me.) I think that "Waiting to Exhale" has been credited improving/making more visible the African-American readership. And be it true or not, publishers were actively seeking out African-American authors paying them huge advances giving them multiple book contracts in hopes of somebody writing another blockbuster. the problem has been they took it too seriously. So a lot of young writers have gone to great extremes to create a false sense of excitement about their work by populating it with sex and a lot of other gratuitous things. But unforutnatley, they were not alone. So the market became saturated with an abundance of these types of stories that weren't necjessarily emotionally gratifying and in some cases their goals and problems were superficial. The thing is, the publishng industry used my book to romanticize writers and it soon became a goal for young writers because now they realized they could get rich. And therein lies the problem. a lot of books by black authors, some of them are hardly edited. All of this has caused which we call backlash. There are a lot of writers who have really powerful, very well written stories to tell. But just like everything else, they're looking for the next new thing. And there are writers out there that deserve a lot more attention than they get. And the only thing we can do it to give them attention. I have a list that I take with me on tour and I always name writers whose work I really respect but who are not household names because they deserve more attention than they're getting. Their work is good, and they write circles around me. I don't see other writers as competitors. There's room for all of us.

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Alexandria, Virginia: Now knowing that the man you married is "gay" - looking back - what are the warning signs that you may have ignored when you were dating that you can now honestly admit to yourself would have indicated that he was confused about his sexuality?

Terry McMillan: 1): When you are being conned, it requires a high level of expertise. He was very skillful in convincing me that he loved me and I never had any reason to think about his sexuality. That's part of the goal, that's what they do, is to not be discovered. He spent a lot of energy making sure you don't have any reason to doubt, and he was not confused. He knew all the time that he was gay. He wanted that American passport. Three weeks before he got it, that "confusion" lifted. His confusion only has existed in the media and not behind closed doors.

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Terry McMillan: Thank you for your continued support, for your interest in my work as well as my well being. And I pray that no one is ever a victim of this level of betrayal and deceit. But one bad apple don't spoil a whole tree. Stay strong and thank you.

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Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.