We chat Every Time She Wakes with author Petronella McGovern
Read our Q&A with the fabulous Petronella McGovern.
A&U: What first sparked the idea for Every Time She Wakes?
PM: I’ve always been interested in how one decision can change the course of your life. Those ‘sliding door’ moments which you don’t even realise have happened until much later. One of my defining decisions came when I was invited to two weddings on the same day on opposite sides of the country. I was living in Sydney and I couldn’t afford to fly to Perth, so I caught a bus to the wedding in Canberra. That night, I met the man who would become my husband. I ended up moving to Canberra, getting married and having two kids there. What would have happened if I’d made a different decision and flown to the Perth wedding instead? I wonder what would my life would look like today.
A&U: Time loops have fascinated readers for years. What excited you about putting your own twist on the concept?
PM: I’ve read time loops in science fiction and romance novels but not so often in thrillers. So I was keen to write a thriller with a time loop where the stakes are high for the characters and the readers are hooked into the story. I wanted to explore how my character Suze could make one decision which would completely change her life, and then give her a chance to see a different version of her life. I was excited about bending time and all the possibilities that gave me within a heart-racing thriller storyline
A&U: Family is at the heart of this novel. Why was it important for the emotional stakes to be just as high as the suspense?
PM: All of my books focus on the relationships between people—families, friends and communities—because I’m intrigued by human nature. I explore why people behave the way they do, and I want the reader to understand my characters and think of them almost as real-life friends. To care about the story, we need to care about the characters and that’s why the emotional stakes are so high.
A&U: The story begins during a bushfire evacuation. How did Australia's landscape and recent experiences influence the novel?
PM: Bushfire is part of everyday life in Australia and I write about these everyday themes. I was living in Canberra during the fires in 2003 and then we’ve had bad fire seasons over the last few years. These days, I live in a house which backs onto a national park—it’s lovely for most of the year but each summer, I move onto high alert. I love our Australian landscape and our beautiful natural environment features in all of my stories. In this book, it’s at great risk from a bushfire emergency.
A&U: Suze must question what's real and who she can trust throughout the novel. Was she a challenging character to write, and what did you enjoy most about bringing her to life?
PM: Suze is a working mum who is so busy looking after everyone else that she’s losing her sense of self. She’s in the sandwich generation, caring for both her children and her parents. And she’s so exhausted that she doesn’t trust her own mind. I enjoyed writing Suze and her family relationships because many women relate to the demands on her. As a careers counsellor, she’s also helping her students work towards their dreams but poor Suze needs to find her own dream again.
A&U: Your books are known for their twists. How do you plan surprises that keep readers guessing while still feeling believable?
PM: My favourite books are the ones where I can’t guess the twist! So that’s what I want for my readers too. When I start writing a novel, I don’t plot the whole story and I only know the main twist at the climax. That means the other twists come naturally through the characters and the storyline. They’re a surprise for me as much as they are for the reader—and that certainly keeps them believable.
A&U: Finally, without any spoilers, why should thriller fans make Every Time She Wakes their next read?
PM: Readers describe it as a unique storyline with an emotional punch. It’s a rollercoaster ride which will have you turning the pages late into the night and keep you thinking long after you’ve finished the book! The reviews have recommended it as a fascinating, must-read for those who enjoy a clever, compelling story with a great ending—I hope you love it too!
Every Time She Wakes
by Petronella McGovern
An unputdownable thriller from the bestselling author of Six Minutes and The Last Trace.
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