Liane Moriarty, HERE ONE MOMENT

[1:33]Zibby Owens: Welcome to moms don't have time to read books, hosted by me, Zibby Owens. It's an award winning podcast with over 1,900 episodes, all featuring authors of books you love and those you have yet to discover. Listen daily five times a week. Then go to zippymedia.com and learn more about what the LA Times called the Zippyverse. Zippy Media includes Zippy's Bookshop, an independent bookstore in Santa Monica, Zippy Books Publishing, Zivvy Retreats, Zivvy's Book Club, and more. Go check it out at zivvymedia.com, and follow me on Instagram at Zivvy Owens. It'll take you where you need to go. Thanks for listening. Leanne Moriarty is back on Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books with her new novel, Here One Moment, which if you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen I've posted about several times because I really got into this one and was just so hooked and wanted to discuss. Leanne is the author of the number one New York Times bestsellers, Big Little Lies, Apples Never Fall, The Husband's Secret, and Truly Madly Guilty, The New York Times bestsellers, Nine Perfect Strangers, What Alice Forgot, and The Last Anniversary, The Hypnotist Love Story, and Three Wishes. She lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband and two children. Welcome, Leanne. Thank you so much for coming back on Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books to Discuss. Here, one moment. Yay. Thank you so much, Sylvia. It's lovely to be back. I took my time with this book. I read it in, like, over a long period of time versus the frantic, you know, inhalation of books because there were so many characters, and I didn't wanna rush my way through it. So I spent the time and, like, indulged in everybody's story, and I feel like I just read, like, 15 different books in the best possible way.

[3:20]Liane Moriarty: So thank you. Oh, wonderful. Because it's a it's a long book, and I think that's Well, I think that is the way to read it. Even though I say that and I'm a really fast reader myself. So I shouldn't really say I like it when my readers read slowly. But because there are so many characters and I don't think it's not a thriller. So I think if you're reading it quick quick quick, then you just get confused by the number of characters and maybe you're disappointed.

[3:49]Zibby Owens: Yeah. No. It was so good. And I've been, like, talking to everybody about it and posting about it. Everybody, I'm like, have you read this? Have you read that? Like, let's talk about it. Because there's so many things to discuss. It's like the perfect book club book because it's about life itself and determinism and fate and free will. And, like, it's it's really about all of that, like, most philosophical questions about life itself. But also, it's just a great story. So there you go. Well, thank you. That that's exactly the reaction that I want to get from from readers. So why don't you share a little for people who don't know what the book is really about and touch on that, but also explain how you like, how you did the whole thing. How did you come up with all the characters? This must have taken you couldn't have done this on the fly. Right? Or or you'll just put the rest of us to shame. Like, how did you figure out all the different subplots and characters and timing and, you know, all of it? Tell me the whole story. So do you want me to say what the book's about or Yes. Not what Yes. Okay. First of all, what's the book about? I'm sorry. That was too long a question.

[4:54]Liane Moriarty: So the book is about an ordinary domestic flight out of Hobart in Tasmania, which is the little island state at the bottom of the country, which often gets left off the maps. And then the Tasmanians get very cranky about that. And the flight it's a delayed flight, so everybody's stuck on the flight for quite a while. And eventually it takes off and then ten minutes before landing, a very ordinary appearing woman of uncertain age. It's interesting. I've heard people talk about it and depending on the age of the person, they'll describe her as an old lady. Even as in the way I had the passengers on the plane describe it differently. I've noticed people in real life describe it differently too. So yes, so she stands up. She's unremarkable in every way until she starts pointing at each passenger and telling them how and when they're going to die. And then some people don't take much notice. Some people are a little bit, get a bit of a chill from this And then they all get off the plane and a few months later, the first prediction comes true. And so then everybody starts thinking differently about it. And I came up with the idea when I was on exactly that same flight coming out of Hobart myself. It was also delayed. And I was stuck on the flight without a book, which is always a mistake. Never travel without a book. And so I was looking around at all the passengers around me and somehow the thought came into my mind, a very cheerful thought that every single one of us on this plane was going to one day die. And I think when I look back at that time in my life, I think it's probably not surprising that I was thinking about my own mortality because a few things that happened in the years leading up to it. So first of all, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Then we lost our dad. Then we had the pandemic. And then I myself was diagnosed with breast cancer. And so my sister and I, we're both fine now. But I think also just being in your fifties is the time when you start thinking friends start to get these terrible diagnoses. I also read an article that said that described the time between 40 and 60 as sniper's alley because it's the time when you're most likely to get one of those serious illnesses that could take you out. So that's I was thinking about. And that's when I was looking around at each of the passengers around me. And so I was thinking, so will you be the one, will you make it to 100? Will you be the one whose life because just thinking mathematically, it's likely that at least one of you on this plane, your life will be cut unexpectedly short. And that's when I thought, imagine if somebody stood up and told us that. And I thought that's a really good opening scene for a novel. But then I did put it aside for a while, even though I liked that as an opening scene because I'd read The Immortals, I think The Immortals. Anyway, was an excellent book, but it was about I'll tell you so you can put it in. That's that thing people say on podcasts. Show notes. Put it in my show notes. Put it in your show notes. Chloe is somebody. It's a really good book, but they go to a psychic who tells them I think she hands over an envelope and it will say the date of your death. I think that was Oh, the measure. The measure? No, not the measure. No, because I've read other people's I haven't read the measure. And I know that because I saw somebody saying somewhere she's read the measure and she's doing her own version of it, but I haven't. But I had read this other one. Actually I was looking for a title for the book. I was looking on Amazon. So I finished the book at this point and I saw one another, oh no, that sounded very similar to mine. Anyway, it's something that's an interesting It's not a new idea being told when and how you're going to No, most people say when you're going to die. Anyway, then a few weeks later I came up with who this woman could be and that which we obviously won't say. And then I thought, no, well, that's interesting. And then I thought that's, I can work with that. And then in answer to your question, so how did I? I do just start writing and then see where it goes from there. So I'm not a planner and I don't even plan my characters. So I didn't know who would be on the plane, but it does mean it doesn't just all fall perfectly into place. So then I'm just working it out as I go. And then I'm going back to say, okay, now I know who this person was on the plane. I've got to put her on the plane And I've gotta change things, and I've gotta give clues, and I've gotta give red herrings. But I do manage to keep I manage to keep that in my mind. I'm not so good. Sometimes the timeline's tricky. So my editors will say, check your timeline on this. And I always think, what timeline? I don't I don't it never really happened. So then I've gotta try to make it all all work.

[10:14]Zibby Owens: Wow. So the characters who all have their backstories, were there any at the beginning at all that you were like, I definitely want to have a child. I definitely want to have a midlife. I want to have an elderly couple. You know, nothing like that? I'm trying to remember. I probably had

[10:30]Liane Moriarty: I can't actually remember. I must've had somebody and I'm sure I would've thought I want a variety of people because that's what makes it interesting and that makes sense on a plane anywhere. And obviously your reaction's going to be quite different depending on where you are in life. I probably had Leo who's the stressed out civil engineer. I must have had him because he plays a big part, but I really can't remember. Okay.

[11:00]Zibby Owens: Well, that that makes me feel better because I can't remember really anything in life anymore, and I feel like I can literally get through a conversation. So great. I mean I'm definitely at that stage of gosh. Me too. And now apparently, I'm in what did you call it? Like smoking alley or something terrible? Dodgers, Sniper's Great. Way or I'm like smack in the middle of Sniper's Way, which is really what I wanted to hear today. Thank you very much. I'm

[11:24]Liane Moriarty: sorry. It's so funny. Some people that when I've said that at events, some people have come up and said, Can you please write in my book, Welcome to Sniper's Alley. Does have a little more intrigue than midlife. Yes, I guess so. That's true. And some people have said, I've just got through Sniper's Alley. So I guess it's fine for me because you're actually speaking to me on my 50 birthday.

[11:50]Zibby Owens: Oh, happy birthday. Oh my goodness. Wow.

[11:53]Liane Moriarty: I'm nearly at the end of Sniper's Alley. I've nearly made it. Aw.

[11:59]Zibby Owens: How are you celebrating? Talking to you, Zippy. That's This is this is the biggest celebration one could ever dream of. Yeah. That's right. I'm going out to lunch with mom and my sisters

[12:11]Liane Moriarty: in a little while. That's lovely.

[12:14]Zibby Owens: So your book, I know I mentioned it's about fate and determinism and all these things, but it's also really a close examination of the most intimate relationships in your life. Right? There are so many different times and stages of marriage or relationships, the toxicity that it brings in some cases, and, you know, the allure of the girl you couldn't have or things like that. So there is loss and the fear of loss, but then there is also the promise of love interspersed throughout. I don't know if that was on your mind as well with how relationships sort of evolve, but I just was wondering what like, where are you on the whole marriage thing, relationships, the complications behind them? Like, where what what perspective are you coming from?

[13:03]Liane Moriarty: What well, I guess, what perspective am I coming from? I'm trying when I write to come from all different perspectives. So obviously I have the young bride and groom and I have the older I have the empty nesters and I have a single young man who's desperately looking or hoping for love. But I myself, I've been with the same person for We always remember because we got together when my two nephews, my two sisters were pregnant and they're in their twenties. So I know it's been twenty years. So I guess that's where I am personally. And I always remember Margaret Atwood saying she knows what it's like to She's saying as a younger author, you have to try and imagine what it's like to be in your seventies or eighties, but she has experienced all those ages before her. So she can write from those perspectives. But I understand what she means and you can take yourself back there. Although often I forget what it was like to be back at that time. So I have to, it's easier if I wrote everybody exactly where I am. So I do notice that my main characters are getting older and older. And then I'm along with me, which I noticed actually another author, Margaret Drabble is a favorite author of my nose room. And I discovered her late in her career. So and I noticed reading her that her characters were getting older

[14:41]Zibby Owens: along with her. Well, I love as a reader when that happens with authors who I follow because I am also getting older. Right? So Yes. As opposed to someone who continues to write about people in their twenties, like Yes. I'm not as interested. I mean, sometimes. Yes. Of course. But, like Yeah. I don't wanna only read about people in their twenties when the things that I'm going through in my life are much later issues.

[15:03]Liane Moriarty: So I like it when people take me through. It's like my guide. They're still interesting, aren't they? And I and what I always found, can so clearly remember reading a book in my thirties, and it was about a group of women all in their fifties. And they were all meeting new people and falling in love. And I thought, oh, so you're still you're still a person in your fifties. You're still was really somehow it was wonderful for me to see that. It wasn't like everything stopped. So obviously, you're still a person in your seventies and eighties. You keep having you're still interested and interesting as you age. And a woman came up to me with my very first novel at an event and she said she read that and the Three Wishes is about three women because that's how old I was. They were in their early thirties. And she must have read it when she was about 12. And she said exactly what I just said about the the, oh, when you're in your thirties. Yeah. You're still having you're still a person,

[16:08]Zibby Owens: which made me laugh. I think I really realized that the most. Not only are you a person, but if you don't resolve the issues you have, they they linger. Like, I interviewed my grandmothers and a bunch of the ladies they lived with in their nursing homes when I was doing this whole study. It was sort about eating disorders and, you know, I wanted to see if the people how elderly women dealt with their bodies who had eating disorder. Anyway, this is getting off topic, but but everybody was still stressing out about it. And I'm like, wait. You guys are worrying about your body? Like, nobody like, it's fine. Why are you wasting your time thinking about this? Just go enjoy the day. But that's not how it works. Like, you don't just all of a sudden put your issues down, whether they're relationships or anything else. No. No. My mother's exactly the same. She says, oh, so and so. She always dresses

[16:53]Liane Moriarty: so beautifully, and I'm so jealous because she always looks so lovely. I was like, mom, you look lovely. Can't can't can't we all just feel we look lovely?

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[19:58]Zibby Owens: Oh my goodness. Well, there's also I mean, the scenes that you wrote about loss, specifically Harvey's loss, and the way it feels to lose a young friend and all of those feelings of picking up the phone and calling. And I don't know if this was, you know, inspired by your dad or and I'm so sorry for your loss or just other people. You know, at this stage, I feel like we've all lost people that we love, and there is that instinct to do that. But to read it and feel it so viscerally that, like, you just forget and wanna talk to them and all of that. Like, maybe just speak to that and how you how it felt to you to write so intimately about a specific loss.

[20:37]Liane Moriarty: Did that was that cathartic for you? Or, like, how did that make you feel? Yeah. I think every author when they're writing, even if they don't consciously do it, they start to work through something in their own life. So I'm sure that I was thinking about my dad and I still can't believe that. I can't believe I don't get to hear his final story because dad would always tell us things that, interesting stories about things that had happened to him. So I can't believe that dad can't tell us. So this is what death was like. This is what happened next because he'd have so many funny stories to hear. And yeah, picking it because I often look at my phone and look at his last texts and just to not be able to text him or his emails and just things that happened that we think dad would have because dad sort of missed the pandemic, he would have been so interested in the just global events and that sort of thing. Yeah, but I had not ever I mean, to be honest, I'd led a very lucky life. So I had not experienced much loss. And I think that's why I was so interested because obviously there are young people who experience, and I know my own mother did, she had a friend who she lost very young, who she talked about. And so who was sort of part of our lives growing up. So I just had to imagine what that So Ethan lost his friend Harvey. And I think it's also interesting when you lose somebody who doesn't If you were to go to name the most important people in your life, perhaps you wouldn't necessarily name that person. So then it's very confusing your feelings about that loss, that maybe you think you don't even necessarily like them that much. And in Ethan's case, he realizes he really is really important to him. But I think when I set out, I was also interested in what if that person, you really didn't like them or they really weren't that important? But in some way, obviously, were part of your life. So what happens when a minor character in your life, you lose somebody like that? I I think that must be a strange feeling.

[23:04]Zibby Owens: Yes. I love also how you had the scene with the seagull towards the end. It was a seagull. Right? That Yes. Yes. Yeah. And how there's always questions of, you know, Ken is it really Harvey looking on? Like, was he really trying to help? And, you know, the scene was was sort of funny in that way, but also very poignant because there is always that question. You know? Our you know, which the book raises as well, like, what's next and all of that. So Yes.

[23:35]Liane Moriarty: I we always thought that we like a lot of people, we have this thing that butterflies were, you know, dad coming back to say hello. So I just remember on the first anniversary of his death, and we sort of made fun of mom a little bit about the the butterflies. But on the first anniversary of his death, as I was walking out to the car, two butterflies came literally at my face and was sort of stroking at my face. And of course I burst into tears and couldn't believe it. It really felt really real. And then there was another day when I was walking the dog, walking my Labrador, Daisy, and a butterfly was coming along the walk with us. And it was a beautiful sunny day and I was seeing, oh, look at that dad's coming on the walk with us. And then my Labrador went and ate the butterfly. Oh, Daisy, you just ate Dan. And I do think when I thought of that, I thought that's the sort of story dad would love so much, eating the The Labrador eating the butterfly. So I feel like I'm somewhere in the middle of the butterfly stroking my cheek and the dog eating the butterfly. I have no no idea. But it's nice. And I think it just shows how much we love people, that we wanna look for signs in the universe that they're still with us because they are still with us.

[25:08]Zibby Owens: And do you believe in psychics in general or mediums or being able to tell the future? Have you been to have you had your palm read and been to a psychic? What do you think about all that? I did go to a psychic to do research for this book. I had not had much

[25:24]Liane Moriarty: experience with psychics before. I'm a skeptic, but I'm also really ready to believe. I would love to believe. But so far I have not had any proof. And I would love to go to a medium who gave me a message from my dad, but I'm also be really skeptical to think, yeah, I'd need something really real. So when I watch those shows, I always think I can, you know, the way they, but yeah, I want it. So I saw a psychic for this one, but I could tell right away that she clocked me. As soon as I walked in, she thought, okay, this is a middle aged woman and her children have just left home and she's now thinking, so what's next? Because she was saying to me, so you've done everything for everybody else all of your life. What about me? We were thinking, what about me? And I was thinking, no, it's always been about me. Really, that's not me. Because I have my children quite late too, so they're still very much at home and very much part of my life. Then she was obviously looking for information. So then she said, What do you do for a living? And I said, I'm an author. And she said, quite doubtfully, she said, Well, I think you should do okay with that. Maybe don't change what you're writing about, but maybe you could change the way you market your books. Maybe you could think about putting them on eBay or something like that. EBay? Oh my gosh. That's so funny. I know. But it was funny. I was at one event and a woman came up to me with a hardcover copy of my very first book, Three Wishes. And she said, I had to look everywhere for this and guess where she got it. She got it on eBay.

[27:16]Zibby Owens: My goodness.

[27:17]Liane Moriarty: Well, My there you

[27:20]Zibby Owens: gosh.

[27:21]Liane Moriarty: Would you would you want to know when you're going to die and how, if you had the option? You know, it's funny writing this book and I'd think about that, but obviously I would really avoid properly thinking about it because it wasn't until somebody, another author, the wonderful Australian author, Sally Hepworth was saying she was thinking about when she read about when you do those genetic tests and some people face the issue of it really is for them, that that is reality for them. Because what I'd get confused about with thinking about the premise of my book is that I would think, well, I don't believe it. Even if a few predictions came true, I think I would still think I don't believe it. I would change my fate. Whereas if it's a genetic test and it's a serious illness and you know exactly what the outcome would be, and I know in some families, one sibling chooses to get the test and another sibling chooses not to. I would be one that would choose, yes, I would want to know. If information is available, and that's why I think when I was thinking of this thing on the plane, when I was thinking one day in the future, somebody would be able to look back and they would be able to name the age and cause of death of every single passenger on this plane. So I was thinking that information will be available. It's just not quite yet. And that's why I couldn't bear thinking, I want to know now.

[28:50]Zibby Owens: I kind of don't wanna be on a plane with you, I have to say. I don't wanna know what you're thinking. Anyway, well, thank you so much. I loved this book. I really it made me think and feel, and I carried it with me everywhere for a while. And so you were always on my mind and all of your characters and everything. I mean, this is what great books do. Right? They make you rethink life as it is, and they you take something with with you when you leave. So thank you. Oh, thank you so much, Sibby. It's been lovely talking to you again. You too, and happy birthday. Have a great day. Thank you for being You're to something more fun than talking to me, but thank you for sharing a little bit of your special day with me. So enjoy. It was a lovely start to the day. Thank you. Thanks All so much. Okay. Bye bye. Thanks for listening to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books. If you love it, please leave a review and follow us on social Zippy Owens and Zippy Readers.