Megan Abbott

Especially, I think, with a sense of protagonism.

Because women are, especially as we age, we're taught to support our children, support our spouses, support our family members.

We're not supposed to crave the spotlight.

And I feel that with the wheel, maybe in addition to the money, of course, like you said, initial impetus, maybe it's also like it gets to be about me.

I get to have a sense of being a protagonist.

And we're humans.

We need that.

The most selfless, lovely woman still needs that.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

And they're allowed to want things and to, you know, not just be the person everyone counts on, which I think a lot of women become in, you know, in their 40s, 50s and beyond.

I mean, this is why this book is resonating with readers so much.

Okay, so speaking of books resonating with readers, I ask this of every author I interview.

I have seen your novels be referred to as thriller, suspense, and noir.

Like, how do you think of genre?

How do you think of mood?

Because I don't think noir, to me anyway, it's not a genre.

To me, it's more of a mood than anything.

Atmosphere.

Yeah.

Like when you're sitting down to write a novel, do you go, I know what genre it is, or do you like, I'm just writing a story and people position it however they want.