How It Ends - May book club

For Fronkydonky

Q - Terrific book Saskia, the body brace Chris had to wear was described in such detail; the marks on his body due to the discomfort described, I just wondered if anyone you knew personally has suffered the torture of having to wear one during that era please or was it just great medical research?

A - Thank you! I have no direct experience of the body brace that Chris wears – so it was all research. The Milwaukee brace was designed in 1946 and was widely used for decades for the conservative treatment of scoliosis worldwide. The brace is still used today, but far less than it was. Today's version is apparently softer and easier to hide beneath clothes, although I imagine it’s still not a pleasant experience to have to wear one.

For Nanny21

Q - What an incredible story. This is a story about a loving family that go to live on an American Airbase in England. Their lives fall apart as things happen that they have no
control over. The twist comes when a friend they trust and respect betrays them in a most awful way. I particularly liked the character Hedy who proves to be the strongest one.My question for Saskia is, what is Green Ham?

A - Thank you so much. Green ham is an old Southern term for a cured ham that hasn’t been smoked. I just liked the name!

For Immiesnana

Q - I like a book that is well written and this hits thespot. Howwriters work out their plots is always a source of wonder for me so I would also like to ask Saskia how the plot emerged?

A - Thanks so much. There were several different inspirations and elements to the basic plot – and they came together gradually. I grew up in a pine forest in
Suffolk with an American airbase on our doorstep. Even in the 70s and 80s, there seemed to be a glamour to the lives of the American military personnel and their families, living separately from us behind a tall, wire fence. I was also aware of the reported UFO sighting in the forest by American airmen in in the 1980s. I always wondered if there had been any truth in it, or if there was another
explanation, and if that explanation would be mundane or sinister. It occurred to me that I might be able to write a story that used the base as a setting, and weave in the UFO sighting. Going back to the 1950s appealed to me for lots of reasons: the intense interest in outer space and the excitement about putting a man on the moon; the lies behind the Vietnam war and Watergate; the shocking
revelation of President Nixon’s criminal activity; the tension around the Cold War and the fear of the atom bomb – something that, unfortunately, has become
relevant again. I realised that all that secrecy and fear confined inside the base could create a wonderfully paranoid and emotionally heightened atmosphere.
And then I came across the true story of MK Ultra and the awful experiments conducted in the name of world peace. Everything came together, and I knew it could be the backdrop to an explosive family drama.

For Doreen5

Q - I have to admit it wasn't the kind of book I would have chosen to read. However, I really enjoyed it. Once started, I couldn't put it down. Saskia's insight was haunting and
brilliant and the whole book was well written. I wonder how long it took her to write it? Highly recommended read. I will now try to read her other books.

A - Thank you so much. I’m really happy you enjoyed it. It took about four months to think through the premise and research it, and ten months to write the first draft. Then I think it was about another three months in editing and revising. It usually takes me just over a year to a year and a half write a book.

For adrisco

Q - I enjoyed the book, although it was not always easy reading .. was heartbroken by Chris's situation. Would like to ask Saskia how she wrote about that level of suffering .. was it taken from a situation from the life of someone she knows or knew?

A - Thank you. It wasn’t easy writing Christopher as I grew to love him – and it was awful inflicting pain and then his murder on him for the purposes of the plot. I don’t know of anyone who suffers from exactly the same condition. But one of my twin daughters has a disability in both her feet, which we became aware of when she was a child. It has required her to have many operations, and she was off school and on crutches for long periods of time. I noticed that her pain and her forced isolation from other children really changed her character. She relied on her imagination more and became more introverted, but also found huge reserves of inner strength. Unfortunately, the operations were not successful and have actually made her condition worse, and now she suffers from chronic pain. As well as feeling grief for her, I am very proud of her strength and her bravery. She has the courage to continue to live her dreams despite her problems. I think I channelled a lot of those feelings while writing the character of Christopher.

For Anj123

Q - I would like to ask Saskia where she gets her inspiration from, and does she know someone with the disability Chris had? Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

A - I tend to get inspiration from all sorts of places – it changes all the time. It could be an exhibition I go to, a conversation I have with someone, an article in a newspaper, or just a thought that comes to me when I’m walking the dogs. I do know someone with a mild form of the same disability that Christopher and his uncle suffer from, but I don’t know anyone who suffers as badly as they do, or anyone who has to wear a body brace.

For jacalpad

Q - I really enjoyed this well-written book, with its lovely descriptive style. As I live in East Anglia I particularly enjoyed reading about relatively close-by places. I began to wonder if Hank knew more than he was letting on, but was taken by surprise by how devious and evil he actually was - while pretending to be everyone’s friend and saviour. I too found it interesting that both twins were gay, although perhaps this is not uncommon. I particularly liked the explanatory notes at the end of the book. They were very useful.My question to the author - how long did it take you to form the plot for the book, which has
lots of twists and turns?

A - Thank you! I thought about the premise for this plot and lived with it in my head for about four months while I conducted my research. The research itself threw up new ideas as it always does. Then I started to get the story down on my laptop. The central and underpinning plot concerning the MK Ultra-type experiments and Hank’s betrayal did not change, but some of the characters, plot points, and my ideas changed and developed as I wrote. It took about ten months to get the first draft down – and then about another three to edit and refine it.

For ctkell

Q - Really enjoyed this book - a believable story of a family and their problems and secrets. I was also surprised about Hank - how he deceived the whole family. I wondered if any of the characters were based on people the author knew.

A - I’m so glad you enjoyed the book. None of the characters are based on anyone I know. I think tiny parts of different people I know generally get mixed up to make new characters. But thankfully I’m pretty certain I don’t know anyone as nasty as Hank!

For tiggers

Q - I was hooked from the start, and had a few early nights so I could finishit. Thecharacters were so believable and engaging. I will be looking out for more of Saskia’s books to read. Do you have connections with this part of the country?

A - Thank you! I do have connections with Suffolk. I grew up near Woodbridge in Suffolk, close to Bentwaters US airbase. Recalling the experience of seeing US military personnel, big American cars and neat rows of houses behind a tall wire fence sparked an idea that led to the premise of How It Ends. Several of my other novels are also set in Suffolk.

For EmmaBradshaw12

Q - I just read the book on holiday and loved it! I'm not sure why but it's not the kind of book I would normally choose based on the cover and the blurb but it was so much more exciting and engaging than I was expecting. I will definitely be looking out for Saskia's other books! I always think it's amazing how much knowledge it must take to write a book set in the past historically correct so my question is - did you already know a lot about the 1950s and 60s before writing the book and/or did you need to do a lot of research?

A - I am so happy that you enjoyed the book! I had to do some research into the 1950s in particular, and into life on a US airbase at that time. I read a lot of fiction and non-fiction about the era, watched some relevant films, and was lucky enough to find a couple of people who had lived on an American airbase in England at just that time – and they were kind enough to answer my many questions!

For rocketstop

Q - I really enjoyed the book and felt all the issues had become magnified in intensity by the plot being set in such confined quarters as a military base. I found myself distrusting and disliking 'Betty' as soon as the character was introduced and even though she was only a bit player in the plot, she was very real in my mind's eye. Hedy and Chris had become damaged children and I suppose in this day and age, social services would have become involved with their family. Saskia, why did you choose to write them both as being gay? Did you decide that from the beginning? Did it just evolve in the writing, or was it a deliberate effort to connect the behaviour of twins who are said to have the same traits etc?I see you wrote your previous book called 'Twins' - is this a theme in your writing? Are you a twin?

A - Hi, thank you so much for your comments. I am not a twin, but I have identical twin daughters who are now 28. My debut novel, The Twins, was very much inspired by watching my girls grow up, observing their close and complicated relationship. Hedy and Christopher, although non-identical and different genders, are born at the same time from the same mother, which suggests they’ll have an equal inheritance of health, looks, personality etc. So when one twin is born physically disadvantaged, it carries a sense of injustice. This sense of unfairness Hedy feels on behalf of her brother effects her deeply and makes her feel guilty, giving her a heightened sense of responsibility for him. The main reason the twins are gay is because a big theme in the book is identity, both how we form our identity and what challenges, undermines, or even destroys it; and I believe our sexuality plays a deep role in our knowledge of ourselves and in the way the world perceives us.

For Itsmyfirstrodeo

Q - I have finished reading, How it ends, and can honestly say that I loved it. It has been a while since I've read a book that has kept me gripped from start to finish, and without a clue what would happen next. Plot twists galore, I did not see what was coming, so I am full of admiration for Saskia Sarginson, in these times of sequels and remakes, it was refreshing to fall into this tale and it being based on true events made it even more interesting.There's nowt so queer as folk, made true by this imagining.Attention to detail made for a beautiful mind's eye, not once was there room for doubt in regards to how the scene was set, or how the character was feeling.I will definitely be reading more books available from this author.My question to Saskia is, did you consider a story line which kept Christopher in it?

A - Thank you for your lovely comments. One of the things I knew from the start was that Christopher wasn’t going to make it to the end of the novel. He is a kind of sacrificial lamb in a way. I needed his death to trigger other events in the novel, so he was always going to die I’m afraid.

For notreallyagran

Q - There's so much I enjoyed about this book. It's such a harrowing story, but it's told with sensitivity and empathy. I love the descriptive language and the way I felt a deep
connection to each of the main characters. (I agree with emmasnan about being able to feel the discomfort of Christopher's brace.) I guessed that Hank knew a lot more than he was letting on from descriptions of his body language throughout the book, but I was still shocked by the revelations towards the end.I've been wondering why you chose a relatively happy ending for Hedy and Ruby, although I'm glad you did. They'd been through enough.

A - Thank you so much for your comments. And I think you’ve answered the question for me! As you say, I’d put Hedy and Ruby through a truly harrowing experience, and when it came to the ending, I really wanted to offer them both some happiness. The book has a cruel and evil darkness at its centre – but I wanted to show that human bravery and goodness offers a re-balancing of light and hope.

For emmasnan

Q - I really enjoyed this book and found it difficult to put down.The description of the brace Christopher wore was so well written, I could almost feel his discomfort and how restricted he must have been.I also understood the responsibility Hedy must have felt for him.Can I ask why you chose that particular disability for Chris to have inherited?

A - Thanks for your interesting question. I chose that particular disability for several reasons – firstly, it’s a hereditary condition, which was essential for my plot. And secondly, the method of ‘correcting’ it is often with a Milwaukee Brace. When I researched the brace, I was horrified by the discomfort and claustrophobia of it. But in terms of literary devices, I saw that the physical trap around Christopher’s body could also act as a metaphor for him and his family, trapped on the base and suppressed by an atmosphere of suspicion and fear.

For GrandmaCornwall

Q - I really enjoyed How it Ends, the characters were believable and plausible. I was really sad to find the one solid male character Hank turned out to be a deceitful, evil man I did not see that coming. The ending was surprising and not over the top, just the right balance to finish on.Thank you for a great read. I am looking forward to reading more of your work.To form your characters do you do a lot of people watching and take details from real life?

A - I’m so glad you enjoyed the book – thank you! I think all writers probably people-watch. It goes with the territory! But I rarely make notes. I just absorb things by osmosis, I think. Occasionally, I might be inspired by something someone says or does, and then I’ll scribble a note down. My family all know that I am liable to pinch anything interesting they say or do, and that one day they might find it popping up in one of my novels. They
are a little wary of that now!

For Crocky

Q - Why was there no substantial male character in the book to act as counter balance to the damaged ones?

A - That’s a really interesting question. Thank you. By ‘substantial’ I’m taking it to mean a male character without flaws. Both my two adult male characters would have been considered outwardly substantial by society before events caused and/or revealed their damage. I was interested in looking behind outer appearances. Hank is considered an important and reliable military man throughout most of the book, yet he’s hiding a dark truth. I don’t delve into Hank’s POV because that would have given the game away too soon in terms of plot, but I was very interested in how ambition and jealousy overpowered any goodness in him. Todd is a war hero, a loving husband and family man, and sports jock. He would certainly be considered a substantial man by society, but the situation he finds himself in means he’s torn apart by the conflict between his duty and his moral code. The programme he’s forced to oversee gradually undermines his sense of self and disorientates him; when he’s given LSD without his knowledge, he believes he’s lost his mind. As a young male, Christopher is damaged physically by illness, but he’s a strong, intelligent, sensitive person with an open heart. In his case, people don’t understand how substantial he really is because of his physical appearance. So I think the answer to your question is that I don’t think that anyone is really free of flaws and/or damage, and I wanted to show how difficult it is to tell whether someone is substantial or not – because people change under stress, and because the outer person does not always reflect the inner, and vice versa.

tiggers

Have just finished reading "How It Ends". I was 'hooked' from the start and found it difficult to put the book down, as I was keen to know what happened next.

I could feel the sense of claustrophobia in the book and 'felt' for the characters in their own individual claustrophobic situations as it was so well evoked.

Saskia - at what age did you first know you wanted to be a writer? What other career path might you have chosen instead?

Thanks so much for your lovely comments! I’ve always loved writing and wanted to write for a living. In my 20s, I was a beauty editor on a woman’s magazine, and have worked as a journalist and newspaper columnist. But writing fiction is my first love, so I feel incredibly lucky to have had my books published.

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I don't know how Hedy kept going, I'm sure I wouldn't have.
I've never thought about both of twins being gay....is it unusual?
Very enjoyable book.

Terrific book Saskia, the body brace Chris had to wear was described in such detail& the marks on his body due to the discomfort described, I just wondered if anyone you knew personally has suffered the torture of having to wear one during that era please or was it just great medical research.

Fantastic book read in 3 days

I am still reading the book as I had a late start. I am enjoying the insight into life in the 50s and the sort of early married life my parents would have lived.
The characters are really believable and intriguing. The threat of nuclear doom seems to be ever present and reminds me of the underlying threat that coloured a lot of my childhood anxieties.

Although this was not the sort of book I usually read I enjoyed it very much. I felt so sorry for Christopher and the ending of their time in the military camp was very sad but I was shocked to find that Hank was such a traitor to them all.

What an incredible story. This is a story about a loving family that go to live on an American Airbase in England. Their lives fall apart as things happen that they have no control over. The twist comes when a friend they trust and respect betrays them in a most awful way. I particularly liked the character Hedy who proves to be the strongest one.

My question for Saskia is, what is Green Ham?