Q&A with Nicola Moriarty

Nicola Moriarty is the author of the new novel Those Other Women. Her other books include The Fifth Letter. She lives in Sydney, Australia. 

Q: How did you come up with the idea for Those Other Women?

A: I’ve been involved with many mother’s groups – both online and in the real world, and one day it just occurred to me – shouldn’t there be a group for women who aren’t mothers but who do want to connect with one another?

From there, the idea grew over time – I don’t think there was any one incident that’s sparked the main plot.

But I wrote it because it seemed like a great opportunity to explore the pressures on women to conform to society expectations to become parents and the idea that all women are “meant” to have a maternal instinct. I also liked the idea of delving into the way women judge one another’s life choices. 

Q: You tell the story from several characters' perspectives. Did you write the novel in the order in which it appears, or did you move things around as you wrote?

A: For the most part I did write it in the order it appears, but there were certain smaller segments that needed to be moved around at the end in order to make sure it flowed as well as it could. 

Q: One theme in the book is the use of social media and how it ties in with people's identity. Why was that something you chose to explore?

A: I guess social media is so relevant and current in today’s world – and I know for myself my social media profiles form a big part of my identity. On top of that is the way social media allows people to hide behind their computer screens and say things they would never say to another person if they were face-to-face.

On the other hand, it can be a way for people to reach out and connect with other people from all over the world, which can at times help you feel less alone (especially for new mums stuck at home with babies and missing that human connection). 

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I’m currently working on a new novel called The Ex-Girlfriend, which is about Georgia, a woman in a new relationship with the perfect guy. 

The problem is, his ex-girlfriend, Cadence is still obsessed with him – and doesn’t want to let go. But when Georgia finally decides to confront Cadence, Cadence has a very different version of events. And now Georgia isn’t sure who’s lying and who’s telling the truth.

--Interview with Deborah Kalb