Emily Redondo is the author of the new memoir Wife Mother Drunk: An Intergenerational Memoir of Loss and Love. She lives in McKinney, Texas.
Q: What inspired you to write this memoir?
A: I felt a dire need to piece my past together and try to understand how I ended up where I did. I was terrified of dying and what that would do to my family, so I think fear was the main inspiration – something I had to do to survive – and I wanted to write it all down before I ran out of time.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen and what does it signify for you?
A: My publisher chose the title and admittedly I fought against it for a few months hoping for something prettier and less “quit lit” sounding. Now, it’s a small part of who I am and signifies the starting point for investigating a thousand questions beyond someone’s face value.
Q: The author Jen Pastiloff said of the book, “This gem of a book is a candid, vivid, and lyrical expression of what it means to be human – how complicated, messy, and beautiful it can be – during a time when displays of humanity feel especially rare.” What do you think of that description?
A: I think the same way about Jen Pastiloff’s description as I do anyone else’s description of the book. I respectfully appreciate reviews and opinions because it’s about their experience as a reader.
Q: What impact did it have on you to write this book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
A: Writing this book impacted every aspect of my life today. Honestly, it tore me apart then put me back together. It’s a little strange how much I learned by sitting again in past experiences, facing those deepest truths head on, and killing off perfection for authenticity.
I hope readers take this memoir as an opportunity to leave judgment at the door and gain some insight, whether about themselves or others in their lives. It’s open invitation for someone out there to feel spoken for and a little less alone, because that’s what I wanted.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m working on living with Korsakoff Syndrome and being kind to myself while still having fun and adventures.
I’m in the phase of motherhood when my babies are leaving the nest one by one and more than anything I want to be present and savor these moments. I’m gardening, reading, time with my family, building dollhouses and other random projects and soon, I’ll pick up a pen write again.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Life goes on.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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