Karma Brown on What Wild Women Do – Chicago Review of Books

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Bestselling Canadian author Karma Brown never shies away from tackling hard topics. Her first novel, Come Away with Me, was a fascinating portrait of a woman dealing with unspeakable loss; subsequent novels have addressed infertility, gestational surrogacy, all-consuming guilt, the dark side of 1950s ideals, and other ethical and moral quandaries. Her gift is to wrap these issues in compelling, momentum-packed narratives that keep you turning pages late into the night. We sat down with her to talk about her latest novel, What Wild Women Do, and ask about inspiration, epistolary tidbits, 1970s feminism, and whether it’s easier or harder for a writer to write about characters who are themselves writers.

Greer Macallister

What Wild Women Do gives equal weight to the stories of two women: the contemporary screenwriter Rowan, who’s at a bit of a personal and professional crossroads, and Edith “Eddie” Callaway, the owner of a camp in the Adirondacks that hosts women-only “wild woman” retreats in the 1970s. Which of the two stories first sparked in your mind, or did they arrive together?

Karma Brown

It was Rowan’s story that sparked first, but it was also a very different plot at the time. This book went through a half-dozen iterations, and it wasn’t until I settled on the Adirondacks and the great camp that Eddie’s story was revealed. At that point, she came to me nearly fully formed, like she had simply been waiting for me to catch up!

Greer Macallister

Excerpts from “Camp Callaway’s Wild Woman Handbook” appear throughout the book, including advice, poems, instructions, art, and even recipes. At what point in the writing process did you decide to include these in the story? The recipes, in particular, reminded me of your fabulous book Recipe for a Perfect Wife, forming an interesting parallel between the 1950s “quintessential housewife” Nellie Murdoch from that book and the enlightened, empowering perspective Eddie Callaway takes in conversation with her 1970s “wild women.”

Karma Brown

I always planned to include epistolary elements, especially for Eddie’s point of view, since we meet her in the past. But the idea for a Camp Callaway Handbook came well into the editing process. Plus, I wanted to add a couple of recipes (and spoiler, a mention of a previous character) as a nod to Recipe for a Perfect Wife. The art, which I drew myself—luckily Eddie isn’t an artist, so the sketches could be rustic—was inspired by The Moosewood Cookbook (1974), a staple in my 1970s childhood home. These extra bits of content became like icing between layers of cake, and I can’t imagine the story now without them.

Greer Macallister

In the contemporary storyline, Rowan and her boyfriend Seth are both writers, though Rowan is struggling with what comes next in her screenwriting career and Seth isn’t making much progress on his novel as he focuses on his YouTube channel, TheWrightStory. As a writer, do you find it easier or harder to write about writers than characters with other occupations?

Karma Brown

I’m currently writing a protagonist whose occupation is one I know nothing about. It can be tough and frustrating, but it’s also fascinating—I appreciate the opportunity to be curious and learn as I go. I also greatly appreciate the people who are willing to share their expertise with me! So even though writers aren’t monolithic, it was a gentler process crafting Rowan and Seth, as I’m intimately connected to the work they do. It’s far easier to access the specific challenges, joys, and complexities that come along with a career you’re entrenched in.

Greer Macallister

Given the central role of Eddie’s “wild woman” retreats, the title of the book resonates throughout, but particularly near the end. (No spoilers!) Was this the title of the book all along or did it change during the writing and publishing process?

Karma Brown

Titles. Are. Hard. I suspect most authors have been through at least one title change—it’s a lot of pressure on only a few words, and nailing the title feels critical. During drafting the book was titled Out of the Woods, but we knew we needed something different, something stronger. So after a few weeks and many (many) brainstorming emails between me, my agent, and both my editors, we landed on What Wild Women Do. I love the title—it fits the story beautifully.

Greer Macallister