The Everyday Housewife by authorvideo

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What inspired me to write the book: I wanted to write a story from a woman's perspective for once and I wanted it to be a comedy. Due to my nature it turned out to be a black comedy. I also wanted to write a story about Manhattan as seen through the eyes of an outsider. I've been there only once- on a weekend excursion with my friends- and I fell in love with it almost instantly. Even before then, it has always held a fascination for me. A lot of my favorite movies are set in New York City- Midnight Cowboy, The French Connection, Annie Hall, just to name a few. It's one of the most romantic and exciting places that I have ever been to, which is exactly how Katharine feels the moment she steps off the bus. Then, she meets Bree Withers, a young African American woman who has lived on the street most of her life and just got out of prison for selling crack cocaine. She, too, is a victim of that terrible drug. She can't hold a job and must depend on her philandering, physically abusive boyfriend to support her. Through Bree and the dilapidated apartment building that they both share, Katharine sees the seedier side of Manhattan and begins to wonder why she ever left her cozy three-bedroom house in the peaceful suburbs of Oklahoma City. When I was in Manhattan, I did notice that there were a lot of homeless people sleeping in alleyways or in front of buildings in the middle of day. It just goes to show you that there is racial inequality, pain, and suffering everywhere- even in the most beautiful of places. And, usually, you don't have to dig too deep to find it, especially in New York City where the rich and the dirt-poor populate the same street corner and appear to coexist quite naturally.

Perhaps what inspired me the most to write the book was my own mother. I sat down one night remembering all the hell that my two siblings and I put her through. And, I wondered why she never gave up on us and headed straight for the nearest airport- or bus terminal. Most mothers would never do that, of course. They are always there for us no matter what. But, what if? We all have our breaking point. Then, I thought of that old Glen Campbell song from the late sixties entitled, Dreams of the Everyday Housewife. I'm sure most of you have heard it before. "An everyday housewife who gave up the good life for me," is probably its most memorable lyric. It's about a woman who gives up her dreams, her freedom, and some other guy to marry the man she loves... or at least that's how I interpreted it. I'm not sure what my mother dreamed of becoming before she married "Pops" and got stuck with three little brats. But, I know that she likes to visit the local casinos every now and then. Maybe she would have gone to Las Vegas to become a professional gambler. I don't know about you, but I feel a sequel coming on. Katharine stops writing novels and takes up gambling at a local casino to break up the monotony. She then discovers that her husband, Frank, is having another affair and announces to the whole family that she's going to Las Vegas to become a whale. It's comedy gold, I tell ya! Better get started on it right away!