Sylvia

Question:
I have two questions actually. The first is did you know from as soon as you wrote Sylvia into the series, that you evantually wanted her to marry Alice’s father? Or did it just come to you overnight?My second question is did something happen to your own mother as you were growing up? I read one of your other books a while back…The Blizard’s Wake…I think was what it was called. I noticed the girl’s mother had passed away in that book as well, and I was just entirely curious.

Phyllis replied:

I knew when I introduced Sylvia into the series that she would eventually marry Ben.  And no, my own mother lived to be 90, and I was glad to have her for so long.  There may be more of my books in which the mother–or another family member dies–I’d have to think about it.  Having this happen just seemed right for the plot, that’s all.