Why Pamela?

Question:

   I’m one of your many fans of the Alice books, and I was just wondering, why did you decide to make Pamela have a miscarriage in one of the latest books? Would it have taken too many books to describe the whole process of her raising a child, and would that have taken the attention away from Alice?
    Also, do you think you would ever write an “Alice” book from one of the other character’s points of view? By the way, I absolutely LOVE the Alice books. I know you get that all the time but I truly mean it and I’m sure everyone else does too! Thank you so much for writing them. I haven’t found any books that I love as much as the Alice ones.
    Also, what’s your favorite book series? Sorry for all the questions!

Phyllis replied:

Well, yes, since I’m winding up the series, I could not have shown too much of Pamela raising a child as a single parent.  But also, she wasn’t in very good health.  There was a lot going on in her life, she wasn’t eating for sleeping properly, was underweight, and therefore was a good candidate for a miscarriage at her age.  But I think I also wanted to show the anxiety that goes along when an unplanned pregnancy takes place, the way relationships often fall apart.   I doubt I will write another book from another character’s point of view.  There are too many other books swarming around in my head that I’m anxious to write.  But if you like the Alice books so much, I think you’d also like “Cricket Man,” with a male protagonist.   I’m not much for series books myself, and at the moment can’t think of any I’d call my favorites.