Interview with Claire Fullerton

In a sentence or two, what is your book about?

Lifelong friendships, Southern culture, racial tension, and healing the past.

Why did you write it?

I wanted to write about the anchoring ties that bind in long-established female friendships, the stories that happen in a lifetime, and the nuances of Southern culture as a setting.

What was the spark for the story?

The attempt to capture the way women friends support each other when they know each other’s history; how they speak, their shared sense of humor, and the motivation that lies beneath their interaction.

What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

I hope they relate to the female characters to the point where they celebrate their own friendships and see them for the magic they are.

Can you share something interesting that happened while you were writing the book—an unexpected encounter, something you learned about the subject or about yourself?

In Little Tea, I created a bi-racial friendship in the narrator’s backstory. It gave me cause to explore that friendship from both sides; from the vantage point of an inner circle in the midst of a wider, cultural setting. In writing Little Tea, there were inherent challenges I’d never thoroughly explored as a writer. And as for female friendships. even though there is the desire to go in and “fix” a friend’s dilemma, we can only go as far as allowed. But sometimes the effort is enough.

Do you have any suggestions for our book clubs—a link to a reader’s guide, or a question or two that might open a lively discussion at a book club meeting?

I have a list of book club discussion questions at https://www.clairefullerton.com/copy-of-mourning-dove-book-club-dis

Is there anything else you would like the Pulpwood Queens Book Clubs to know about you or your book?

I love speaking with book clubs! I am always enlightened and invigorated by reader response and it’s my great joy and privilege to talk about any book I’ve written with a book club.