Rory, what was your inspiration for writing LOOKING FOR GROUP?

This book was a lot of very personal things that got forged together over my sister in law’s newsletter chronicling her cancer treatments. I’m not an optimistic, outgoing person by nature, but she is. And I just marvel at the way she can still laugh, still feel joy, still look forward even though she’s more aware than most that her time is limited. That’s why I dedicated the book to her– this is for my sister, Donna, who persists.

What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?

This book taught me to leave it all on the floor. I didn’t try to protect myself when I wrote this; I surrendered everything and let myself be vulnerable. And I’m really proud of the book that vulnerability let me write. It was hard, and scary, and worth it.

What scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?

This was kind of a weird book because it changed pretty radically from first draft to publication. Originally, Dylan wasn’t getting better, he was getting worse. So it was pretty wrenching to write “the end” the first time.

But there’s one scene that changed slightly between drafts, and that was Dylan and Arden visiting the Kaskaskia Dragon. One, I love the joy there– it’s the first time Arden really lets go, and it makes me so happy. But two, the first time I wrote the chapter, Arden had to ask which state they’d get married in. By the time it got to edits, marriage equality had been passed in America. So a really joyful scene for me to write in the first place was made even more joyful by marking that event.