Q&A with Lucy Kaufman, Author of 'Don’t Forget the Crazy'
What has writing
this book taught you?
So much. First of all,
how people like my writing and want to read my stories, so it felt important to
start putting them out into the world. It’s taught me to trust my instincts in
terms of the plot, not to plan at the outset and let the story take me where it
needs to go. It’s taught me I’m comfortable writing in this genre. The writing
flows naturally for me in this genre and it offers me the freedom to explore
what truly fascinates me about humans, relationships and the world. There’s
opportunity for me to utilise all those little observations I’ve soaked up over
a lifetime.
How have you grown
as a writer compared to ten years ago?
Ten years ago, I was
busy writing plays. I’d just written and co-produced a 4-part WW1 musical and
was researching a full-length play about a historical figure. I was taking my
writing seriously and was having success with playwriting but I still felt somewhat
frustrated because I’ve always wanted to write books, and although I had
written numerous first drafts of novels, my playwriting career took up a lot of
time and headspace. Playwriting and theatre collaboration has been invaluable.
I’ve matured as a writer and developed a multitude of transferable skills that
are useful for what I’m doing now. I’ve grown in terms of being disciplined in
fulfilling a brief, to deadline, making the necessary changes and not being too
precious about my ‘darlings’ when revising and editing the work. I’ve also
learnt the work can always be improved. I’ve become accustomed to managing
disappointment when projects don’t come off, or are delayed for external
reasons. For the theatre, I’ve written in a multitude of styles, genres and for
various audiences. I’ve gained a lot of insight into what audiences want, what
hooks them and what keeps them entertained. Generally, I think I’m less
idealistic and more down to earth and practical as a writer.
You raise some of
the issues of living in our modern world. How does your book present the
solutions?
I don’t think it’s
necessarily a writer’s job to offer solutions, especially in the genre I’m writing
in as it’s not a genre known for happy endings. However, I do think it’s my job
to point out issues and grapple with the consequences of what’s wrong or less
than ideal in people and the world. By pointing out dysfunction, and what could
or should be done differently, the reader is invited to join the dots and fill
in the blanks and come up with their own solutions, for themselves and for a
better society. I was a therapist for nearly 20 years so I bring much of that
training and understanding to my writing. In many ways, my narrator’s role is
similar to the therapist’s role in remaining non-judgemental about my
characters and seeking to empathise with and understand where thoughts,
feelings, behaviours and actions are coming from and how they manifest. Objectively,
I know certain behaviours or actions by my characters may be flawed, misguided
or downright immoral, but a fictional story – just like a therapy session – allows
for these aspects to be explored in a safe environment. Unlike in therapy,
where we are seeking growth and improved wellness, a story in this genre allows
for dysfunction to play out to its logical, messy conclusion.
Is marketing this book different
to how you've promoted other work you've done, and in what ways are you doing
it differently?
My experience of
promoting plays is valuable in that I’m used to working on flyers, choosing
artwork, targeting and interacting with particular audiences, and being
extremely flexible under pressure. However, the book industry is very different
and has its own set-up and ways of doing things that I’m currently learning and
navigating. I’m interacting with bloggers for the first time and I might
finally have the need for a website!
We're living in a world of AI, how has it impacted your writing and world view?
I am of the opinion
that increased use of AI and things like Booktok trends will lead to a lot of
similar work being produced and published as it will be assumed what readers
want (the same thing over and over) and demand will, therefore, be supplied. This
sounds terrible but I’m optimistic this will lead to a lot of other readers
becoming increasingly frustrated by the limited choice on offer, and therefore
will seek out alternative original, human-created work that offers something
different/better. I don’t use AI in my writing but the impact the emergence of
AI has had on me is to give readers even more of what AI can’t – human
understanding and humanness. We could come to a point in the future where we crave
humanness. In the music industry, where recorded music is so readily available
for free, live performance is becoming increasing vital. Interaction with
authors in live readings/ Q&As etc could become more important to
consumers, as proof of human involvement in the work. I’m hopeful humans will
continue to seek connection.
It's fascinating how you've depicted relationships and mental health in 'Don't forget the crazy.' Was this a conscious decision, and how aware were you of how different readers might respond to it?
When I write, I’m
always conscious of how readers may respond to it. Plus, writing in the
psychological suspense genre, poor mental health and behavioural dysfunction
often play a huge role. As I said earlier, I was a therapist for nearly two
decades so mental health is something I am used to exploring and thinking about,
and in this story I am dealing with the unravelling of a person who feels under
pressure from all sides and is fairly isolated from others and mistrusting of
people/ bordering on paranoid. As a therapist, I was not allowed to diagnose,
so rather than see people as walking pathologies or categorisable conditions, I
tend to see people as a complex blend of a multitude of factors – biological,
genetic, circumstantial and experiential. Already complex individuals are then expected
to bend to the pressures of their environment – familial, social and societal.
And, if you’re a woman, as Milli is, we are also expected to fulfil roles
prescribed by patriarchy. So yes, my choices were conscious, I think, and in
creating Milli, I aimed to provide internal and external pressures on a
particular personality. The title may have ‘crazy’ in it, but the title is a
direct quote from something Milli says in the story, questioning how she is
being viewed, and I like to think the idea of ‘crazy’ is not clear-cut in this
story, just as it isn’t black-and-white in life. There are reasons people think
and feel and behave in the ways they do. ‘Crazy’ is a lazy way of seeing
anyone. But I think there is a fundamental human fear of ‘craziness’, of things
or people being out of control and it’s that I am exploring, and probably all
psychological suspense explores.
I love how you've chosen this genre, and how you've also written many plays. Why this story and why now?
I’m not sure if I’ve
chosen this genre or if this genre has chosen me. I just know I feel
comfortable here for the time being and it has opportunities for me to lean
into all the things that fascinate me. Perhaps I’m finally finding who I am as
a writer and what I may have to offer readers. The theatre has allowed me to
dabble in many genres but the things I always seem to come back to, time and
again in all my writing, are different eras, the female experience, cultural
conventions and quirks, and humanness. I think these things probably define me
and my writing. This story was a necessary exploration for me because I am,
purely and simply, ruled by my lists! And many of the women who have read this
story seem to relate to that aspect it. I’m not Milli, and she’s not based on
anyone I know or have met, but my multitude of lists were definitely the
starting point for this story. They had become ridiculous. Why now? Because we
seem, as a society, too busy, too overloaded and too pressurised to enjoy our
lives as fully as we should. Also, now because I’ve got to a stage in life
where I’m not as bothered what people will think of me and I’m censoring myself
less. I feel freer to be my true self and this allows me to go to darker places
in the writing without fear of judgement.
What's next and how
do you see your career changing in the next 10 years?
Next, I’m excited to
be releasing my Victorian gothic novella in January ‘26, which is the first of
a trilogy or series. It’s been really well-received by all those who have read
it so far, so I can’t wait to get it out into the world to be read more widely.
It’s also in the psychological suspense/ thriller genre, but set in 19th
century rural Sussex. By popular demand, I’m currently writing the sequel. I’ve
also got other short, contemporary stories in the pipeline and an audio drama
that was shortlisted by the BBC a couple of years ago that I would love to see
produced and broadcast. I see myself consistently putting out books and shorter
stories over the next ten years, and maybe venturing into other forms at times,
perhaps for the screen. I love to continually surprise myself, so I look
forward to the journey and seeing where it takes me.
Finally, where can people find your book,
You can buy Don’t Forget the Crazy at Amazon: U.K and USA & WORLDWIDE
Her lists are life or death.
“If it’s on the list, I have to do it.”
Milli Morgan lives by her lists. Groceries, goals, organising her boss – nothing escapes being ticked off her ever-growing to-do lists. Order brings her comfort; control keeps the chaos at bay. Everyone can rely on Milli.
Until the day new items start appearing on her list in red ink.
At first, she blames stress. A prank. Someone playing mind-games. But one instruction on the list refuses to be erased and demands to be completed.
A command so terrible she would have to be crazy to tick it off.
Don’t Forget the Crazy is a dark psychological suspense short story about obsession, perfection, and the dangerous pressure of always being “the good girl.” Fans of Gillian Flynn, Lisa Jewell, Patricia Highsmith, and Shirley Jackson will devour this chilling portrait of order unravelling into darkness.
Check out Lucy's posts on social media.
- Insta: kaufmanlucy
- X: @lucykaufman_
- BlueSky: @lucykaufman.bsky.social
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