Goodreads asked Kate Shanahan:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Kate Shanahan Ever since I read The Pillow Book (many, many years ago) I wanted to write a novel with the author, Sei Shonagon, as a main character because I was so fascinated by her writing, at how well she wrote about those little things that we all feel as humans (anger, embarrassment, awkwardness, joy) in spite of differences in language, culture, and era.

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