Note: This interview was originally published on Audible.com.
Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, Apples Never Fall) has raised her own very high bar with an expertly plotted narrative in her latest novel, Here One Moment. The central character, Cherry, is on a flight when she stands up and proceeds to predict the age of death and cause of death for the passengers onboard. What unfolds from there is a riveting and chaotic meditation on free will versus fate as the passengers deal with the predictions in different ways once back in their real lives. It’s an utterly compulsive listen, performed by Moriarty’s longtime collaborator Caroline Lee as Cherry and Geraldine Hakewell as the other passengers.
Here, Moriarty shares a bit more about the inspiration behind the story, and whether or not she personally believes in psychics.
Katie O' Connor: The premise for Here One Moment is such a unique take on an age-old question. What was your originating idea for the story?
Liane Moriarty: I came up with the idea for Here One Moment during a long flight delay at Hobart Airport in Tasmania. All the passengers had boarded the plane when the pilot asked for our patience as there was an issue that needed to be resolved. I can’t remember now if it was a mechanical issue or a hold-up with paperwork, I just remember sighing because the flight was already running late. The upshot was that we were stuck on the tarmac, seat belts buckled, waiting, waiting, waiting for an excruciatingly long time.
I was traveling on my own and had no book to read and that’s when this cheerful thought popped into my head: "Every person on this plane will one day die. But when? And how?" I looked around at my fellow passengers and thought, "Will that little girl live until she’s 100? Will that young man have his life cut short? What about that beautiful flight attendant?" It occurred to me that somewhere in the far-off future the answers to all those questions would be available. I thought, "What if that information was available NOW? What if someone walked down the aisle telling every passenger how and when we would die? And what if those predictions came true?" When the flight finally took off and passengers applauded with relief, I knew I had a good opening scene for a novel.
You have effortlessly incorporated many different points of view into Here One Moment. How did you organize yourself while working on the book? And did you write in order, or did you go back and add in different perspectives as needed?
I’m glad it appears effortless! I’m not a planner. I wrote Here One Moment in the order of the text, from start to finish, and I, like the listener, didn’t know at first exactly how the characters’ stories would end or intertwine. That’s always my process: I simply come up with the premise and start writing. It makes it interesting because each day I sit down at my computer and think, "I wonder what’s going to happen?" It also makes it terrifying because what if nothing happens? Of course, it doesn’t all fall into place perfectly. I am constantly rewriting and editing what I’ve written once I know the ending and I better understand my characters.
Was there a character that you were particularly drawn to?
I loved them all, but Cherry was probably my favorite. It was wonderful to create a whole life for her.
Some of your characters believe in psychics, some don’t, and some do depending on the day. Where do you fall on that spectrum?
I’m a skeptic who is desperate to believe. So far I’ve not personally experienced anything that has made me a true believer, but I do love hearing stories from people who feel they met someone with a true gift. My mind is open!
