Debut author, Hadley Leggett, joins the Spotlight this week to chat about her novel, All They Ask Is Everything

Author Name: Hadley Leggett

Book Title: All They Ask Is Everything

Book Genre: Book Club Fiction

Release Date: August 27, 2024

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Welcome, Hadley! How would you describe All They Ask Is Everything?

A love letter to the messiness of motherhood, All They Ask Is Everything tells the story of three very different women—biological mom, foster mom, and estranged grandmother—who each think they are the best possible caregiver for the same two little girls. It explores the question of what it means to be a good mother in a society with sky-high expectations for women, but none of the basic supports struggling moms need, such as low-cost childcare, paid maternity leave, and mental health services.

What sparked the idea for this book?

I started writing this book six years ago, when my youngest was three and I was very much immersed in the intense, overwhelming experience of mothering three young children. But the first spark for this idea had come much earlier, way back in 2007 when I was in medical school on my pediatrics rotation and was required by law to report an incident to child protective services, despite being convinced the mother had done nothing wrong. That experience, combined with the experience of watching three different couples in my extended family adopt children from foster care, inspired me to write about the child welfare system from multiple perspectives.

How long did it take for you to write the book? Did you do any research?

It took me about a year to write the first draft and then another year to revise the manuscript before I began querying. Because I’m not a foster parent and have never personally experienced a CPS investigation, I had to do a lot of research! I started by interviewing foster parents and social workers, as well as reading all the primary source material I could find online, such as foster parent training manuals and guides for parents navigating a CPS investigation. Once the book was finished, I also hired beta readers who were foster parents and/or had worked in child protective services, as well as two mothers who had themselves experienced a CPS investigation. As a former journalist, it was very important to me to get the details right, although I still worry I might have missed something.

What drew you to writing book club fiction?

I’ve always been drawn to stories about life’s moral gray areas, and especially stories in which different characters have diametrically opposing viewpoints on an issue, but it’s not entirely clear to the reader who is the villain and who is the hero. I think book club fiction is the perfect medium for these kinds of stories, because there is so much to discuss.

I also belong to multiple book clubs myself, one of which I’ve been in for more than ten years now. I’m a huge fan of talking about books, so one of my biggest goals as a writer is to spark discussion among readers.

What’s your favorite part about writing/being an author? What do you find challenging?

My favorite part is editing! I love puzzles, and to me solving a sticky story problem feels like doing a really tough jigsaw puzzle, as you try to get all the elements of plot and character and theme to fit together as a cohesive whole. I also really enjoy working with editors and beta readers, and incorporating feedback into my story.

So far the worst part has been the anxiety around marketing and book sales! While I love connecting with readers, I hate feeling like a salesperson. Growing up in Wisconsin with parents from Ohio, I was very much bathed in the culture of Midwestern humility, so it’s uncomfortable to have to keep talking about myself and why people should buy my book.

If you were speaking to someone who hasn’t read your writing before, why should they want to read All They Ask Is Everything?

See previous question, lol. But I’m seeing a few trends among my early reader feedback, with people using words like “propulsive,” “gripping,” and “heart-wrenching” to describe my novel. Readers also seem to like the layered characters and multiple points of view, although they’ve had wildly different opinions about which character would be the best mother for the girls in the end—if you’re looking for a meaty story that prompts a heated discussion, this might be the book for you. 

What do you hope readers will take away from this story?

I hope readers come away with a more nuanced view of foster care and a less judgmental stance toward mothers who are struggling. We all need a village!

Any words of wisdom you give your pre-published writer self (or to a new writer)?

Take it one step at a time — the process of getting published can feel daunting, with so many steps and gatekeepers along the way. But if you just keep writing and working on your craft, you’ll get there in the end! Also, the cliché of “the darkness before the dawn” really seems to be true in the trenches of querying and submission… each time I was finally ready to give up, that’s when I finally broke through. 

What are your interests outside of writing and reading?

Fostering kittens!! My family started fostering during the pandemic, and since then we’ve fostered more than 15 litters. Although it’s a lot of work and can be very messy, cuddling kittens is an amazing stress reliever. I also love swimming laps, playing board games, and hiking around the Pacific Northwest.

Are you working on a new project? Please tell us about it. 

I’ve got approximately 85,000 messy words of a second novel, also in the genre of book club fiction/ family drama. This one tells the story of the wife of a famous marriage researcher who is secretly very unhappy in their relationship. It’s similar to my first book in that it’s got starkly contrasting POVs and takes a deep dive into motherhood and identity, but it’s also focused on gender roles and the impact of success on a marriage. The project still needs a lot of work, but I’m excited to dive back into it once the excitement of pub week dies down!

What was the last book you read? What did you think of it?

I just finished a fabulous book called This Used to Be Us by Renee Carlino. It’s a story about the unraveling of a 22-year marriage, told from the vastly contrasting perspectives of the husband and wife. I love these kinds of multiple-POV stories where you can identify with both perspectives but they are cleary in opposition to each other, so this book was right up my alley.

Where can readers find you?

Website: https://hadley.ink

Newsletter: https://writingchat.substack.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hadleyleggett/

August 27, noon PST virtual event: https://go.hadley.ink/booklaunch

August 27, 7p PST in-person launch in Seattle: https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/hadley-leggett

Sept 5 launch event at Zibbys books in LA: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/author-event-rebecca-j-sanford-x-hadley-leggett-tickets-928085969117

Thank you, Hadley! All They Ask Is Everything is out TODAY.

All They Ask Is Everything

In this hopeful debut about the silent struggles of motherhood, three very different women want custody of the same two little girls—and learn they have more in common than the children they’re fighting for.

Determined to be a better mother than her own, Hannah has devoted her life to her daughters. She ignores her increasing exhaustion and isolation as a widowed mom—until a disastrous mistake lands the girls in foster care.

Julie is single and lonely and dreams of being a mother. After infertility issues lead her to foster parenting, she falls head over heels for Hannah’s daughters. The more she bonds with these sweet, precocious girls, the more she worries about their previous home life and becomes intent on finding a way to keep them.

Recently forced into retirement, Elaine is devastated by the way her daughter, Hannah, has shut her out. When she discovers her granddaughters are in foster care, she resolves to rescue them from the system: her one chance at a parenting do-over.

Each woman thinks she’s the best possible mother, but none understands the full truth. Old hurts, long-held secrets, and budding new relationships collide as they fight for the girls who could make them a family.

Author bio:

Hadley Leggett is a novelist and science writer whose winding career path has included degrees in medicine, biochemistry, Spanish, and journalism. After moving all over the United States during her childhood, she now lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and three children, as well as her parents, three cats, and an ever-rotating troop of foster kittens. All They Ask Is Everything is her first novel. Visit Hadley online at https://hadley.ink.