Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is the author of Every Moment Since and 9 previous novels. Marybeth received a BA in English with a concentration in Writing and Editing from NC State University a long time ago and has been writing ever since. She is the co-founder of The Book Tide, an online community of readers where “a rising tide raises all books.” Marybeth and her husband Curt are the parents of six kids who are now all in various stages of adulting. A native of Charlotte, NC, Marybeth now calls Sunset Beach, NC home.
FF: Handle with Care opens with a gripping hostage situation, but at its heart, this is a story about women’s lives and relationships. What inspired you to center the novel in that emotional space?
I wanted a situation where women who are strangers at the outset are forced to spend time together and, in doing so, find unexpected bonds, and unexpected license to share what they’re really going through.
FF: The story brings together four very different women inside the post office. What drew you to exploring multiple perspectives in this novel?
I knew I wanted these women to be from all walks of life, dealing with their own different issues, yet find commonality. My goal is that anyone who reads this book will think differently—hopefully sympathetically—about the people who are in line with them next time they’re at the post office.
FF: Each of these women enters the post office carrying something unseen—burdens, secrets, or turning points. How did you develop those inner journeys alongside the external crisis?
When I got the original idea for the story, I knew that they would all be carrying something to mail that could change their lives significantly if they mail it. It took a while to come up with what was in each package!
FF: The title Handle with Care feels deeply symbolic. What does it represent for you in the context of these women’s stories?
First, it’s the post office/package analogy. Then, it’s the idea of the standoff that takes place and that the negotiator has to handle the negotiation with care. Finally, it’s that each of these women needs to be handled with a care that they haven’t necessarily received, and from their experience together begin to find it through each other.
FF: While the premise could suggest suspense, the novel ultimately leans into connection and transformation. How did you balance tension with the relational and emotional core of the story?
I had to work to balance reflecting the sheer boredom that causes them to open up as they spend hours trapped with enough action to keep things moving along. Being held hostage makes for a tense and propulsive setting—but the novel is, as you said, not intended to be a thriller or suspense. However, the “what will happen next” element as the situation unfolds is a good way to keep readers turning the pages.
FF: The bonds formed between strangers during the crisis become a powerful thread throughout the book. What do you hope readers take away about human connection in unexpected circumstances?
There’s that Socrates quote, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” That’s definitely one of the themes of this book—just that we never know what people are facing, so a little kindness might go further than we think.
FF: There’s also a negotiator on the outside who is dealing with her own personal struggles. What role does she play in expanding the novel’s themes?
She was not an original character in the book but came later, honestly, because I knew there needed to be more movement outside of the one room where they’re being held. Including her initially added just another element the story needed. But ultimately, she became pivotal in developing sympathy for Tommy’s (who takes them hostage) character, which was important to me from the outset.
FF: Your novels often explore pivotal moments that reshape a person’s life. What is it about these “in-between” or crisis moments that draws you as a storyteller?
When I was in ninth grade we had to write a short story for English class. Mine was about a family of several kids who survived a house fire in which their parents didn’t make it out. I remember I showed it to my mom and she said, “Why don’t you write about happy things?” I think about that often because even at the very beginning I was doing what I’m still doing: putting characters in terrible situations and then delighting as they overcome them. That’s the happy thing to me.
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