Linda Merlino is the author of the riveting suspense novel, Belly of the Whale, recently published by Kunati Books, a young publisher with a liking for controversial works. Merlino's novel features a deeply sympathetic protagonist who's just lost her two breasts to cancer and who's so emotionally and physically exhausted, she decides to give up and stop treatment. That is, until destiny decides to play a trick on her. Then she must do all she can in order to survive and see her beloved husband and children once again.  

Thanks for being here today, Linda. When did you decide you wanted to become an author? Do you have another job besides writing? 

There was no deciding, I knew at a young age that writing was my passion.  Of course, I could not identify it as such but I knew about writing.  Life, however, does not always follow a linear path and my dream of becoming a journalist was sidestepped for a more practical profession.  I was raised in a blue-collar family where having a skill, being able to do something with your hands was understood.  Going to college meant attaching an education to a skill and writing was not something my family recognized as practical or financially worthwhile.  Writing became my safety net but not my day job.  With the publication of Belly of the Whale, I see that it is never too late to pursue your dream, even one that reaches back to childhood.  

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

I was an avid reader as a child.  I read the books of the time, absorbed the classics in high school and college, struggled through Hemingway and later learned to love him the best.   

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story. 

Belly of the Whale is my new release.  It is published by Kunati, Inc, a young publisher that is setting the industry a buzz with its provocative and controversial approach to publishing.  Belly is the story of a young woman with breast cancer.  Twenty-four hours in her life, the day she gives up hope of surviving and the day she is taken hostage in an all-night market by a killer more deadly than her disease.  The inspiration for this book came from a character in the book named Willy Wu.  He is mentally challenged, he is the young man we encounter in our community grocery store, the young man who bags our groceries and collects the cart.  We do not understand how much he processes and we do not know what he is capable of.  Could a young man like Willy be a hero?  I asked this question and wrote a story to answer it.