Emily Barr author of Things to Do Before the End of the World Joins SI Meeting Recap

Emily Barr joined us from across the pond to discuss Things to Do Before the End of the World. First, we caught up. Emily’s kids are prepping for exams, and we discussed what life is like in these post-Covid (although still very much raging) times. Some of us have Covid-arrogance, having yet to get it despite constant exposure, some of us have already had and know better, and some of us are still protecting loved ones (or ourselves) with compromised immune systems. It turns out everything is the same in England as it is here in the US, just with a different accent.

Pleasantries sorted, we jumped into the story. Emily actually went to a psychic course with her husband while researching this book. Turns out, cheesy, creepy men like to attend these courses to learn how to read palms or tarot cards as a way of picking up women. It didn’t take Emily a crystal ball to see into the future of her fellow course mates! Luckily she learned what she needed and got out. She can still do the tricks she describes in her book, so watch out for those tricks up Emily’s sleeve!

If you found Libby’s social anxiety and shyness to feel real, that’s because Emily used her own childhood shyness to give Libby some depth. Luckily for Emily, it didn’t take a con artist to draw her out of her shell!

Initially, a meteor strike was going to be the big apocalyptic event looming in the background, something that would be narrowly avoided. Editing, however, forced changes, and this time it lucked out. We agreed that the ending, while bittersweet, was a really good one. Luckily, Emily had inspiration from her research for her debut YA novel, The One Memory of Flora Banks, in the form of diseased corpses in Svalbard. The ice buries fears, or in Svalbard, bodies ravaged by diseases like the Spanish Flu. What happens when the ice melts and all those diseases are released into our atmosphere? 

And so The Creep was born, that looming monster in the back of the book waiting to gobble up all the characters. There is enough realism in it to believe that this could actually happen, and without the need to explain and over explain the science of the threat. 

We knew it was coming, and we knew it wasn’t likely that The Creep would get solved in time. That wasn’t really the point, was it? What came as a surprise to us, however, is that Emily didn’t have the idea of having an apocalyptic event until well into writing the story. It was more of a twist for her as she was writing than for us.

We also discussed the hidden story of Amy, Libby’s mom. In the background, she reunites with a daughter she gave up for adoption and battles her powerlessness, her anxiety, and her depression, all in the background. Something about this hidden ‘behind the words’ story gives the overall story that much more depth. 

Originally, Natasha wasn’t going to be Libby’s cousin after all, but rather just a con artist looking to score one last time before the end of the world. Editing, it seems, is a ‘pick your battle’ kind of thing, where authors are confronted with either defending their work and keeping things in, or revising their work. Emily managed this balance well, creating a thought provoking story. And if this book, or any other, gets optioned and moves forward in TV or movies? Emily is A-OK with sitting back, collecting that check, and seeing what someone else creates with her story in a completely different media. Just as long as she doesn't have to promote it.

That pesky self promotion on social media is a job all on its own, and Emily isn't immune to having to promote, promote, promote. Luckily Emily manages it well, so find her on Twitter and let her know you appreciate her hard work! If you dig deep into her Twitter, you’ll even find the vintage Parisian dresses she used for inspiration in the book. Or you can ask Phyllis, as she is particularly obsessed with those dresses. Perhaps too obsessed? Maybe I can convince her to wear them with me when I see her next. I could definitely see her in the silver dress with punk boots, can't you?

So what’s next for Emily? You’ll have to ask Evie Green. Look for a new book in 2023! Do I smell an ARC coming for our book club, or is that the delicious aroma of arctic gasses coming for me? 

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Harry the Tomato was inspired by a real tomato growing in Madrid during Emily's travels. Emily watched, and enjoyed, her own Henry the Tomato, and I for one am very glad that he made it into the book!

So go forth and read, travel the world if you can, for none of know how much time we actually have left. But maybe recycle and reduce your carbon footprint as you can along the way, just in case!