As a writer, I wanted to delve into how the intense polarization of the Trump era exacerbated familial fault lines. 

Meredith O’Brien – 4 February 2025

The Back Flap

For fans of Tom Perrotta, Maria Semple, and Elinor Lipman, a dark comedy about family dysfunction fueled by bitter Trump-era politics, vodka, and a reluctant daughter’s guilt.

Set against a backdrop of bitterly partisan Facebook feuds and a Trump flag set aflame in a driveway, Louie on the Rocks follows the disintegration of the Francis family six months after the premature death of their matriarch, Helen. In his wife’s absence, retired MAGA patriarch Louie descends into an alcoholic spiral and his liberal, queer, bookseller daughter Lulu responds, in a clumsy attempt to save her father from himself, by taking him to court to seize control over his finances.

Told by Louie, Lulu, and Helen—who is watching in horror from the great beyond—this is the tale of a trio with very different takes on the messy events of 2019.

About the book

What is the book about?

A recently-widowed, retired MAGA father and his queer, Elizabeth Warren-loving, bookseller daughter face off over her attempts to take control of his finances in this dark comedy about family dysfunction fueled by ferocious partisanship, vodka, and a reluctant daughter’s guilt.

When did you start writing the book?

I started working on it in earnest in late 2020, early 2021.

How long did it take you to write it?

It took me two-plus years to write the first draft.

Where did you get the idea from?

I’d been working on a different novel during the summer of 2020 when I discovered I couldn’t stop thinking about the increasing levels of political polarization in the country and how it was affecting families and friend groups. During the COVID shutdowns, the 2020 presidential election, and the Black Lives Matter protests, my father and I, who have different political beliefs, began openly skirmishing on social media over politics. As a writer, I wanted to delve into how the intense polarization of the Trump era exacerbated familial fault lines. (Spoiler alert: My father and I no longer discuss politics on or offline.)

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

The ending. I sketched out a couple of options in an outline but didn’t know which one I was going to use until I got to that part of the first draft. The ending feels like a huge aspect of a manuscript because it’s, obviously, the final thing the reader experiences. If I botch the ending, I’ll leave the reader with a bad taste. In this case, I had to trust that the option which felt right in my gut was the most organic, honest choice.

What came easily?

Selecting which real-life events from 2019 – the year in which the book takes place – to weave into the narrative. The overall tension in the book escalated as did the political tensions in the country as 2019 slipped into 2020, when everything went completely off the rails.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

There are pieces of moments and/or experiences I took from the real world. I combined threads of that material with threads from my imagination to knit a fictional story. While the bulk of this story is fiction, there are threads of truth woven throughout.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I gravitate toward realistic, contemporary, dark comedies, like Jonathan Tropper’s This is Where I Leave You, Grant Ginder’s Let’s Not Do This Again, and Tom Perrotta’s Tracy Flick Can’t Win. I admire how they blend their narratives with humorous family dysfunction in a way that feels effortless, like they’re sitting next to me telling me a story over a couple of beers.

My reading habits, in general, are eclectic.

Do you have a target reader? 

Adults (ages 30+), GenX and Millennial readers who are: caring for aging parents, have parents who suffer from substance abuse, and/or have political differences with their parents.

Baby Boomers who don’t understand their grown children’s politics.

Overall: Fans of dark humor and dysfunctional family tales.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so, can you please describe it?

I like to sketch out the history of each character, down to locations and dates of events, including aspects I may not even include in the book. I then create an overall narrative outline that feels tied to that history.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I sketch out a bullet list of narrative points but am flexible if, while I’m writing, I believe the story should move in a different direction than initially planned.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I follow the advice I tell my own writing students: Do one job at a time.

When I’m wearing my writer’s hat, I am the writer and I write whatever I think I should include without censoring myself.

When I swap out the writer’s hat for the editor’s hat, I try to take a clear-eyed look at the work to ruthlessly assess what it needs, what should be cut, and what needs to be reworked.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I paid a professional to edit the manuscript.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I can’t listen to any music with lyrics or else I’ll get distracted. I usually play instrumental jazz or white noise while I’m writing and editing.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process? 

I was drawn to the hybrid-model indie opportunity I was offered by my publisher. Plus, I’d already read two titles by this publisher before I considered submitting my manuscript to them.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

The publisher handled the creation of the cover.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I hired a public relations team.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Western Massachusetts: West Springfield, home of the Eastern States Exposition, otherwise known as The Big E

Where do you live now?

Boston area

What would you like readers to know about you?

I’m a Red Sox fan who started following the Liverpool Football Club as a way to bond with my adult sons who like to talk about little else but British soccer. I’m also a news junkie who drinks way too much coffee.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the sequel to my 2020 medical memoir, Uncomfortably Numb. Uncomfortably Numb 2 will feature stories and advice from an array of multiple sclerosis patients – including me – on living and coping with an unpredictable, incurable chronic illness. It’s slated for publication in 2025 with Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing.

I’m also working on a nonfiction book about the year I spent shadowing a thirtysomething minister during her first, in-person year (her first year was interrupted by COVID) as the leader of a small Massachusetts congregation. Its working title, The Making of a Millennial Minister.

End of Interview:

For more from Meredith O’Brien visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Get your copy of Louie on the Rocks from Amazon US.