Hypertext Magazine asked Trish McDonald, author of Paper Bags, “Why is a sense of curiosity so important in your novel Paper Bags?”
By Trish McDonald
From the beginning, I knew curiosity would be the theme of my novel, Paper Bags, so I created a subtitle—Paper Bags: Open with Curiosity. In the publishing process, this was removed because novels don’t typically include subtitles. Enter the artist, Asha Hossain, who designed the cover with the tear in the bag, and now the art itself is an invitation to the curious. What is that red thing tumbling out of the crumpled paper bag?
In the opening scene of the Prologue, Kat McNeil is remembering an affair from a long time ago. As she strikes a match to burn her journals—all that’s left of her memories—a distant voice, wavering but clear stops her. “My dearest, a story wants to be told, a love to be known, a secret to be set free.”
After thirty-four years of marriage, Kat McNeil escapes to a campground in the Florida Keys where she meets and falls for ramblin’ man Sal. Wait a minute, let me see if I have this right—she’s looking for love in a RV park, right?
It turns out Sal is elusive, unavailable, and secretive, and Kat becomes a stalker. Her devious behavior unearths a stunning revelation and Sal admits, “There’s something I never told you about me.” When Sal confides in Kat, she runs away from what she believes is perversion.
Torn between her love for Sal and her parochial upbringing, Kat is faced with a situation she has no idea how to handle. There are no books, guides, not even a catechism to help her. She’s a woman who has always done the right thing—she stayed married, was the perfect wife, followed the rules.
Now, even though she’s knocked off her perfect façade, she’s driven by an inquiring mind and a sense of wonder, and she sets off on a journey of self-discovery and sexual awakening.
Written from Kat’s point of view, Paper Bags asks, “What if the person you love shared a potentially devastating secret?” Would you run away, or would you cast off presumptions and judgments and open the door to curiosity?
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Trish McDonald, according to her DNA profile, is 86% Irish. For a storyteller, this “blarney” heritage comes in handy when writing about issues of childhood trauma. With a background in nutrition education, McDonald combines fiction and self-help in powerful scenes using science-based methods of body work: a yoga class, cranial sacral therapy session, reiki, music, and dancing. It is, however, the healing power of love and intimacy where her protagonist’s journey leads to self-discovery and acceptance. An education writer, McDonald’s credits include national publications, Family Circle President’s Award for nutrition programs, and various academic journal articles. An avid camper, McDonald lives in a RV park in Southwest Florida. Paper Bags is her first novel and can be ordered online. You can also check out Trish’s website here
