Lynn discusses her fictional work, Fata Morgana, which is a character driven exploration of the confluence of two extreme personalities, from very different worlds, who become friends as young girls at a Catholic reform school. One girl, Dixie, represents an individual who lives solely in the present, a world of parties and fleeting experiences, who gulps down life with no thought toward the past or the future. The other protagonist, Susan, is the polar opposite of Dixie, who is afraid of life and lives in fear of the past, present, and future, and intends to become a nun. Yet, Susan is fatalistically attracted to Dixie and lives vicariously through Dixie's actions even though Dixie's lifestyle is ultimately self-destructive. Lynn also discusses the impetus behind writing this novel based on two women Lynn knew from her past. In addition, Lynn describes the difficulties she encountered as the daughter-in-law of Wallace Stegner getting this book published until she used her middle name rather than her last name.
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