After he read it, we had a very important conversation that I will never forget. He loved the book and was deeply moved by it. Killing Lady is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and writing that scene was very painful for me.Įileen: Did any of your family members read the manuscript before you submitted it for publication?Ĭheryl Strayed: Eileen, I did not send it to any of my family members to read to grant me permission or anything, but I did give my brother an advanced reading copy. Things up close are usually more beautiful or more horrible than we imagine.īrian: Hi Cheryl! Like the PCT, also tidier in the abstract.Ĭheryl Strayed: Exactly, Brian.

It was that I had a different, tidier idea of how it would be to kill an animal. My brother shot her exactly where and how he was meant to. The thing about the killing my mom’s horse is that it went terribly wrong even though nothing actually went wrong. Stephen Elliott: That is definitely the quickest we’ve ever gotten to the horse.ĭavid B: The horse scene still haunts me.Ĭheryl Strayed: Did I not write the caliber in the book? It was in there in one version. Isaac Fitzgerald: We’re jumping right to the horse? 6:01 and we’re doing the horse. I talked to my kids about it a lot, trying to prepare them, but we all really miss each other.īetsy: What caliber weapon did you use to shoot that horse? Telaina: How are the kids handling you being gone? Or are they coming with?Ĭheryl Strayed: Telaina, it’s been a challenge for my family that I’ve been gone so much lately (and also very busy before I was gone), but we’re doing okay. It took a few years for them to grow back, but they did. And grateful, too.Ĭheryl Strayed: David B, my toe nails did in fact heal. I did a little dance.Ĭheryl Strayed: Thanks, Ann! Telaina, I’m stunned about the bestseller lists. Telaina: I am so excited to see you on the bestsellers lists. Others who come have never heard of Sugar.Īnn: Welcome. Janeen: Hello! And I have to get this out of my system, just once: SUGAR!! Yay!!Ĭheryl Strayed: It’s really amazing to meet many of the people I’ve met through online through my Sugar column. Stephen Elliott: Hey Cheryl, Isaac, everybody!Ĭheryl Strayed: My book tour has been so much fun, David. To learn how you can become a member of The Rumpus Book Club click here. Every month The Rumpus Book Club hosts a discussion online with the book club members and the author and we post an edited version online as an interview. This is an edited transcript of the book club discussion. The Rumpus Book Club talks with Cheryl Strayed about Wild, finding forgiveness through writing, Sugar, being photoshopped, and more.

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