Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

For ages, my working title for MUMENTOUS was “Mum’s the Word,” but I never got fully attached to the idea. I then got fully detached after I realized that the word “mum” does not mean the same thing to everybody, which renders the phrase “Mum’s the Word” even more confusing. A confusing title is NOT a good title, so I kept thinking.

I knew I wanted to portray the scale of mums in the title, as well as their importance within their cultural context. This led me to the notion that a Texas-sized homecoming mum is a momentous occasion to the person who wears it, and the portmanteau within a tagline was born:

“all that really mattered is what the MUM-MEANT-TO-US”

Side note: If making up a word is fun, then making up two words is twice as fun. It was at least twice as fun when “mumtrepreneur” popped in my head while I was writing the chapter about the thousands of mum-making businesswomen across Texas and beyond.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

When the first proof of MUMENTOUS arrived in the mail, it was thrilling. With its hefty 9×9” dimensions and hard cover, it seemed so substantial. I hugged it. I hugged my dog while I hugged it. I made my husband take a picture of me hugging it. Imagine my surprise the next morning when I woke up to find MUMENTOUS on the floor with teeth marks across the spine. Apparently during the night, my dog had hugged it with his giant golden retriever mouth.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The most meaningful part of MUMENTOUS was the moment I first wrote my own mom into the story. It was not something I expected or planned to do. She passed away a few years before I began working on MUMENTOUS, and it was really nice to spend time with her again.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

I love this question! I actually created a MUMENTOUS playlist on Spotify as a creative exercise. My playlist is a mighty mix including but not limited to Homecoming by Hey Monday, We Are the Champions by Queen, Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen, Homegrown by the Zac Brown Band, Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, Yellow Rose of Texas by the Fightin’ Texas Aggies marching band, Get the Party Started by Pink, and the best version of Cotton-Eyed Joe I could find.

Read more in Capturing Culture, an interview with my publisher Atmosphere Press