What happens when a stubborn MAGA father, his progressive bookseller daughter, and the ghost of his centrist wife collide in a battle over family, finances, and grudges? In LOUIE ON THE ROCKS (SparkPress, February 4, 2025), author Meredith O’Brien delivers a darkly comedic exploration of political division, generational conflict, and reluctant caregiving. We talked with O’Brien to discuss the inspiration behind her novel, the secrets families keep, and what’s coming next. The Inspiration Behind LOUIE ON THE ROCKS When asked about the setting for LOUIE ON THE ROCKS, O’Brien explained that she pulled from her own surroundings:“I wrote what I know, so I rooted the story in central Massachusetts in communities near me.” But what truly drives the novel is its characters—three very different protagonists: While O’Brien admits she’d probably only hang out with Helen in real life, she built the characters to reflect the complexity of family relationships—where love and resentment exist side by side. Family Secrets and Political Divides As she wrote LOUIE ON THE ROCKS, O’Brien realized just how much people keep from each other:“People rarely share their truths and often have no idea what others are really thinking. We hide more than we share. And that’s…