The question from a reader is:

What was Manuel thinking when he jetted off to Mexico while Nina was fresh out of the hospital and in need of his support more than ever? I was utterly flabbergasted by it. It seemed a bit far-fetched until I remembered that a lot of these tales are inspired by your own life experiences. So, what’s the deal with this one?

My reply.

Well spotted.

The story in the book was actually 90% based on my own crazy life experience. I never even intended to include it in the book, but somehow, the words just spilt out onto the page.

Yes, I was sick as a dog, barely able to move, and in desperate need of assistance with even the most basic tasks. The man in my life flew off to Mexico a few days after I left the hospital, leaving me high and dry. He did lie about his return date; there was also a hurricane in the mix. I did go to the airport, and things progressed exactly as they did in the book.

It turns out his deep-sea fishing obsession was the real reason for his getaway. And let’s just say some incriminating photos surfaced months later, but that’s a story for another time.