Three Questions of Crystal Water

1) Loneliness seems to be a theme throughout the novel (i.e. Ikkanshi's isolation on the island, Keiko being unwelcome in Vancouver, Vera's loss of family and struggle to fit in). Do you believe the characters in your novel are inherently prone to loneliness, or are they just victims of circumstance?

2) Why did you choose to describe the woodblock prints as opposed to simply printing the images directly into the book?

3) Were there points in the novel when you wanted to quit on it? When and why?