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ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was it about the atmosphere in D.C. that inspired the book?
JENNIFER CLOSE:I moved from New York, and its such a different city.
Credit: Michael Lionstar
There was so much to get used to.
We moved here and everyone was working in the government.
I know, but its so different from any other job!
You really have to sign up for it.
You become like a professional spouse.
Right, and who wants to do that?
I think that sounds awful.
I started writing it right when we moved here, and I knew she hated DC.
I will admit, I gave her a lot of my first opinions about it.
What is it about politics and politicians that fascinates you, and maybe scares you?
That, to me, is fascinating, and it is disturbing.
I think that, to me, is really interesting.
Its almost like being an actor.
But I think that was really where I got my characters.
There is something that people have that makes them charismatic, and you dont know what that is.
Was Jimmy inspired by someone in particular?
He was inspired by a lot of different people.
And hes also not that nice!
Hes not a mean character, but hes just sort of the typical, charismatic person.
Thats what I wanted him to be.
The kind of person that everyone wants to be around at a party.
Jimmy and Ash are from Texas, and eventually both couples move to Texas for Jimmys campaign.
The original title of the book wasSouthern Efficiency,from a J.F.J.
quote, so I knew Jimmy was Southern.
I wanted him to have an accent.
Theres something about politicians from the South who have this weird charm, this homey feeling.
I probably ended up picking Texas randomly… and because Texas is a weird place.
Was it difficult to write about that intangible charm that certain politicians have?
You know that section where I talk about how Matts words sound better when Jimmy says them?
That part wassohard for me to write, because it is this unnameable thing, right?
It was hard to describe without it seeming creepy, either.
I wanted Jimmy to be someone who people just want to be around.
Was that a real story youd heard, or did you just make it up?
In college, I worked at this special needs preschool.
And there was this little kid there he wassocute but all of these other kids were obsessed with him.
These are three- and four-year-olds.
He wasthree.But there was something about him.
They were just so excited to see him whenever he walked in.
It was like, How is he a famous person as a three-year-old?
But to say it about a three-year-old?
Its such a weird thing.
Was there one part of writingThe Hopefulsthat was the most fun for you?
And also just trying to capture the personalities that are here.
Especially people that have worked on the campaigns together, theyre like this weird family.
Theyre traveling together, theyre staying up late, and all this stuff its like this crazy bonding experience.
No one else understands it.
It is such a different place to live.
The Hopefulshits shelves July 19.
