WOW! Women on Writing
Book Blog Tour
Michael R. French’s
THE GOOD MOTHER TEST
What makes a good mother you ask?
That’s a great question and we ask that YOU leave your answer in the comments - thanks!
And now onto our tour - we are happy to welcome back to WOW! Women on Writing, author Michael R. French with his latest book The Good Mother Test!
About the Book: When Emily, a bright but impulsive UCLA student, gives birth to her daughter Violet, she vows to be the kind of mother she never had: endlessly loving and fiercely protective. But single motherhood is a test with no right answers.
As Violet’s brilliance and independence unfold, Emily’s instincts clash with a world obsessed with achievement. Then Violet’s father, Doug, returns, now partnered with Amanda, a celebrated therapist unable to have children of her own. What begins as an amicable co-parenting plan becomes a psychological struggle for Violet’s heart and future.
Told through the eyes of both mother and daughter, The Good Mother Test is a deeply moving contemporary novel about family, ambition, and the fragile line between devotion and control. It asks the reader what makes a good mother, and what happens when love itself is put to the test.
The Good Mother Test
Not Trying to Heal My Inner Child While Raising One
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-948749-90-9
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-948749-92-3
Audiobook: Coming Mar 10, 2026 Narrated by Laurie Bower
Library of Congress Number: 2026900284
About the Author:
Michael R. French graduated from Stanford University, where he studied English and creative writing under Wallace Stegner, and later earned a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. After serving in the U.S. Army, he married Patricia Goodkind, an educator and entrepreneur, and began a family.
French is the author of more than twenty books, including award-winning young adult novels, adult fiction, biographies, and self-help titles. His work has been warmly reviewed in The New York Times and honored with multiple literary prizes. He has also written or co-written several screenplays, including Intersection, which has received awards at more than twenty film festivals.
His passions include travel, collecting rare books, and spending time with family and friends. He describes his worst traits as impatience and saying “no” too quickly, and his best as curiosity, risk-taking, and learning from failure.
Words of Praise:
“…A highly readable, relatable novel about ordinary people interacting, clashing, and blending their lives in however a messy or successful manner they can, and will attract readers interested in the psychological dovetailing of family and relationship-building which all boils down to luck and trust. These elements move full circle to guide characters and readers in an unexpected journey towards new beginnings and hope, making for a hard-hitting, satisfying read.”
-- Midwest Book Review
“French shows a skillful hand with characters’ voices and dialogue, effectively
capturing very different perspectives in both third and first person.
The scenes of tension and suspense work well.”
– Kirkus Reviews
Author Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto…
WOW: Welcome back, Michael! I’m so glad you are here!.Congratulations on your latest book baby! The Good Mother Test feels different from some of the other books we’ve discussed together in the past. Where did your inspiration come from, and why a book about a mother, written by a man?
Michael: The start of the novel came from my wife and I watching our daughter, a single mom,
prepare to have a baby. At age 40, with several careers behind her, she decided that she
wanted a child and being a mom would be her “real career.” She liked sharing with us the
details of the pregnancy, the ordeal of giving birth, and then raising her son the last three
years. I was impressed by her patience, improvisation skills, and rebalancing her life. We
talked about her expectations, dramas, joys, setbacks, chronic sleeplessness, and the bond
shaping her and her son. My wife and I continue to be involved as both caretakers and
curious observers.
As the days spooled into one another, they had the ingredients of an irresistible story.
I didn't think of myself as a male author weighing in on a subject where I was an “outsider.” I
was curious, deeply empathetic, and began to understand what my daughter and other
mothers had to go through, and sometimes largely on their own. I began the novel a couple
weeks after the birth and wrote almost every day for the next two years. Our grandson is
now three. The mother in the novel, Emily, is a combination of my daughter and other
women I’ve met debating about having a child or children, or none at all. The complexity of
this far-reaching decision always gets my attention.
In my novel, Emily raises a daughter, not a son, because for me girls and women are harder
and more interesting to write than men. I’ve read good novels about mothers and fathers and
raising families by dozens of authors, and every story is unique. I wanted to capture what
was unfolding in front of me. That said, the novel ends up spanning two decades with three
main characters who interact with each other from different motives. There are interesting,
complex men in the story, and a super driven woman therapist with an agenda. The daughter
that Emily raises, Violet, is a tour de force with tough decisions to make as she grows up.
Her pivotal story takes place over the last 150 pages of the book, and includes a love story.
The novel also deals with our country’s low birth rate, privilege, and how to be a decent,
smart mom when the chips are down. There are markers and tests along the way.
WOW: What a beautiful explanation Michael; thank you for taking time to explain this back story to us. Also, congratulations on your new role as grandfather! Has The Good Mother Test helped you deepen and strengthen your own familial relationships?
Michael: For a story to hold my interest, a family dynamic—the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows—gets tested in ways the characters don’t always anticipate, and often they don’t like or respect it. In our situation, after our grandson was born, my wife and I had to juggle our schedules to meet our daughter’s needs, similar to what all parents do throughout their children' s lives. The sacrifices, and sometimes mistakes, that got made were never regretted for long because lessons were learned and our grandson was priority number one. Still, emotional adjustments and expectations had to be fluid. In any relationship, the glue of flexibility becomes crucial if you want things to work with a coefficient of harmony and purpose. Our daughter and infant son were learning the same thing at the same time. It was all memorable, peaks and valleys.
WOW: Speaking of ebbs and flows or peaks and valleys, I must ask: When you wrote The Good Mother Test, did the final product match the enthusiasm and curiosity with which you tackled the book. What were the biggest challenges?
Michael: Writing something for two years or longer, almost every novelist will attest, can be a roller coaster. There are good days and frustrating ones. Unless you’re a strict genre writer, you’re not following a formula; and even if you are writing genre, you still have to improvise and problem solve at unexpected junctures. Perseverance, patience, and a worth ethic help a writer. Some of my challenges were to achieve a depth in the five or six secondary characters. They had to be interesting and important in their own right to deserve being in the story. I also wanted to be totally accurate about the freeways, restaurants and neighborhoods of L.A. because “setting” is a kind of character, too. In the end, I was very happy with TGMT and hope its many parts comes together to both entertain and even enlighten. I was certainly enlightened by writing it.
WOW: How did you research this particular book and others that you have written? What advice do you have for other authors when writing from the perspective of another gender?
Michael: In over fifty years of publishing fiction and non-fiction, novels are my favorite. My first
commercially successful novel was Abingdon’s. It was about the department store,
Bloomingdale’s, the cool place in Manhattan to be seen and shop in the Seventies. I
had a broad swath of characters: a shoplifter, a janitor in the boiler room, shoppers of
different ages and persuasion, disgruntled wannabes, and unique personalities in the C-
suite. Obviously, this was all pre social media, but observing it day in and out was like
looking at a screen. The plot involves a terrorist bomb threat. I did tons of research to
make everything as accurate and believable as possible. Research somehow became
one of my calling cards as a writer. I don’t write genre fiction, but to be grounded in
verifiable facts I find essential to good story telling. Readers do, too.
The art of writing from the perspective of another gender is actually complimented by
good research because you’re showing the reader that you know what you’re talking
about. Complimented, yes, but of course creating a living, breathing character has
mostly to do with other things. Your ability to empathize and sympathize is essential.
The depth of your imagination is as well. I can’t explain what “depth” means other than
your imagination needs to be highly-inclusionary; monsters, aliens, obviously, but also
you have to be the star of your own dramas. You allow yourself to play whatever gender,
age, and circumstance you want. The freedom is exhilarating. I had an imaginary pet
gopher when I was four or five and my mother allowed me to take it with us to the
supermarket. I was an undisciplined early student because, like many boys, I couldn’t
focus. Everyone’s mind fills with something, all the time, and when you become aware
of this and accept that everything in your mind and heart has meaning, you’re a much
happier person. Self-acceptance of course is always a struggle. For years I ran from
myself, but once in college, and I could breathe, self-expression became my life-blood.
Regarding the characters in The Good Mother Test, which I’m blogging about for the
release of the novel, I think my deep sympathy for Emily comes from my relationship
with my maternal grandmother. For twelve years of my life, this woman was an all-
accepting, all-forgiving, never voice-raising human being whom I trusted. Emily’s
daughter, Violet, ultimately has to decide how close she want to be with her mother, one
of the main themes of the book. It’s such a crucial thing, and many ways to think about
and interpret.
WOW: Thank you as always Michael for being such a joy - I enjoy our time together and look forward to the next big project! I can’t wait to hear all the reviews and thoughts on The Good Mother Test!
Blog Tour Dates:
February 23rd @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning with coffee than a muffin? Join us on the WOW! blog today and celebrate the launch of Michael R. French's book The Good Mother Test. You can read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book too.
February 24th @ Bring on Lemons with Sara Erdmann
Wisconsin mother and reader Sara Erdmann shares her review of Michael R. French’s
The Good Mother Test with readers at Bring on Lemons. You won’t want to miss what this mother of 5 has to say!
https://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
February 25th @ Fiona Ingram Author
Fiona Ingram puts Michael R. French’s The Good Mother Test in the spotlight at her blog today - stop by and learn more about this accomplished author and his latest highly acclaimed book!
February 27th @ A Wonderful World of Words
Joy at a Wonderful World of Words puts Michael R. French’s
The Good Mother Test in the spotlight at her blog today - stop by and find out why this book belongs on everyone’s TBR pile!
https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
March 1st @ Book Bunnies
Stop by Book Bunnies and read this review of The Good Mother Test. Michael R. French has done it again and created a touching and unforgettable tale you won’t be able to put down!
March 2nd @ Chapter Break
Julie at Chapter Break interviews author Michael R. French about his latest book,
The Good Mother Test. Stop by and gain more insight into this highly acclaimed author and his latest book baby!
https://chapterbreak.net
March 5th @ Storey Book Reviews
Today’s spotlight at Storey Book Reviews shines on none other than author, Michael R. French and his latest book,
The Good Mother Test. Don’t miss this shining star in today’s author spotlight!
https://www.storeybookreviews.com
March 8th @ Sarandipitys
Today’s spotlight at Sarandipitys shines on none other than author, Michael R. French and his latest book, The Good Mother Test. Don’t miss this shining star in today’s author spotlight!
March 11th @ Bring on Lemons with Crystal Otto
Wisconsin mother, reader, student, and musician Crystal Otto shares her 5 star review of Michael R. French’s The Good Mother Test. Stop by Bring on Lemons to learn why you need to get your hands on this amazing book today!
March 14th @ World of My Imagination with Nicole Pyles
Nicole shares her review of Michael R. French’s The Good Mother Test. Stop by World of My Imagination to find out what Nicole has to say today!
March 15th @ Substack with Nicole Pyles
If you didn’t get enough of Michael R. French’s The Good Mother Test yesterday, stop by Nicole’s substack today and learn even more!
March 17th @ Bring on Lemons with Tina Brouchoud
Wisconsin mother and avid reader Tina Brouchoud shares her honest review of Michael R. French’s
The Good Mother Test. Stop by Bring on Lemons to hear an interesting perspective on this fantastic book!
https://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
March 21st @ Karen Siddall
Fellow author Karen Siddall shares her review of Michael R. French’s The Good Mother Test. Stop by Karen’s website to hear what she thinks of French’s latest book!
***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
Enter to win a print copy of The Good Mother Test by Michael R French. Fill out the form below for a chance to win! The giveaway ends on March 8th at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly draw a winner the next day and follow up via email. Good luck!
The Good Mother Test Giveaway
I spent time recently in a 3rd grade classroom where the teacher used the book Zathura (Allsburg, 2002) as a mini-lesson and I ordered the book for our home so I could re-create the experience with my 8-, 10-, and 12-year-olds. I have a little different plan than Mrs. Wagner had. Mrs. Wagner was tying the Zathura book into the end of module writing for their space section of science. I however really appreciate the relationship development with the brothers and want to use the story to help my children appreciate one another. I created a plan to teach my children a fun mini writing lesson using Zathura.
About the Author of Today's Post:
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