Barbara Walters + daughter Jackie ran away
Barbara explained that she wrote the book for her developmentally disabled sister, Jackie, who she was constantly embarrassed by when she was younger and was always angry with because of her disability. As a matter of fact, she named her adopted daughter Jackie, so her sister would also have a baby.
And speaking of her daughter, Barbara is quick to point out their rocky relationship and how Jackie ran away from home and Barbara was encouraged not to report it because of the media it would get and what that might cause her daughter to do in rebellion. An unthinkable position for any mother. The good news is that Jackie grew up and is now running an outdoor therepy program call "New Horizons," for troubled teens.
Barbara also admits that she has a lot of regrets, like not following through on a crush on Clint Eastwood when he asked her to stay for dinner after an interview. While she’s not nervous about doing interviews, in real life she doesn’t drive a car and "can’t make up her mind" (her daughter blames it on her being a Libra). She doesn’t want a movie made about the book because she doesn’t want anyone to play her sister, mother or father
Then microphones are set up for audience questions. Here’s my chance to be an ace reporter (since HarperCollins refused me an interview…the nerve!). I quickly spit out my gum, introduce myself and throw in PW’s name hoping she’ll take me a little more seriously. I thank her for my nickname, Babawawa, which she acknowledges with a smile and a shrug. Now my hard hitting journalistic question… "Barbara, since you’ve admitted to "have done it all," what romance book have you read and enjoyed lately?" Pausing to think about it, she tells me she mostly reads nonfiction to prepare for her interviews, but she can read her good friend, Danielle Steele’s books in about 20 minutes. She also takes a moment to thank me for PW’s great review and I say, "You’re welcome." Interview over.
Read more: publishersweekly
