What was your typical routine or process when writing this book? When, where, or in the telling of which stories did you find the words really flowed?
Well, I began the book shortly after the end of my presidency when I was on an actual vacation with Michelle. I'm old fashioned, so I found yellow legal pads, bought some pens I liked — I was very particular about the pens — and by the end of the trip, I had a clear outline of the book in my head.
Sitting down to actually write it was a different story, which I'm sure you've figured out, seeing as that trip with Michelle was almost four years ago. But, eventually, I found my flow, especially during the summer when we had a deadline to hit.
As for what I had the most fun writing, I'd say the answer is the stories about our family. When we were in the White House, Michelle and I tried to protect our girls from the glare of the public spotlight as much as we could, so I had a blast finally getting to describe some of the simple delights of life with them during those years. Those are some of my favorite parts of the book.
