Tracey Lange grew up in an Irish American family in 1980s and 1990s New York, like the Brennans in the novel. Like Mickey and Maura Brennan, Lange’s parents raised her and her siblings to take pride in and connect with their Irish heritage. In the Acknowledgements section of the novel, Lange thanks her father for sharing his stories about his upbringing and ancestry with her and her family. Her father’s stories about life in Ireland also partly inspired the point-of-view literary device by exploring Mickey’s life. Louis O’Hare’s background as an Irish immigrant gives authenticity and credibility to Mickey’s point of view as an Irish immigrant. It shows the experience Lange’s family has with Irish and Irish American culture.

The support Lange’s family gave her inspired the theme of The Importance of Family Unity in the novel, and the Brennans’ immense loyalty to each other mirrors that of Lange’s family. She thanks her parents and brother for helping her with research and ideas and supporting her throughout the writing process. She also thanks her husband and sons for inspiring and believing in her. Likewise, the Brennans support each other through all their hardships in the novel and go to enormous lengths to help each other.