[2] The family converts the Mansion Royale into an events venue to generate revenue, but the father leaves the Philippines after a monsoon destroys the house.

The mother gets into an abusive relationship with another man, Norman, who steals a student taxi business set up by Barnes and her brother Paolo.

[1] Barnes had moved to New York after the events of the book;[3] while in the latter period of her teenage years,[4] she had been adopted by a person in her father's side of the family.

[3] When she attended a master of fine arts (MFA) program at Converse College, her mentor suggested that she create a piece of writing based on information that she had not previously disclosed to another person.

[4] She did additional research through interviewing her father and other family members and by consulting public records of court cases, births, and deaths, as well as queries on Google Earth.