Goldman wrote the original novel while experiencing writer's block, when writing Boys and Girls Together (published in 1964).

"[2] Goldman was worried about never finishing Boys and Girls Together, so he gave himself two weeks to write the new novel.

There was a great feeling that Boys and Girls Together was going to establish me as a critical figure, which of course was the reverse of what happened, and Hiram kept saying, "I think you'll damage yourself if you bring this out first.

[4] In 1968 the novel was filmed as a black comedy thriller directed by Jack Smight, with a screenplay by John Gay.

[5] The film starred Rod Steiger, Lee Remick, George Segal and Eileen Heckart.