Glad Sam finished the book. The mother isn't really based on anyone in any major way - I just observe things, dynamics, and then use the parts I like, and I will say that at least a small part of her is based on - Sam, in the same way that a small part, a VERY small part of Adriana Hofstetter, is based on her daughter, at least the type of girl her daughter was (or that I imagined her to be) when I first met her back in 2006. The rest is from my imagination.