New Books Network Katie Welch, "Ladder to Heaven" (Wolsak & Wynn, 2025)
Jan 22, 2026
In this engaging conversation, Canadian novelist Katie Welch reflects on her latest work, Ladder to Heaven. She shares how a devastating earthquake in 2045 transforms communication between humans and animals, and discusses the complex themes of addiction and stigma through her protagonist Del’s journey. Katie reveals personal inspirations for Del's character and chats about the societal pressures of motherhood. With insights on her lyrical writing style and worldbuilding, she also teases her next project set in a tree-planting camp.
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Fusion Of Personal Recovery And Disaster
- Katie Welch fused a real Cascadia earthquake report with her personal sobriety to spark the novel's premise.
- That blend made the story both globally urgent and intimately grounded in recovery.
Author's Recovery Informs Del
- Katie Welch drew on her own recovery from alcoholism when shaping Del's character and fears.
- She imagined someone who had actually lost children and everything because of addiction to make Del believable.
Gendered Double Standard In Addiction
- Women are held to harsher standards in addiction narratives, and losing children often becomes their 'bottom' that prompts recovery.
- Katie Welch deliberately contrasts societal judgment of Del with Prax's less scrutinized choices.
