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Mary Karr has been called “the best memoirist of her generation” for her three gripping best-selling books: “The Liars’ Club,” “Cherry” and most recently “Lit,” which the New York Times chose as one of the “10 best books of 2009.” The memoir received universal rave reviews, including recommendations in Entertainment Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, the Washington Post and USA Today, which called the book “a redemptive, painfully funny story.” Mary talked with us about the impact the books’ success has had on her life, the Catholic Church and what advice she gives students pursuing careers in writing.

National Writers Series: How do you view the relationship between “The Liars’ Club,” “Cherry” and “Lit?” Some people have called them a “memoir trilogy” – is that accurate?

Mary Karr: It couldn’t be better said. When I wrote the proposal for “Liars’ Club,” it was originally supposed to cover 2/3 of the material that later went into “Cherry” and “Lit.” I had never written prose before, except for literary criticism, so I didn’t know how long it would take. All of the material was standing in line to be written, but I never realized it was going to take so long. “Liars’ Club” took me two-and-a-half years to write, “Cherry” took four-and-a-half years and “Lit” seven years to write. At this rate, I’ll be dead before my next one’s finished, if I write another one.

NWS: You’ve quipped that “a dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it.” Has the process of writing – and putting into the public domain – these three memoirs altered or healed any of your own family dynamics? I’m thinking particularly of your son Dev, whom you dedicated a letter to at the beginning of “Lit.”

Mary: The biggest change in our family was when “Liars’ Club” was published, because we needed the money so badly. Suddenly we had a car and a fax machine and all those fancy things, and I could hire a babysitter, which I couldn’t do before. Having money made a big difference.

Most of the issues with my family had been healed by the time I started writing, so that was in the past. I don’t think I could have written the books if that wasn’t the case. Dev hasn’t read them, but there’s nothing in there he doesn’t know. He made a choice in high school that he didn’t want to read them. There’s sexual activity in there involving his mother, so I don’t blame him. It’s a healthy way to protect himself.

NWS: There seems to be a long history in the artistic community of struggles with substance abuse, depression, metal illness and so forth. Some artists have even talked about refusing treatment for these issues, because they believe it’s linked to their creativity. Was there any connection for you between the two, and did you have any fears that recovery might change that?

Mary: I think Hemingway was one of those artists, and he ended up blowing his brains out. I know one thing – when you put a shotgun in your mouth, your writing activity virtually stops.

I probably had those fears, but I don’t remember them. I had just been so depressed for so long. But I do know that I wrote better and more after I stopped drinking. That’s when my career really took off. If I had continued to drink, maybe I would have been more brilliant than I am now, but I doubt it. (laughs)

NWS: As someone who sometimes struggles intellectually with the idea of God and faith, I admired your honesty about coming to terms with Catholicism and embracing spirituality. Is that still a challenge for you? Particularly being so involved in academia, do you get any pushback on your faith?

Mary: Oh sure. People make fun of me all the time. I’m a sitting duck – especially being a Catholic now, at this point in time. I was talking to a colleague yesterday who was making fun of it: “Man, your Church…” Well, just because I’m a Catholic doesn’t mean I endorse pedophilia. As far as that goes, I’m Catholic the way I was an American when George W. Bush was in office.

I have not been privy to any of the negativity. Every nun, every priest, every confessional has held nothing but loving mercy for me. No one’s ever wagged their head or looked down their nose at me. It’s not hard for me to believe there’s evil – there’s evil in every hierarchy. If 2% of the planet are pedophiles, then 2% of the priests will probably be pedophiles.

Anyone who knows me – who knew what I was like before I was Catholic and what I’m like now – has the sense that I’m a happier, more functional human. It was a big win for me. And for Jesus. (laughs) Wins all around.

NWS: Students and teachers are a key component of the National Writers Series. As a literature professor at Syracuse, what are the most important lessons you try to instill in students who are studying English and writing?

Mary: To read. That’s kind of the big thing. People will tell me they haven’t read much, and I say, “Why would you want to be a writer?” If you don’t read, don’t become a writer.

I would also say to pay attention to history, not the marketplace. If you look back over the important magazines and the literary prizes and who was winning them, it wasn’t Frost and Pound and William Carlos Williams. When you read the Pulitzer and Nobel prize lists, you’ll see 30 people you never heard of – and then Faulkner. History culls out the good from the bad. You don’t want to be competing with somebody who’s today’s news. You want to be competing with Faulkner. You’ll never win, but at least you’re in a real game.

NWS: In terms of your next project – it sounds from interviews like you’re ambivalent about the idea of writing fiction…

Mary: I would love to write fiction! I don’t know how it’d turn out, but I’d love to try. I really do pray about what to write. I wish I knew what I was writing next. I’m working on poems right now because my time is so chopped up. I only have a few hours here or a few hours there, and you really can’t do a prose project in those circumstances. I can’t imagine not writing another book, but I don’t know what it will be. If anyone out there knows, they’re welcome to send me their suggestions.

NWS: And you plan to continue teaching?

Mary: I love teaching. As a kid, I used to think the greatest thing would be to have my dreams come true. As an adult, I’ve realized that what’s really great is helping other people’s dreams come true. I had a student from 10 years ago sleeping on my sofa last night, who was in town to see his editor. He has this fat advance coming to write two books of fiction. I love that. I love seeing students come into their powers of writing. It’s like watching a sunflower open.

That being said – don’t send me your manuscript or poems. (laughs) I don’t want to read them. I don’t want to help you write your book. If you’re in prison, I don’t want to marry you. Other than that, I’m happy to hear from you.

Mary Karr will appear at the City Opera House next Sunday, April 18. Her memoirs, including “Lit,” “Cherry” and “The Liars’ Club,” are in local bookstores now.