Hepinstall, who was born in Odessa, Texas, now lives in Austin. She spent a large part of her childhood two hours from the Louisiana border. The idea that there could be a house where men heal women with kisses, and heal themselves in the process, is intriguing to say the least. As for the idea of men servicing women, I can't remember exactly how it came about, but it seems as though it started as a house where men castrate themselves. My brother and a friend expressed horror when this idea was passed by them.
People remember it as a glorious time.
I think that positioning a story around a war or some other major event gives it resonance. And I'm nostalgic for the past. I try to be authentic about clothing, housewares, products, etc of a certain time period. But women were perhaps more helpless in relationships than they are today. As far as I know, most married women were dependent on their husbands, financially.