Author Rachel Howard joins Insight with her debut novel, “The Risk of Us.” The book is about a woman in her 40s who really wants to become a mother.

An opportunity presents itself for her and her husband to foster a child, with the ultimate goal of adopting her. Their experience with 7-year-old Maresa brings them great joy. But she has anger issues and is troubled, which puts strains on the marriage.

Over the course of the next year, Maresa reaches the age where it would be hard for her to be placed in another family. But, because of the difficulties, the couple reaches the point of having to make that pivotal decision of adopting her. Or not.

You can see Rachel Howard at Time Tested Books in Sacramento on Thursday April 25 at 7:00 p.m.

Listen to Howard on This American Life in 2007.