In late 1995, Coupland was touring for Microserfs throughout Europe. Coupland returned from his tour burnt out and very fatigued mentally. The period after this tour was, for Coupland, "one of the darkest periods of life". "I could barely open a can of soup or put gas in the car tank". During this dark period, Coupland began to write a new novel. This novel became "Girlfriend in a Coma"; however, he wasn't sure where the novel was going to take him when he began to write it. The novel "pretty well erupted out of [him".