A Budding Author In The Burbs
Whenever someone asks me what my novel is about, I sum it up for them in one sentence:
“My book is a fictional tale about a scandalous lesbian affair in the suburbs.” This usually elicits one of three reactions: shock, laughter, or disapproval. Next comes some level of interest and a statement like, “Wow! Now that’s something I would read!” A little tip…be able to summarize your concept in a single sentence. The pitch needs to be catchy and something you can say to anyone who asks about your book.
If you’d told me at the age of eight when I received my first typewriter, that someday this is the book I’d be writing, I probably would have asked, “What’s a lesbian?” It was the late 70s and not something as prevalent in society as we see today. I’m sure my second question would have been, “What’s an affair?” Although after going through a divorce, with the many characters I met along the way, this was the story begging to be told. It’s been a longtime dream of mine to write a novel on a timely subject.
My love for writing began with pen, paper, and a Hello Kitty diary purchased at the now defunct Hello Kitty retail store circa 1976. How I loved that store! The red colors, the cute dolls, the notebooks, the pens, the toys; I had it all! However, my most coveted item was my Hello Kitty diary.
Once I discovered the joy of writing, I delved into logging the highlights of my days. The hottest topics were my favorite foods, fashion trends, and my friendships. (All of which are super important to a little girl). Next, I moved into “publishing” a family newsletter. By publishing I mean typing up this weekly read on an old-school typewriter. The family paper featured the weather, jokes, poems by yours truly, and updates on the world around us.
My foray into book writing started in 6th grade with encouragement from my favorite teacher, Mrs. Hunter. At eleven years old, I squeaked out 100 pages of a handwritten story. It’s still with me in a Snoopy spiral-bound notebook, written in pencil, nonetheless. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that Snoopy-themed notebook lasted through the years. The title was pretty cute about a 10-year-old “flop,” with accompanying illustrations drawn by my 11-year-old self. Maybe I will turn that into a children’s book someday. Mrs. Hunter gave my story high praise after reading the entire notebook and “grading” it with an A+. It was a defining moment in which I decided that someday in the future, I would write a novel.
Fast-forward four decades and many unfinished stories later, I got the writing bug again. The concept began coming to me so I started taking notes and organizing my thoughts. Soon after I had the plot solidified, I began typing chapters in my spare time. As the process went on, I would work on the story whenever I felt inspired. This often happened late at night, and I would stay up typing furiously into the midnight hours. Before I knew it, I had written the bulk of a book. The fictional content was tough to write at times, but it also stretched my imagination and was a lot of fun.
This book has been years in the making and is a mix of drama, humor, romance, and suspense, with modern relatable characters. It’s about life in suburbia and the complicated dynamics of relationships. As I’m writing this blog post, I’m in what I hope is the final editing stage. It’s been a long process and a labor of love. I am so excited to begin this journey and share it with you. Stay tuned for more tidbits and funny stories from the real suburbs.
Thank you for reading my blog!