Remember how a few months ago I said I was writing a new book? Well, up until very recently I haven't done very much (you know, aside from going to that dang full-time job I've got). Well, I can finally say that I am actually writing my new book. See? This photo proves it. Sort of, anyway.


Fiction is really challenging. People tell me that it should be easy compared to writing a memoir, but it's not. I didn't have to outline my memoir. I didn't have to come up with a plot or characters. I already knew it all. But writing fiction can be very overwhelming. I need to construct this world, filled with people who have actual lives and feelings... But I'm getting there. I've been working steadily for a few weeks and I pretty much think about the book, its plot, or the characters everyday. That NEVER happened before and I've been toying with the same concept for 2 years.

In short, this new book is about a teenage girl named Annaleah whose sort-of-boyfriend has just died. (They would hook up and hang out, but he was a flake and never called and could never really be depended on. But when they were together, just the two of them, it felt perfect. Special.) The first page of the book takes place the morning of his funeral.

Right now I have about 17 typed pages of poems. The pic above is from my journal. I use it on the subway during my commute, if the mood strikes.

The inspiration for this book came from a lot of different places:
* The first is an experience I had when I was about 19. One of my closest friend's friend died suddenly. While I had only met her a few times, it had a huge imapct on me. (this is in my memoir)
* Another inspiration comes from my general fascination with loss and death and how people deal with each. Okay, let's not mince words . . . what I actually mean is my fear of death.
* The next reason it pretty simple. I've had a few "sort-of-boyfriends" and have plenty of experiences to draw from.
* The last reason (for now anyway) is that there are people who I've dated (or been friends with) who are no longer part of my life. I don't talk to them or see them and that feels like a death to me.

I think I might post some early poems from the book. That, and scanned images of a collection of poems I wrote AND illustrated when I was in 6th grade. There's a good chance it might make you laugh so hard you'll cry.