Looseness

I am in the busiest stretch of my life so far, so you won't be hearing from me much -- we've got a Bar Mitzvah for one son and applications due for both, and birthdays, homework, life stuff, and, also, I'm writing a book.

So much I want to write about life and moments of transition and some hilarious stuff and some intense stuff... but I will have to wait for a free hour to reflect before I can. Writing requires that, for me -- a block of time to think. I am one who likes FINISHING, so when I have a 2 page double-spaced TO DO TODAY list, I can't allow my mind the time and looseness that writing requires.

That's why I am taking a short break, to focus on family and on crossing things off lists.

Back to JUSTIN and my other imaginaries in 10 days.

Meanwhile, I just got this nice review on TEEN INK of my book YOU, MAYBE. You, Maybe has always generated a fair amount of controversy because (avoiding spoilers but) the narrator, Josie, makes some choices many readers (justifiably) find really bad. I think this reviewer feels that way, too, but seems to have been able to engage fully with the book because of those choices and her own reactions and thoughts to them. I'd be interested in your take, too, if you've read Y, M or another book where the protagonist makes choices you think are wrong... were you able to understand her and connect with her anyway, or was your pleasure in the reading dashed? Did your anger at the character ever make you think about your own life-choices in a different way? Did you ever reread a book (or rewatch a movie and, even knowing what will happen, root for the character to make a different choice this time?

I LOVE when that happens. You?

Okay, thanks for the break. Back to my lists go I...

Til soon,
Rachel Vail