Monday, April 17, 2006

No, no, no - that character isn't you!

Linda has been editing and commenting on my book. I love her edits because she makes little drawings that are much more interesting than proofreading marks. For example, I moronically wrote that someone 'popped her head in my door' and Linda drew a door with a head in it. I wrote a stupid scene involving a sister and her husband slow-dancing, and Linda drew a stick figure barfing into a barf bag. Those are the two WORST examples - the whole book isn't rot.

In one scene I have one of the sisters being completely obnoxious. The sister just happens to be a mom and she happens to use one of Linda's favorite phrases. Linda drew a crabby face in the margin and wrote "Hey - Is this ME? I'm not the basis for this, RIGHT?"

She isn't - HONESTLY. Yes, I stole a few Linda- isms, but the character is a composite, as are almost all of my characters. REALLY! So if/when the rest of you read it, do not freak out if you recognize little bits and pieces, and do not assume that the main character is me - she isn't. REALLY.

4 comments:

Dodi said...

How could you not borrow some Linda-isms? You have a goldmine there.

Plus her isms are contagious. I find myself using them and then giggling to myself. (Thus adding to the crazy catless-lady image I'm developing.)

I want Linda to start editing my work. Barfing stick figures would really liven up my days.

Can't wait for my copy so I can obsessively look for myself and ignore everything else, "What? You want constructive feedback? Add more of me!"

Anonymous said...

can't wait to read about the sauve handsome gay character with a heart of gold.

Karen said...

Sorry, Charlie - gay friend is too much of a chick lit cliche. There is, however a well-dressed park ranger who makes an excellent baba ganoush

Anonymous said...

park ranger has a long history as a literary metaphor for a sodomite. thanks for including me.