I Found Michele
I recently wrote a 80,000 word story based in the Twin Cities about a guy, Steve who works at an Amazon warehouse, who meets an incredibly beautiful, smart girl, Michele, who is a senior partner at a (fictitious) accounting firm. Shes 4 inches taller than him (probably five), not only is she a CPA but she is also an attorney. (Did I also mention she’s nine years older than he is?) The story also has a lot of running gags involving certain former Patriots quarterbacks and whether they could win the All-Valley Karate championship.
This was an exercise to prove that I could beat the NaNoWriMo, which requires people to write 50,000 novelas in 30 days. Once I got started on this, I just kept rolling. Mostly, I wanted to see what was going to happen next. And then when it was done I went back and corrected grammar, added sections, changed things around. Some passages were sacred and did not change. But it was one of the most rewarding exercises I have writing.
I would consider it a rom-com, which seems to be my wheelhouse. I tried writing a straight sports story but I said, no, everyone is going to know what is coming. There are some other ones, but I lost interest, which I find happens a lot. In those cases, I just let them sit and try again. This is a big reason why I haven’t conquered NaNoWriMo.
I’d like to go back to the Twin Cities and I did leave the door open for one of the characters to go off on his own story and I may do that; but it almost seems too easy. My therapist suggested a story in Boston and I might do that. So far I’ve challenged myself with Green Bay and Pittsburgh/Columbia, SC. The Pittsburgh story has some promise but I need to get back on it.
I will say, when I get rolling, I get rolling. I will be up until 2am at the keyboard banging it out, because I’m just that into it. And that’s where I want to be.
My idea is a rom-com involving Danny Amendola and Heidi Watney, who are themselves but under different names. That’ll be a good one — if I think of a concept.
Now I told you that story to tell you this one: I was looking for someone who looked like Michele, how I envisioned her. And there wasn’t anyone that was close.
And then I saw her. THAT’S Michele! Beautiful brown eyes. Thousand watt smile. Shoulder length brunette. And freckles. Always freckles. One of the most powerful women in America, with freckles. THAT was Michele.
I haven’t found Steve. He reminds me of this guy Garth I went to high school with (didn’t know him) but with more of a love of life. Garth is probably thin on top and Steve did shave his skull.
If I do publish it, hopefully people will (a) take a shot on it (b) enjoy it and (c) find it believable with characters you grow to love and care about.
I haven’t written nearly as much as I should be but aside from a short story I wrote in 2008 (which is referenced in this) I am as proud of this work as anything I’ve done.
Perhaps coming to an Amazon near you. Once I decide on a title, that is.
