My poor girl on the shell definitely does not live a life of hallmark moments. She is a product of her time and generation, and to tell her story well, for happily ever after to have bang I'm letting Chrissie grow up with quite a few NOT hallmark moments. I think it's hopeful for all the rest of us, us women out there who sometimes have messy lives, when we do dumb things and we know we shouldn't, when we make our mistakes and are the ones who occasionally mess up our forever, to read a character who does just that and somehow ends in happily ever after. If you haven't screwed your life over love, done something stupid over love; you're a woman I haven't met yet so drop me a line.
Women go through complex and often times difficult moments. In my circle of friends, it seems we've shared a lot of the same NON hallmark moments. Somehow we're all doing pretty OK. I think it's a combination of my age and just knowing so many shared experiences of my gal pals that's made me want to write a series this way: messy, complex, very not perfect moments, and humans who actually make mistakes. Humans we actually sometimes don't like. Having been married forever I assure you there are times I love my husband but I don't like my husband. There are times he doesn't like me. But that's OK. I don't want a perfect man. Clearly he doesn't want a perfect woman--he married me-- It's enough we're perfect for each other. Somehow we've been happily ever after for a pretty long time.
I consider the second half shell book the book of mistakes. I've always thought you've got have mistakes, some pretty big mess ups, if you really want happily ever after to have a substance. I could be wrong. It just might be it only has substance for all us women who do not live hallmark moments 24/7. The women who live greeting card moments might just end up throwing my book at me. But we will see.
The first book was an intense emotional read. The second book is more like that nervous, anxious feeling you having waiting in line for a giant roller coaster. And then I let loose in the 3rd book, an intense journey of blind turns and rushing emotions, all questions answered, all mistakes thrown on the table, a roller derby of passion and true love where we get to happily ever after my way. Or do we? What would be the fun of me telling you that.
As ever, I wish you Peace.
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