I have a darling friend who is one of my First Readers. I don’t wish to out her on the blog because she may be shy (for once in her life!). I will just call her M. M is, as mentioned, one of my First Readers. For you writers out there, you know what an important role that is. I have three major First Readers in my life currently: M, my husband, and my agent. Their opinions are so fantastically important to me that I can’t even begin to express how essential–absolutely essential–it is for me when they read my work.
M is also insanely busy, because she’s a Wonder Woman. No, really, she is: great friend, great wife, great mom, great student, great teacher, the whole works. I say this because even though she is insanely busy, she asked to read Marvel among the Demons this summer, once her semester was over. As I said, First Readers are the best, the most loyal, the most wonderful.
And so, I was at a Woe Am I point in my work, the low “whatever will I do??” sticky situation, and M and I chatted on Facebook. She asked what the problem was, and I told her: “I need my heroine to fight some demons with a boy, meet up with another boy and maybe spark, and then find out something about herself that alienates everyone around her.” “Oh!” M. said. “Just everything awesome, nbd.” Her words were more specific than that, I assure you, but the gist of it is the same. This inspired me in the way that only chats with your trusted First Readers can. YES! She is awesome. She does need to kick ass. I had forgotten, you see, the fun part of this book.
Thanks, M., for your help 🙂
The Postmodern Bluestocking 