A Word About Adlai

A while back a book club (which had read my book) invited me as a guest for their discussion. Something which one woman pointed out (and rightly so) was her frustration with the protagonist's unrequited pining and lingering infatuation over a love interest who had (quite clearly) moved on. Why would I have my leading character demonstrating such overt, naive immaturity? The answer was simple: because I've known too many girls--and even middle-aged women--who have done the same. It was never my intention to present a flawless, enwisened-beyond-her-years heroine with an omniscient sense of direction, and an eagle-eye perspective for where her life is meant to go . Because (let's face it) most couldn't relate to having-it-all-together, anyway. So instead, I created a character with a woeful amount of immaturity and insecurity, who has become accustomed to fear and loss, and therefore allows for her decisions to be led by her own emotions and fight-or-flight impulses. But, thanks to the loving guidance of a few seasoned mentors Providence deems to send her way, she (ever so slowly) begins to learn and grow past her infantile grasp of life and love. It is a painfully slow process, I will grant you--but it is my hope that the wisdom and experience offered by her advisors will help make up for this. My books weren't intended for those of us who have grown past those trying years, but for the young woman presently caught in the confusing chaos of try to find her identity, her God-given purpose, and this mind-boggling, elusive thing called True Love.

And to all my readers, thank you for your avid interest, input, and very fine support!