Dear Reader: The Story Behind Houseguest

HouseguestBy Sherry Silver
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Dear Reader,I wrote Houseguest at the turn of the century. It was a way to get out the pent up emotions after a real-life visit from someone I had been virtual friends with for years. I entered it in my first contest, the Mid-Atlantic Writers Contest and it won a 3rd Place trophy and $100 for creative nonfiction. It was later published in The Writers Post Journal.
Anyhow, though I am now marketing it as fiction, because nobody was interested in it or found it when I had it labeled as nonfiction, a lot of it really happened. The largest fictitious part is in omission. Wendy (not her real name) had a traveling companion, a very lovely lady whom I'll call Jean. It was because of this wonderful woman, I didn't kick Wendy out. Jean  brought warmth and laughter to our home. She taught us about her culture and was a delight. I wished Jean was my friend, and not Wendy. But it was awkward.
And now that the years have past, I'm older, wiser and slightly nicer, I regret that maybe I should have been more sympathetic and gone into compassion mode to support Wendy. Oh well. Wendy, I do hope you've healed and found happiness again. I hope you have a wonderful, supportive, handsome wealthy man who spoils you. I hope your children have grown to be happy and successful. And I hope your ex-husband is living whatever life you wish for him.  Have any of you ever met a virtual friend in real life? Was he/she exactly the same in person?
Warmest Regards,Sherry Silver

P.S.
Some of the eBook stores have this story erroneously labeled as "erotica". It is most definitely not. Houseguest a simple tale of friendship. Nothing sexy at all.
Story Summary:Do you have an e-pal across the world that you've "known" for years? Ever wonder what it would be like if you met one day, face-to-face? From someone who's been there, I implore of you, don't! Wendy and I had great fun over the years, bantering on a Bee Gees fan emailing loop. She was such a fun girl. When she said she was coming to visit for three weeks, my family met the REAL Wendy.
Excerpt:Well, Wendy was the very first person that I ever felt a connection with on the Internet. I'd been chatting with her on a Bee Gees fans’ e-mailing list for two and a half years. We were so much alike. She was such a fun girl to banter with. I was really excited that she was coming to visit me, all the way from Australia.
I envisioned deep music discussions, music video marathons and lots of silly laughing. I thought we could walk my kids to school, with Maurice (our yellow Labrador Retriever pup) and then just wander around town, jive talkin’ about the night fever because we know how to do it. I looked forward to taking Wendy to the bookstore on rainy days, where we'd sip tea and read. And I wanted to show her off to my girlfriends. Little did I realize that nobody gets too much heaven no more and I couldn’t see that the joke was on me.
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