Skip to main content

2014 Nationa Noval Writing Month Begins!


I decided it was time to take my outline and short scene I did for a writing workshop and finally make it into the novel I've talked about for many years. What makes this novel so special to me isn't the fact I'm doing it for NaNo, but the fact it is based on true events from my junior year of high school. The main character is a mirror of myself in that year. The emotions I felt when I lost my best friend have never wholly been shared. I have rarely (and very lightly) talked about this event to anyone. I have never faced down this time in my life and I hope during this process I finally heal completely.


A few words to my dear friend:

Dear Jennifer,

This is the first time in 20 odd years I have opened myself up since your passing. I think of you often and I have never forgot all the times we spent together. You truly were my best friend even though you left us all at such a young age. You were just stepping onto the path of life when it was suddenly and tragically brought to an end. You never attended Homecoming or Prom, Graduated from high school, went to college or raised a family with the man of your dreams. The hardest part I think was we all knew and called the person who stole your life...a friend too. None of us were ever the same in the end and to this day it still hunts me how someone so alive as you never had the chance to experience life to its fullest. It still seems so surreal.

I want you to know the book I begin this November is for you and you alone. Those who get the opportunity to read it are lucky as this is our story and how I know you would want me to tell it.

It's funny so many years ago you said I should become a writer and I laughed at you. You always loved my stories and poems. You really knew who I was even with I doubted and never realized it myself.

Your friendship has and always will be with me in my heart. You are always with me when I write. R.I.P and know your memory will live on not only in the hearts of those you touched, but in my work as well.



Labels:

Comments

  1. Karin LarsonNovember 4, 2013 at 12:49 PM

    Virginia, I am so sorry you had to experience such a tragedy in your life and at such a young life. Good luck in NaNo. Out of tragic events, a gut-wrenching story which will draw many readers will be born giving a fitting tribute to your friend lost so long ago. I look forward to reading your story once published.

    Karin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VS GrenierNovember 7, 2013 at 4:20 PM

      Thanks Karin. I'm hoping this becomes a published novel, but if it doesn't, that is okay too. I'm doing this more for me and Jen's memory.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving a comment.

Popular posts from this blog

Interview Friday with multi-talented author, Cheryl Malandrinos

Cheryl Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor from Western Massachusetts . A regular contributor to Writer2Writer, her articles focus on increasing productivity through time management and organization. A founding member of Musing Our Children , Ms. Malandrinos is also the Editor-in-Chief of the group's quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens . Cheryl is a Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion , a book reviewer, and blogger. Guardian Angel Publishing will release her first children’s book, The Little Shepherd Boy, in 2010. VS: Cheryl, I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today. I know being a parent and writer can be hard and I find myself asking if I am giving my three children enough attention throughout the day. I am sure you have been in my shoes from time to time. So to start here is the first question, how many children do you have and what are their ages? Cheryl: Thanks for having me at The Writing Mama, Virginia. I’m thril
27 comments
Read more

Why Do You Need a Book Trailer

Many writers and illustrators ask me, "Is it really important to have a book trailer for my upcoming book?" My answer is "YES!" Book and Event trailers are a lot like movie trailers. They catch viewer interest if done right. I don’t know if you have noticed, but many BIG publishing houses have discovered the importance of book trailers. They believe in them so much that you can catch them as television commercials. Something you didn’t see 20, 10 and even 5 years ago! Book and event trailers are fast becoming the future in marketing, promotions and school events. Similar to a movie trailer, a book trailer is a marketing tool to assist authors, illustrators and publishers in promoting their work by creating a viral marketing campaign online. You may even have noticed event trailers or home videos making it on the home pages of places such as Yahoo.com. Why is this? Because people are spending more and more time online, and they are looking for entertainment. Wh
9 comments
Read more

VBT-Guest Author Spotlight Donna McDine

      Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78 th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions. Her stories have been published in many print and online publications and her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna has two more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, The Hockey Agony and Powder Monkey . She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids and Publicist for the National Writing for Children Center from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI and Musing Our Children.                What excites you most about your book’s topic? Why did you choose it?       The Underground Railroad was a pivotal time in American history, one that should never be repeated. It is my hope by keeping history alive for each generation that these huge mistakes will never reoccur. Q.     How lon
36 comments
Read more