My Double Life from youngest daughter’s point of view

My youngest daughter is still at that point where she reads with Mom and Dad listening to help her with the big words. While we were driving to visit cousins, I thought I would make good use of time and have her read to me from the beginning of the book. Here is the first paragraph of the book: (Which reminds me, as soon as I get someone to update my website, the first three chapters will be on my website along with extra scenes not in the book.)

I didn’t want to write this. Really, there’s a lot that’s happened in the last few months that I’d rather forget. But Mom says I need to have an autobiography on hand, that I need to record all the facts, in case someone writes a trashy tell-all book about me. Mom also told me I should describe her as ten pounds thinner, looking like a fashion model, and being an immaculate housekeeper. So here’s the disclaimer: Whatever else you might think about the events in this story, please keep in mind that my mom is gorgeous and our bathrooms were always clean.

My daughter read the first sentence, I didn’t want to write this, and asked, “Is this book about you?”

“No,” I said. “In novels sometimes authors pretend to be the main character.”

My daughter thought about this for a moment. “So you really did want to write this book?”

“No, actually I didn’t want to write the book. It was my editor’s idea. I wanted to write a fantasy book about wizards.”

This seemed to just confuse my daughter about the whole real-not real aspect of the book. She read through the rest of the paragraph until she came to the last sentence: Whatever else you might think about the events in this story, please keep in mind that my mom is gorgeous and our bathrooms were always clean.
“Oh,” she said, understanding dawning over her, “This book is pretend. Our bathrooms aren’t always clean.”

And that in a nutshell is the difference between fiction and nonfiction.

19 comments

  1. Juju at Tales of Whimsy.com
    March 15, 2010 at 5:40 am

    LOL
    Tooo funny 🙂
    My review of My Double Life posted today:
    http://www.talesofwhimsy.com/2010/03/my-double-life-book-review.html
    I loved it!

  2. Sarah M Eden
    March 15, 2010 at 6:23 am

    Actually, “always clean bathrooms” would be an example of fantasy vs. real life. We have moved waaaay beyond mere fiction with a disclaimer like that!

  3. Rachel Andersen
    March 15, 2010 at 6:44 am

    I love it. Children tell you just like it is, no holds barred.
    Margaret

  4. LucindaF
    March 15, 2010 at 7:22 am

    I have 3 boys. Nuff said about bathrooms.

  5. Janette Rallison
    March 15, 2010 at 9:24 am

    Thanks so much for that awesome review on your blog, Juju! You’re brilliant!

  6. Merry
    March 15, 2010 at 11:28 am

    Hahahahaha!

  7. Kimberly
    March 15, 2010 at 12:14 pm

    I know you already know this, but sometimes the obvious just crys out to be stated. You are one funny lady!

  8. Amber Lynae
    March 15, 2010 at 12:36 pm

    LOL…. You have to love kinds. Well I guess you don’t have to but it is hard not too when they bring so much laughter into our lives.

  9. Annette Lyon
    March 15, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    Note that she didn’t contradict her mother being gorgeous.

    That’s something, right?

  10. Janette Rallison
    March 15, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    Good point . . .

  11. Kathi Oram Peterson
    March 15, 2010 at 6:42 pm

    Too cute! What would we do without our children? 🙂

  12. Krista
    March 16, 2010 at 7:15 am

    Perfect. Too funny. What a great snapshot of your life. Thank you.

  13. Sara
    March 16, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    That’s too funny, gotta love the things kids say. 😉 She may not have (always) clean bathrooms, but she has a great author for a mom, how much cooler is that?!

  14. Sammy
    March 16, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    You didnt want to write My Double Life? 🙁

  15. Janette Rallison
    March 16, 2010 at 10:09 pm

    I did want to write it eventually–but when my editor first told me he wanted me to write a book about a girl who doubles for someone famous, I was a little baffled as to how to pull that off.

    But it did turn out well. The Book Babe says it’s her favorite book of mine yet.

  16. Karlene
    March 17, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    Hilarious! Kids. Geez.

  17. Peggy Shumway
    March 18, 2010 at 6:01 am

    You’re too funny, Janette! Kids are so honest. Dang it!

  18. Erin Edwards
    March 20, 2010 at 7:19 am

    Oh my, I think you lead my double life. My kid once couldn’t find his clean socks because I had folded them and put them in his drawer!

    Now if I could just get that published part to double I would be a happy lady.

  19. Enchanted Etymologist
    March 23, 2010 at 8:50 am

    Hilarious! I want to read the wizard book you wanted to write! 😀

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