Semi-Daily Scribbles

Tess told me she fought with her old editor to keep that part of the story intact. The teen pregnancy/baby makes two part of the novel. I didn't say anything. I simply smiled and nodded and poured Tess a fresh cup of tea. The middle child learns to keep her mouth shut and to play both sides of a fight. I could easily have said Beverly hates the baby angle. How Beverly feels the bundle of joy is a contrivance to make readers care about the protagonist. See, that is the sticking point. No one likes Clara, Tess's heroine (mouthpiece) because she's written as a girl with a genius-level IQ, dates the captain of the football team, and has a full ride to any university on the planet. Parents dead, but wealthy. A perfect, pretty, rich, megabrain. So much like Tess (except for the dead parents part, thank God!) but Clara has the advantage of being a fictional character. A mythical being I can hate instead of my little sister. But this crap is right in Beverly's wheelhouse. She's a writer, too, and works as a developmental editor at one of the three remaining publishing houses. Beverly has it on good authority (her best friend, Melvin, who works for one of the other guys and whom she plied with alcohol to squeeze the details out of) Wattley & Pragle's Young Adult imprint, elemental, would be interested in Tess's manuscript if she ditches the kid and explores Clara's college experience. Everyone loves their college days but babies are a buzzkill. Having this knowledge on the tip of my tongue made me bite down on it even harder. Tess would have to wait and hear the news from her agent. All I can say is I am so grateful I'm an accountant. Art is for people who like to quarrel and fuss every chance they get.