Laura Dave is the author of new novel London is the Best City in America, which Reese Witherspoon is making into a film. (I know!!)
And, she's guest blogging for us for Bafab, about relationships and writing... which means, of course, that we have a copy of her book to give away, if you... what? Email us with your name and address, that's right! (Put London in the subject line).
Torn in Two: Thinking About (And Writing About) Relationships by Laura Dave
When I was waiting for the subway a few weeks ago, I was squeezed between two guys who were talking about love. (Okay, by “squeezed between” two guys, I mean “leaning in” to hear what they were saying, but you get the idea…) One of the guys—let’s call him Teddy—was talking about a woman named Marietta, who he couldn’t get out of his head (with a name like Marietta, who could get her out?!). Teddy was telling his friend that he has never felt this way about anyone before, that he is sure this is love (he actually said love), and he can see himself spending his life with her. Which is when his friend spoke. “What about Meredith?”
Teddy looked demolished—at least to my nosy-body eyes. “I don’t know how I can leave her,” he said. And there’s the rub.
And here’s the common ground: my first novel, London Is The Best City in America, focuses on 26 year old, Emmy Everett, who comes home for the first time in years for her brother Josh’s wedding—only to discover that Josh thinks he is in love with another woman, who is not his fianceé. Trying to be the good sister, Emmy embarks on a road trip with Josh to find this mystery woman and try to make sense of his true feelings.
As the subway pulled into the station—and Teddy and friend disappeared into a different car—I couldn’t help but wonder what he’d decide his true feelings were. I know what I decided Josh’s were. One of reasons I like writing about relationships so much is getting to make those decisions: who is going to be brave, who is going to stand up for the person he loves, who is going to make a bad choice for herself. In all of the best ways, my characters often surprise me—often hold their ground—and I end up making choices for them I didn’t see coming. I end up making choices for them that teach me something.
About a week after I saw Teddy on the subway platform, I ran into him again: Same platform, same busy time of day. Only this time he was with a woman. Which woman was it: wearing a red skirt, and the kind of stiletto heels that make me trip, just from looking at them? It was all I could do to not call out Marietta and see what happened. But, whichever woman she was, Teddy reached out to take her hand and she smiled at him. And maybe that’s the best end of the story either way. At least, I think, that’s how I would write it.
Oh, I'm so intrigued! Thanks Laura!
