It’s sort of strange to still call this my first book given that two others have since found their way out into the world, but this manuscript, titled All Falling Things, was indeed my first completed novel-length manuscript – my delayed debut if you will. Publishing, it turns out, can be quite the lengthy process with a lot of time spent waiting.
But – on a happy note, while I don’t have a publication date just yet, it seems we are a lot closer to getting one. Thus, I thought I would begin introducing my first book baby out to the world.
Starting with Alice.
When I first started thinking about this story, I intended for the entire novel to be from Alice’s perspective – an Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland story, but with Alice intentionally jumping down the rabbit hole and into the wonderland that is Chicago, IL, in an effort to find herself. Because of this, I’ve always thought of it as Alice’s story. Even still.
The idea came after I had gone through a particularly rough point in my life, a point that was filling up with regrets and what ifs. But then a conversation with a dear friend made me realize that without what led to that rough point, I’d never have met this person sitting before me, never have nurtured this friendship. And honestly, I’d do it all over again exactly the same to ensure this person was a part of my life. It got me thinking of all the possible threads in our lives – how if you pull one, even the tiny one, things can unravel so completely.
The characters in this novel all have connections to the original Wonderland. Some are in name only (small characters), but others include characteristics. It’s not something that most folks will probably even notice, but once you know, hopefully those things will become clear.
Alice, obviously the namesake of the original story, has a decent life – by most respects. She has a good job, a loving family, and a childhood-friend-turned-boyfriend who dotes on her. She’s practically living in a storybook. Except – it’s not the life she wants. She’s going through the motions, only she doesn’t realize that until said boyfriend drops to one knee in front of their family and friends.
Alice needs a new start, and she can’t get one surrounded by people who expect her to be who she has always been. Then one impulsive decision sends her two thousand miles from home, armed with nothing but a couple suitcases and a stubborn hope that life can be more than “fine.”
In Chicago/Wonderland, Alice has a chance to try new things and look for her own path. For me, it was a chance to explore that idea of pulling a thread or two – to explore how sometimes, people aren’t meant to come into our lives and stay there. Perhaps some are only there to teach us what it is want.
Ami Maxine 