You Mean, You Haven't Had the Same Experience as I?

By Christine Thackeray

I've recently went to Goodreads and found 11 reviews of my latest book "Lipstick Wars". Some were good, but other readers said they hadn't met anyone as diffident as my main character or as rude as some of the women in my story. Ironically, most of my characters were based on real people who I had softened to seem more realistic. I'm amazed that some people have never met women who behave the way they do in my story and have come to conclude it must be a cultural thing.

I've never lived in Utah except to go to school where I was surrounded by out-of-staters. Is everyone there nice? When I lived in Dallas, people were amazingly polite to your face, but gossip ran rampant. In New York, on the other hand, there is honor in voicing the obvious. Gossip is done to your face. It's not considered rude, merely intelligent, and the response should be a great comeback or acceptance and change. Minnesota "nice" is different entirely. The facade is eggshell thick and doesn't reach the eyes. Southern California is blatant like NY but they don't put it in words. Shunning is done through overt body language and head bobbles.

I suppose one of the gifts of reading is sharing other people's experience. (Boy, this post sounds like sour grapes. Urg.) Live and learn and then buy LUV's.