Up until now, all of my books would be classified as nonfiction. However, I am also a well-trained and award-winning fiction writer, and I have used these skills in my nonfiction books.
Both Bridges to Consensus and Women Can Renew the World IF… and So Can You include sample dialogues, one of my readers’ favorite features. Love on the Rocks with a Twist–Delightful Fiction with Lessons on Dealing with Others is an anthology of short stories, each followed by study notes on the characters’ communication skills.
The Man in the Mirror–an Independent Spirit in a Regimented World is a true story, a memoir. Memoirs, however, have to be written like good fiction.
Now, I am branching out, developing a work of pure fiction, but fiction with lessons.
I belong to an organization called Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WIVLA). Every year, WIVLA mounts an exhibit in which an artwork is paired with a short written work. Last year, I entered with my artist friend Chris Rogers. The protagonist of my story is a little Maltipoo dog, Sophie, who can think like a human and understand human speech.
Chris painted the perfect companion piece. I bought it and gave it to the owner of a real Maltipoo–my inspiration–for Christmas.
I had so much fun writing this story that I am now composing more stories featuring Sophie. Each story will be a chapter in my first fiction book.
So far, I have:
- A story about how Sophie loses a “Dad” but gains a new “Mom”
- A Christmas Story in which Sophie joins with her boxer mix friend, Maverick, to solve a problem
- One in which Mom finds love, and Sophie gets a new Dad
- In “Sophie Saves the Day” she intervenes to protect a woman from an abusive boyfriend (This is the one from the WIVLA exhibit)
- Sophie has to adjust when Mom and Dad get a human daughter, Claire
- Sophie takes up birding (which the British, as well as Americans who don’t know much this hobby, call “Bird Watching”)
- Sophie has to adjust in different ways when her parents get a little boy, Jeff
- When the family–including an aunt, uncle and cousin–go camping, Sophie and Maverick rescue a lost child
- Sophie and Maverick take care of Jeff during a hurricane
- Sophie gets into mischief with her Chihuahua next door neighbor
As mentioned, these stories include lessons. For example, in one story, a character, Ron, uses skills I have written about when his, Sophie’s and Kim’s lives are threatened by a drunk, aggressive man. Ron de-escalates the situation until Kim can maneuver herself into a position to call the police.
Here are some other ideas I’m considering:
- Sophie and Maverick become volunteer comfort dogs for a rehab facility
- Something involving a new a backyard pool
- A vacation to the beach
- Sophie’s aunt and uncle host an exchange student
I will probably characterize this book as young adult or YA (which really means teen), though lots of adults like to read YA fiction. I do.
Typically, I don’t settle on a title until the book is finished. For this work, I’m thinking about Sophie The Marvelous Maltipoo or Sophie’s Saga. I welcome your votes as between these two titles, or even your own ideas for titles, in the comments below.