Cai Shared an Early Draft

The first time I met Cai was about 45 minutes before the salon started. I instantly fell in love. She was all I expected and more. She’d been introduced to me through my good friend Meredith Resnick who writes The Writer’s [Inner] Journey. Mer had said Cai would be perfect for one of my salons because she’s so personable and energetic. That’s exactly right.

The day went along famously with the bubbly talk of characters and inside scoop on the writing life. I’ll admit we did gossip a bit about authors we know. If you’ve been nice to us we said so, but if you’ve treated us badly, well, we let it out. Sometimes these salons are a little bit therapy. Sometimes it’s just girlfriends bonding. Sometimes it’s the truth about the literary world today. Cai’s was all of that and more.

Cai had shared with us a story about her next book, the book she’s still writing and editing to prepare for her agent and editor. A story about a character, a very vulnerable character. She offered to read to us the section where the reader is introduced to this character. This piece was from her freshly typed pages. How daring is that, to share a piece of writing with folk who were strangers only a few hours before. But that’s how these salons work. We’re strangers and then we are sharing our deepest darkest secrets. And some really juicy gossip. Thanks Cai, for sharing your fresh draft with us. We were more than impressed.

I decided I would ask future salon guests of honor to bring a raw piece of writing to share with us. The intimacy of the salons warrants it, I believe.

Now, I’m busy packing for my MFA program in Vermont at the end of the year. Nervous and giddy with excitement all at the same time!