Day 1 - word count, 2,080.

Today, we were introduced to my protagonist, Nicky. Loosely based on my idea of what Cyndi Lauper would be like if she were my bff in the 1980's. I can't put down a precise year because if I did, there would be too many timeline errors. I just basically want to put into my novel every great thing about the 80's without worrying too much about whether they fit together or not. (Yes, that is a picture of a Joan Jett Barbie doll. Joan Jett has yet to make her cameo appearance, but I thought I'd put her here anyway.)

The interesting yet challenging thing about writing a novel entirely in letters is that you have to consider why the letter would be written. Instead of just being a diary entry or something, there has to be an audience and a purpose. So I am struggling a little bit with figuring out who the letters are to and why. So far, I have three letters between Nicky and Seven - who will never appear again in the novel because Seven just stopped responding. Then a cover letter for a job, a phone message (when did answering machines appear? Because Nicky's got one). And then a letter from an admirer of Nicky's, who lives in another city. This one is loosely based on my past. I won't say if I was the writer or recipient of such a letter. :)
Plus I included a flyer for an event at Jackie's Place, and a track list from an 80's mixtape.

Excerpt of the day - and yes, the writer is meant to be a bit of a self-centered douche:
Dearest Nicky,
I’m going to be blunt. You are hot. Not only that, I think you are my muse. When I got back to The Other Big City last weekend I wrote seven poems all about you and the things you told me when we sat by the riverbank for hours. If you want, I can send you some of the poems – I think you’ll recognize yourself in them. Not your physical self – crimped multicolored hair and multiple lace petticoats don’t figure prominently in my poems, unfortunately. (That was a joke, dearest.) But your shining and glittering inner spiritual self. The self I see when I close my eyes at night in my room lit only by moonlight and tears.

Actually, I can't resist a second excerpt that Esmondes and wannabes will appreciate - so you know that even though there was no Martha Stewart today, I still came through by bringing in Emilio (on Day 1 no less!).

From a letter by Nicky, to Seven: I think some people believe that IT is about finding the right person, the white dress, the cake smeared all over your face, but I have never thought so. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of over-the-top flouncy lace corseted ruffled beribboned bedazzled dresses. Preferably decorated with Emilio Estevez’s face in profile. So I’m a fan of weddings. I just don’t think that a wedding or any kind of relationship is what will complete me. What do you think? I’m sure you have an interesting take on relationships because of your upbringing. I’d love to hear all about it.

Until tomorrow, lovelies! Can't wait to read the fruits of EsNoWriMo labor from Day 1! Tomorrow I have to go back and write the prologue to the novel, based on a shameless theft of the idea of the prologue from Dangerous Liaisons. What would EsNoWriMo be without shameless theft?