You’re so vain. You prob’ly think this blog is about you.

You know, as a wannabe writer, this is one of my biggest fears. I’m afraid that people will take my writing the wrong way. Or worse, they will think it’s about them when it’s not.

The last thing I want to do is alienate friends and family. I would, however, like to be able to write things that would touch other people. And frankly, most stories with enough meat to touch someone else have to come from real life. Similarly, I’d like to be able to get up on my soapbox and have a good rant, without someone thinking I’m ranting about them. And in case you’re wondering, no, no one has accused me of any of that...yet.

But it could happen. Especially if I unleash myself to write as I’d like. As I feel led. It’s similar to the way my husband the preacher felt when he would preach something God had laid on his heart and people were convinced it was about them. One day he told me he was having trouble thinking of anything to preach about that wasn’t going on in someone’s life. Because, like it or not, it’s not good preaching if it’s not real life. The Bible is about real life and if it is truly relevant, it is going to sound...well, familiar.

But, like my preacher husband was sometimes wont to do, I have chased a rabbit...

John Boy Walton...now there’s a writer with a problem. He knew all of 20 people. A dozen of them were his family. And when he dared mention them in his story he had more trouble than he knew what to do with. That could be me someday. Or if I know you...it could be you!

I’m not gonna lie to you. You could end up in a story. I mean after all, you are hilarious (I meant to say interesting) material. I can’t pass up what you say and do and never include it in anything I write. So beware! If I know you, you could end up in print. Just thought you’d like to know. But I’d like to let you in on a little secret about us writer type folks: Our stories are not 100% true. For instance, something you say might end up as a snazzy quote made by a flashy blonde character named Suzette. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you ARE Suzette. Suzette may eat lobster and you are allergic to lobster. She may drink and hang out at night clubs, and you hang out at Baskin Robbins. Suzette may be a little more complex than she seems, you know. Suzette could even represent every blonde friend I have, heaven forbid!

No, this is not a new trick of mine or something designed to throw you off the scent. Writers have always done this. Remember Nellie from the Little House Books? (Or for Suzette who never reads: Remember Nellie from the tv show “Little House on the Prairie”?) Well Nellie was a compilation of people Laura Ingalls had known in her childhood. It seems that anyone who was ever mean to little Laura was rolled into one neat little package named Nellie Oleson. I wonder what would have happened if any one of those snotty Nellie’s read the book, recognized some of her misdeeds but found far more evil accredited to her than she ever really did. Thankfully, Laura Ingalls Wilder was smart enough not to use any of Nellie’s actual names. Like me. I don’t really know a Suzette. (Calm down, Suzette, I do know you...just not a real person named Suzette. I’ll explain later.)

All this to say: Read away. Take it or leave it. I hope you like it. And if I’m any good at all, some of it will sound like it’s written about or to someone you know. But don’t be vain. It’s not about you.

At least not entirely. (Insert evil laugh.)