The Book - Dry Cry

Alice's story - I have been raped!

Alice Roman is in her late thirties, an accomplished woman, living the American Dream on the surface, but inside she is sad, frighten and in constant despair. She was only fourteen years old when a familiar face rapped her.
Alice asked if I would write her story. I agreed. The day I met her, we sat down sipping on a cup of tea I knew from the deep darkness in her eyes there was something eating her alive. When she smiled her eyes quickly for a brief second displayed this sparkle, a beautiful glimpse into her soul. It can almost intimidate you as you gaze into her deep brown eyes.

Writing a novel based on such a tragedy is not the easiest thing for me, and every time I start a new fiction work I find myself learning the skill all over again. I like what Watts shares in one of his quotes "There is a common belief that because most of us are literate and fluent, there is no need to serve an apprenticeship if we want to become a successful wordsmith. … That’s what I thought until I tried to write my first novel. I soon learnt that a novel, like a piece of furniture, has its own set of requirements, laws of construction that have to be learnt. Just because I had read plenty of novels didn’t mean I could write one, any more than I could make a chair because I had sat on enough of them.

(Nigel Watts, Teach Yourself Writing a Novel)

Alice shared with me her real story, however much will be changed, and all I can say this far is... there is much to be learned from a simple girl who seems to be so happy.