Several months ago, I did a post called Thirteen Things I Like About My Current WIP: 27 Stages. Well, this week, I thought I'd do another post in a similar vein, to celebrate the upcoming November release of Ask Me if I'm Happy. So, please allow me to present
13 Things I Like About My Novel:
Ask Me if I'm Happy
Neptune atop his fountain in Bologna.
1) The setting: Bologna, Italy. While there are scenes set elsewhere (Venice, Milano and even Ypsilanti, Michigan!), the heart of the story is in Bologna. This is one of my favorite places in Italy - if not the world - and I hope I've been able to show what a beautiful place it is.
2) The female lead: Emily Miller. I wanted to write a female MC who was realistic on every level. She's not a stunning beauty who makes every man's head turn, but she's not homely, either. She's approaching forty, fuller-figured, and still has an air of innocence and openness about her (even if she doesn't want to). Her sense of humor is slightly sardonic, and tends to emerge at the most inopportune times. And like many women, she unknowingly holds herself back because of troubling events in her past.
In short, she's someone a lot of women can identify with, I think.
In short, she's someone a lot of women can identify with, I think.
3) The male lead: Davide Magnani. Again, I wanted to write a male MC who would be realistic enough for readers to identify with. He's also nearly forty years old, and a professor at the University of Bologna. He's not devastatingly handsome (except in Emily's eyes, perhaps?), but he is attractive. By Italian standards, however, he's slightly out of the norm. He doesn't care about fashion, and the latest trends in anything aren't of interest to him, but he takes pride in his appearance and takes care of his health. Something of a romantic, all he wants is to live a good and honest life, and to find someone who will love him the way he wishes to love her in return.
4) The "supporting cast": Michele "Miki" Lippi. There are a few minor characters on the sidelines, of course, and this one in particular stands out for me. Miki is that one embarrassing friend everyone seems to have - that friend with the tendency to say the most politically incorrect, inappropriate comment at the worst possible time. Like many of those friends, Miki has a sharp intuition and a big heart, and so is Davide's best friend in the world - as improbable as that would initially seem.
5) The Exes: Jacopo and Letizia. It's really hard to write an "ex" in a story. Trying to show why they're an "ex" - and yet show why the MC would have been interested in them in the first place - is always a challenge.
Jacopo and Emily's history was originally explored at length in "Ask Me..." but it presented a problem: Since he was pursuing Emily, he was on his best behavior, and therefore was too appealing to the audience. Not to mention that the ten years between their first meeting and the start of the "Connections" section of the story was too much to put in the novel. So, I had to cut the original first section (called "Alternate Rialto") and trim the rest of the work down a bit. (I plan on polishing that section and adding a bit more to make it a proper novella on its own - hopefully soon.) In the end, I think Jacopo isn't entirely undeserving of sympathy from the reader, but only a little, little bit.
Letizia and Davide's story was a more prickly matter, in truth. She ran the risk of being little more than an attractive, empty shell because the reader gets most of their story from Davide, who is still suffering in a lot of ways. He's not exactly an impartial source, if you get me. While I don't want her to get too much sympathy or empathy from the audience, I wanted the reader to see why Davide would have been so hung up on her. In the end, it's actually more his issue than hers - and I think she does garner a tiny bit of sympathy once we get to know her a little better.
Jacopo and Emily's history was originally explored at length in "Ask Me..." but it presented a problem: Since he was pursuing Emily, he was on his best behavior, and therefore was too appealing to the audience. Not to mention that the ten years between their first meeting and the start of the "Connections" section of the story was too much to put in the novel. So, I had to cut the original first section (called "Alternate Rialto") and trim the rest of the work down a bit. (I plan on polishing that section and adding a bit more to make it a proper novella on its own - hopefully soon.) In the end, I think Jacopo isn't entirely undeserving of sympathy from the reader, but only a little, little bit.
Letizia and Davide's story was a more prickly matter, in truth. She ran the risk of being little more than an attractive, empty shell because the reader gets most of their story from Davide, who is still suffering in a lot of ways. He's not exactly an impartial source, if you get me. While I don't want her to get too much sympathy or empathy from the audience, I wanted the reader to see why Davide would have been so hung up on her. In the end, it's actually more his issue than hers - and I think she does garner a tiny bit of sympathy once we get to know her a little better.
6) The "Other Potential Romantic Interests": Paul and Elena.
Bless 'em - they never really stand a chance, but I genuinely like them both. They only have the briefest of appearances in the story, but I hope they make a positive impression.
Bless 'em - they never really stand a chance, but I genuinely like them both. They only have the briefest of appearances in the story, but I hope they make a positive impression.
A snowfall in Italy.
7) The season: Winter. There are scenes set in different seasons, but the majority of the story takes place in the winter of two different years. For these characters, it just seemed right to have them bundled up against the cold weather and sharing the warmth of their growing relationship. I suppose it could be argued that there is some symbolism inherent throughout the story, relating to warming up, opening up, covering up to hide, etc, etc. Funny thing - I'm only seeing that now!
8) The chance to write about the Italy I know. While Ask Me if I'm Happy is fiction, I will admit that I drew some elements from my own life to write it. Not in the "names have been changed to protect the innocent" sense, but in the "This is the Italy I know and love" sense. It's my deepest hope that this will come across and the reader will come away feeling as though they know a little more about this place, as a result.
9) Mixing reality and fantasy. As I showed in my post last week, I name a few real places in Bologna in the story. It was a lot of fun to give those little "shout-outs" to a number of spots which mean something to me, and to see them for the first time (again) through Emily's eyes.
This is Trenitalia green, by the way.
10) The little in-jokes scattered throughout. If you've lived or traveled extensively in Italy or speak some Italian, there are lots of little in-jokes in the novel. Some things are just references to everyday Italian life ("Trenitalia green", for example), others - such as the things Miki says - are a bit more specific.
11) The title. For those of you who haven't read past posts of mine referring to this fact, the title "Ask Me if I'm Happy" translates as "Chiedimi se sono felice" in Italian. This was the title of both a film (by Aldo, Giovanni e Giacomo) and a song (by Samuele Bersani). The story has nothing to do with either of these things, although I confess: the song lyrics are quite fitting, in some parts.
Needless to say, my students are amused that I adopted this title for my novel. If it sells well enough to merit a translation into Italian, however, it's doubtful I'll call it "Chiedimi se sono felice". I'll probably go with "Coincidenze" - the Italian word for "Connections".
Needless to say, my students are amused that I adopted this title for my novel. If it sells well enough to merit a translation into Italian, however, it's doubtful I'll call it "Chiedimi se sono felice". I'll probably go with "Coincidenze" - the Italian word for "Connections".
12) It's a love story for both genders. Seriously. When I posted the "Connections" section on Authonomy.com a couple of years ago, the feedback I got from men was as positive (if not more so) as it was from women. While I'm sure there will be a natural tendency for the marketing to lean toward women, this is a novel I think men will appreciate too, if those initial reactions were anything to go by.
13) My publisher. I'm really glad of the fact that this book has been published by Diiarts, for a number of reasons. One reason is that they are so enthusiastic about the story. Another is that they didn't push for me to add any "typically Italian" elements to it (which is to say, the stereotypes which plague the genre) to make it more commercial. As a result, I really do feel that the story I wanted to tell, the story I felt so compelled to share, will be out there for the public to read and (hopefully) enjoy.
And there you go.
And here we go.
As ever, I know why you're here.
And here you go:
Italian actor and sometime inspiration for Davide: Luca Argentero
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