It's like when someone dies, the initial stages of grief seem to be the worst. But in some ways, it's sadder as time goes by and you consider how much they've missed in your life. In the world.

I try to write about real women, real people - in other words flawed characters. I find flawed characters much more interesting than perfect ones and enjoy the challenge of making readers root for them in spite of their unsympathetic path and destructive choices. Life is about the gray areas. Things are seldom black and white, even when we wish they were and think they should be, and I like exploring this nuanced terrain.

Blurring the line between friendship and attraction was a surefire to lose a friend.

We both have a lot of growing-up to do... A lot of the world to see & figure out on our own." -- Leo

How different this moment feels, for so many reasons. I tell myself that no two loves are identical - but that I don't have to compare anymore.

I find my voice and manage to say those three one-syllable words back to him. Words I haven't uttered in a very, very long time. Words that meant nothing before now.

It always takes two. For relationships to work, for them to break apart, for them to be fixed.