I wrote Lili's life as mine unfolded at the age of 17. You're young, the world is infinite, you can do anything, be anything, and you're making decisions and choices that create a foundation for those beliefs. You are surrounded by great friends, a lot of laughter and life is good. Then out of nowhere tragedy strikes and everything you thought you understood about life and knew to be be real is gone. You have to start over, but how?
After the mysterious death of her parents, Lili moves to New York City with her brother, Grayson, to pursue a career in dance. The brownstone represents the security we all long for. It is not just a home to rest your head, it is a community of people supporting one another. That is something we can't live without, each other.
Lili is best known for her generosity and her natural instinct to help others but I enjoyed writing her darker side. It was important for me to explore those aspects of her personality. We all carry light and darkness within us but making choices when you don't see the light is a tricky thing. Hopelessness in my opinion is the darkest place that exists and I discovered through Lili's journey it is often conquered through enlightened forces. I won't lie to you, Lili had to face her demons, which I portray as her own thoughts about life, but as soon as she did and accepted responsibility for her interpretations she was on a new path.
Her financial status makes some of my readers believe that because Lili has money she couldn't possibly have any problems. We discover how untrue that is. You can have all the money in the world but when your passion dies it loses the usefulness that it was intended to have. The money will maintain her existence but without inspiration it will not help her create something new and that's really what she needs to survive.
I never intended for Terrence to have much of a back-story. He was a secondary character that served one purpose only, to love our Lili. Yet, when I began to write all of these Irish characters kept popping up. Before long we know his family and embrace them as our own.
Keith Brown is a character I created after my brother. Keith worked in the diverse performing spaces of Minneapolis/St Paul as an actor, director, stand-up comedian and ensemble theatre member. He died when he was 30 years-old but he was no martyr and never wanted to be. Keith was full of life and passion. He played the guitar and had the voice of a songbird. My fondest memories of Keith involved his humor and his impersonations. He was hilarious. His personality was contagious and you just felt good being around him.
Keith went to college in Buffalo earning a Bachelor's in the Arts. I imagined him having lunch with friends and wondered what they would be discussing. Many of my reflections were formed into chapters at the pub. Especially the Shakespearean chapter when he calls Lili out in front of a restaurant full of people.
Keith cracks me up in this book just like he did when I was young. I'm thankful that today I can look back on his life and find myself filled with complete joy at his memory. Although my grief has shaped the person I am today I wouldn't trade if for anything. If I had this book would have never been written.