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how did you come up with the story line on how Bee would be drawn to David. And then go with the freaked out dad Jack.I also find how you deal with Stephanie’s MS very well done. Addressing her MS flair ups and how she attempts to deal with her fears alone is so accurate for many MS,ers.

Thank you so much for the comments! The Bee and David story was a fun addition for me. It seemed right, because Jack is so worried about having a daughter who is just like him, and the reality is hitting him much worse. David is such fun to write because he simply loves being near Bee, which kills Jack. As a former womanizer, Jack worries that his payback is coming in the form of David and Bee, and as much as he tries to dissuade her, Bee loves her little friend.

The idea really came from needing some comic relief amidst the heavy drama that the family was handling. It just grew from there and has been such fun to write. I am also seriously looking into continuing the series with the kids grown up.

The little twists like Bee only loving food that is shaped like the male anatomy and calling so many things “penis” is just more torture for Jack. She is such a smart little girl and Jack knows he will be able to count on David to always look out for her.  The additions of Josie, Naomi and Tessa will add an interesting dynamic to the kids 🙂

As for Stephanie and her MS, that is the most personal part of the story for me. I was diagnosed with MS in 2004, and much of what Stephanie has experienced has been my own experience. I never wanted her MS to be the first thing people see when they think of Stephanie, and that, at times, can get her into trouble. She tries to hide her issues and symptoms so she doesn’t burden Jack, but it’s also a defense mechanism. The more she worries about it, the more ‘real’ it seems.

She worries about her future and the uncertainty of this disease is always in her mind. I try to make her vulnerable and strong, but sometimes one side wins out more than the other- just as in real life. Certain exacerbations have mimicked my own, such as the loss of feeling in her leg. The frustration Jack had with her need to ‘take care of it’ herself mimicked my own family and their frustration with my need to always be okay. I learned, as Stephanie has, that it’s okay to lean on people. You won’t ‘use up’ your time. The heat issues Stephanie has are also my issues.  I have a huge problem with heat.

It means everything to me that you think it’s realistic. One of the worst comments I received way back in the beginning was that I wrote Stephanie as an insult to people who had MS. The reviewer felt I had no idea what it was like and the way I made her hide her MS was insulting.

It took a lot for me to move past that, and now I can understand a bit of where that person was coming from. The way Josh responded in “Nothing Matters” was insulting, but my goal to make him the villain,  and not the norm.

Thank you for your comments! I hope this helps. 🙂

More soon!