Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology: Part the Sixteenth

Friendship Dynamic: The novel explores the strengths of true friendship. How did you depict the dynamics of Jim’s friendships, and what message do you hope readers take away about the importance of these relationships?

True friendship and its impact on our lives is a central theme in both books of the Reunion Duology, especially illustrated through Jim’s bond with Mark Prieto, his closest friend since fifth grade. Another notable character is Bruce Holtzman, who significantly aids Jim’s journey by helping him join the Boys’ Chorus at South Miami, guiding him to Mrs. Quincy’s office right after the 1980-81 Winter Break.

When writing scenes with Mark, named after my best friend from Westchester—a suburb of Miami where I lived between August 1972 and September 1977—I drew inspiration from my personal experiences. Reimagining episodes like my crush on an upperclassman girl or my time singing in South Miami High School’s choral department, I integrated a fictional version of Mark into these scenarios. Since my move from Westchester in the fall of ’77 and Mark’s relocation to Michigan in 1979 kept us from experiencing middle and high school together, I’ve had to speculate on how supportive and empathetic the real Mark would have been during those years, but I’d like to think his genuine nature mirrors his fictional depiction quite well.

Although I don’t usually think about “messages” when I’m writing fiction, the Reunion Duology really shows how much I believe in true friendship. Like Elbert Hubbard once said, “A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”