Hey, anyone knows what happened to him? Does he still write under another pen name?
Hey, anyone knows what happened to him? Does he still write under another pen name?
I still wish he would finish Rewind though.
That was a dead issue long before the divorce. A major character was based upon a close relative who died, and he wasn't able to continue writing the story as it brought up too many painful memories. It's a very legit reason, and not one that I see changing, even if his current circumstances allowed him to write adult lit. Just be glad that where he left off is such a clean ending point.
Beth, right? I remember, he wrote about her so well I couldn't help be feel crushed when she died.
That would surprise me, hoping I am permitted to quote the ending of "Naked in School: Michelle" (and faking one word of that note)
A note from the author.
This story is dedicated to the memory of M.E.P., 1964-1979. We never had the relationship that Eric and Mish have-we were just friends, but I had known her since birth. She never got Eric's prognosis-she got Danny's, and beat the odds by a considerable amount by living 2 1/2 years. But she couldn't, finally, beat the leukemia that took her life at the horrific age of 15. She's been gone 24 years and I still miss her.
I ended the story proper somewhat ambiguously. However, in my mind's eye, Mish and Eric are married. They're in their mid-thirties. They live in pretty house in Westport. They have a little girl, and Mish is pregnant with their second. Eric's an oncologist, and Mish taught school for a while before deciding to stay home with the kids. They're in love.
They're happy. That's what my mind's eye sees.
I could have invented that scenario for Mary, but it would have been a lie. I know the reality all too well. So I gave it to Mish and Eric.
Because someone deserves it.
If there's a better reason why I write fiction, I can't come up with it.
And, so, that is why this is the story I had to write.
Thanks for reading, Don
I don't think there is any question that Beth is the Mary mentioned here.
Beth, right? I remember, he wrote about her so well I couldn't help be feel crushed when she died.
The person that was the inspiration for Beth died in the late 70's early 80's (see the end note of Rewind chapter 9 for more details.)
Recently was the 10th anniversary of that close family member's death.
Last I heard he became a teacher and distanced himself away from writing adult material.
Precisely that. He got his teaching degree after a non-amicable divorce, and hasn't writen any adult materials since, as he's trying to maintain some level of contact with his children, and writing adult materials is a good way to get in trouble with school boards and those supervising visitation. You do what you got to do, and he's got his priorities straight in this matter.
Every couple of years he posts some kind of update on his life at his Yahoo Group, Downeywrites. Other than people occasionally asking for help finding lost stories, it's an inactive group otherwise, although there's always a flurry of posts during the Olympic Ice Dance competitions. I've been a member of that group for a while, just because of the occassional update on his life. If you want to be as up to date as anyone he's not in direct contact with, consider joining it.