Growing Pains

I’ve talked a lot about my medical history so far, but my purpose for creating this blog centers around my memoir, Growing Pains (that’s the working title, which I came up with long before the TV show, fyi).

The memoir genre has gotten a bad rep in recent years, thanks to several infamous folks who unwisely chose to fabricate the truth to sell books.

In the May/June 2009 issue of Writer’s Digest, there is an interview featuring the unlikely pairing of Stephen King and Jerry B. Jenkins. In it, Mr. Jenkins makes an observation that sheds some light on the motivation behind the practice of making up stuff for a profit.

“…the definitions of nonfiction and fiction have flip-flopped these days. Nonfiction has to be unbelievable, and fiction has to be believable…”

And so, I wonder – not for the first time -- is my story unbelievable enough?

From the very first draft, what I often refer to as “my back stuff” continues to be a major focus of Growing Pains, but it often take a back seat (no pun intended) to the primary comedy-drama of being a teen stricken by an unrequited infatuation/obsession. It’s also about growing up in the ‘70s in a small, New Jersey town where being Italian-Catholic put you in the “majority.”

But whether this – coupled with my spinal experiences – will be “enough” is yet to be determined. In the meantime, stay tuned for more character introductions, similar to the “Dad” post, and don’t be shy about commenting. I want to know what you think!