WHITE LIFE

THE FINAL CHAPTER: Q&A

To celebrate the homestretch of White Life I have a series of surprises. The next episode will be sent up Friday evening, but this space is devoted to all the Questions you have about the characters, about their creator, about what's going on in the Eastforth and at Saint Vitus High School. Multiple questions are welcome. EVERYTHING will be answered... even if not to your satisfaction.

Ask away!

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You know, I'd really like to ask a bunch of questions but can't think of any right now. When I do, I'll let you know.

By the way, you can always send me an email. Just send it to [email protected]. I'd love to hear from you.

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I read your comments on the last one. You indicated that this was semi-autobiographical. Are you Balliol or Matt? I know you once said you wish you were Mason (I think all of us do to a degree).

I will reserve my question on Chicago until the last chapter.

And Seth came kind of out of the blue, although most of the cast seemed to know he was a dealer. Was that a revelation to you as well?

As I think of them, I will write more, but I find that most questions are answered the more I read.

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ANSWERS: Am I Matt or Balliol? Actually I think the truth is that I live between being Mason and Balliol. When i was that age i was mostly Tommy and Balliol. Tommy is childlike faith, Mason is the ambiguity and mercy that comes with a growing faith. Balliol's life is also defined by his faith and that will be seen in their senior year. Balliol really represents nobility, rising to the occasion and doing what you have to do, justice and often that justice can appear rough.

Matt, was based on someone I knew in high school. I didn't know him well, and in fact the one time I met him he was actually very nice. Initially he was not meant to be a main character but he just became more and more of a stand in for some of the meaner people i knew. in high school, unlike the real life that follows, people can change and the mean people can actually reveal goodness. It became very important to reveal this goodness in Matt.

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I always knew Seth was a dealer and actually at the very beginning there is a brief mention of his extra curricular activity. All through the story there are little signs (stealing the porn mag, using Bonnie as a sex toy) that there is a lot of trouble with Seth Mc.Kenna. Back at my high school there was a sort of fresh faced boy who ran a black market in drugs in prophylactics, and really what was in my mind the whole time writing was people not being what they appeared to be.

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DYNAMASO: i am sending you an e-mail even now.

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MORE THOUGHTS: Like i said earlier, one of the things i'm dealing with is things not being as they appear. to me this was a major theme of being a teenager, the constant readjusting as NOTHING and no one turned out like it appeared.I really wanted to deal with TRANSFORMATION, which is really just a fancy word for "growing up."

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really wanted to deal with TRANSFORMATION, which is really just a fancy word for "growing up."

My question about you and Matt was in looking at the characters. Of all of them, Matt seems to have undergone the most profound, and good, transformation in the group. Mason and Balliol seemed to already know who they were, and have not changed a lot (been slapped with reality yes, but not changed). Tommy has not changed at all. Sully has, but then he still seems to be in search of himself, as does Chris, but I dont think Chris is looking.

I missed the clues on Seth, probably because I sloughed it off as normal male bragging (until you paired him with Addison's girl).

It is interesting to see how the characters have taken a life of their own, especially in light of how you set out to write it and how it is playing out. Matt is an amalgamation, yet he seems to be one of the strongest characters (from a literary standpoint) in the group.

I have identified with Mason throughout, not because I was Mason, but because my best friend was. I have not really seen anyone who portrays who I was, but perhaps Addison comes closest. However, he has not really been explored that in depth, so it is hard to say.

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All i can say about Matt is that he is the biggest surprise. he was wholly not meant to happen and i think in the next year more of his link with Balliol will be seen. all i can say about our friend Matthew is that i am just totally in love with him and think his "becoming" is one of the most awesome parts of the book. Sully will be going through his own becoming, but.... it will be a slower, more labyynthine thing. Chris... I have to agree, though he;s really going to surprise you, I think, in the closing chapter.

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