Amy Falls Down

Willett, Jincy. Amy Falls Down. New York: St., Martin's 2013. Print.

First Sentences:

Because the Norfolk pine was heavy, and also because she was wearing house slippers, having not yet dressed for the day, Amy took her time getting to the raised garden.

Her house slippers were fuzzy, oversized, and floppy, and if she moved too fast, she would walk right out of them.

Description:

OK, not the greatest of first sentences, but they set the scene immediately for the incident that affects the rest of the book: a loss-of-balance fall by the novel's main character, Amy Gallup, in Jincy Willett's Amy Falls Down. Amy, a 60ish deeply private single woman and former writer of a few minor works, strikes her head on the fall and briefly passes out.

The next thing she is aware of is standing on her front porch waving goodbye to the reporter who had scheduled an interview with her for that afternoon. What Amy said or did during that session was completely unknown to her.

Amy's unexpectedly frank statements are published in a magazine, shared and discussed on the Internet, causing Amy to find herself a celebrity. She is high demand to be interviewed by loutish radio hosts interested in catching some of the popularity of this unknown writer. They often end up the brunt of her sharp wit and devil-may-care opinions.

What are the next steps for Amy as she re-enters the world outside her own household routines? Agents? Travel? Interviews? Book signings of her out-of-print writings? More writing? Students? Celebrity? Someone even creates a new website and blog for her, aptly titles "Go Away." These possibilities terrify her as a private person who is not really sure what all the fuss is about.

But others around her love the possibilities and want to help her emerge into the world. Long-lost friends, a rough-talking agent, book publishers, and conference organizers all enter her life with plans for her as well as their own personal agendas. It is up to Amy to address them and her new life in any way she can. And she does deal with them: baiting some on-air with spontaneous lies, toying readers with outrageous ideas, and steadfastly frustrating everyone as she guards her privacy and independence.

Then, there are obscure hints throughout the narrative regarding her earlier years of her life: a mysterious mentor; her husband of convenience; a workshop with a deadly sniper attack; and her decision to quit writing. There is also her notebook where she still records ideas and thoughts for what ... another book possibly?

"I've never played with words in my life," she said..."Do soldiers play with bullets? Do carpenters play with wood? Wordplay is for writers with nothing to say. When I have nothing to say, I don't write."

As I write this synopsis, admittedly it doesn't sound like much of a story or character to capture your interest. But believe me, it is a surprisingly quick-witted, funny, and introspective novel about the dealing with the challenges of writing, celebrity, privacy, and fame. What emerges is a very determined character who gathers strength in her old and new convictions, arriving at unexpected destinations she previously would never have desired or shared with others until after her accident where she fell and hit her head.

Happy reading. 

Fred

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If this book interests you, be sure to check out:

Willett, Jincy. The Writing Class  

Focuses on the earlier life of Amy Gallup after her brief success as a writer. Now a widow, Amy loves teaching her writing class with unusual students, one of whom might be a murderer.