Chewing Gum

Bonus: Fun Facts

Here are some fun facts about chewing gum, brought to you by Author Nim Cream:

1) Tasha's original name was Ipara.

We based almost all of these names on words from other languages. Ipara was something like abuse or anxiety. When we wrote the first chapter, we decided that Ipara was too extra and weird. We changed it to Tasha.

2) Every single character is based on a real person.

We based everyone in this book on someone we know in real life. Mostly our friends, except Minho. The guy Minho is based off of probably thinks we are freaks. The only acception to this is the English teacher.

3) It took us three weeks to actually start writing.

Me and Izzy are huge procrastinators. The other day, when we were supposed to be discussing what happened in the next few chapters, we ended up talking about who Izzy likes going to the movies with more. Her aunt or her uncle. It cost us a lot too. We almost had to pretend date. Don't ask why. It's complicated.

4) Mira's dreams are based on a dream I have

This is a fun fact for Izzy too, since she didn't know this. I was the one who came up with the dream idea. I got it from a reoccurring I have. I was in my older sister's room and there was this demon thing that would always show up. At the time when the dreams started, I was deathly afraid of wheelchairs, hospitals, and even my grandmother's dementia. So the demon thing was creepily moving in front of the wheelchair. Every time I put my hand or leg up in front of it. And then I would wake up. But recently, it's been ending differently. When it's about to get me, Izzy shows up. There ya go. How do you feel Peaches? Special?

5) Tasha's coming out and realization of being gay is based on me.

So we all know that Tasha is going to realize she's gay at some point in this book, but I only realized that I was pan a few weeks ago. Izzy was the first person I told. I dragged her outside in between math and our math lab, and told her I thought about girls weird. A couple of days later, I came out. I gave my friends skittles and then asked them if they could taste the rainbow too. I also had dad jokes and Disney references. Izzy says I had too much fun with it.

6) I'm not sure if this is what Izzy meant by this, but when Mira calls Peaches "Master" it reminds me of what we used to call our fourth grade teacher

Me and Izzy met when we were in fourth grade. We had the same teacher and we called her Master. Even after we left her class, whenever we saw her we always said "Hi Master!". She even signed our yearbooks as Mrs.M (aka Master). I really miss Master. She was the best.