Hello, wonderful readers. I am so pleased that you decided to come to this book. Here is a little information on this new story that you need to know.
This story is majorly independent. I was such a huge fan of the Dork Diaries book series when I was younger. Before its tragic decline, I related to the main character, Nikki. She was very insecure and lost, almost how I felt at the time, and her comedic approach in explaining the details of her life in a diary captured my attention.
I wanted to keep her. Have her survive on paper who she really was. I felt like I have to create her the way I wanted her to flourish. Because, to me, she needed one more chance to show on paper who I know she is. Someone who I secretly want to be myself.
To me, she was me. And I was staring back to myself, not wanting to let go of that potential she had as a well-developed character. Not some overly dramatic, overly ungrateful, one-dimensional character her creator led her to be.
So this story only has a couple characters that I wanted to incorporate from the series. And some of the characters I want to rename. I'm keeping Nikki, obviously, and Brandon. I'm renaming Nikki's best friends, Chloe and Zoey. They will still have their personalities. I'm not keeping MacKenzie; I'll rename her but tweak her character a lot. Whoever I decide to name her will be a sub-antagonist. I'll keep Nikki's family as well. Every one else in the book will not be included. They'll either be renamed or not used at all. This book will not follow what has happened in the series. It is independent for the most part.
All these characters are seventeen years old. They are juniors in high school. This book will contain teen and adult themes. I would highly recommend that people under the age of 15 not read this. There will be swearing. Again, I know that my audience has mostly been young kids. I hope that you know you have been cautioned and warned. This is a reflection on how teens these days speak and express themselves.
Synopsis
___________________________________________________________
Nikki Maxwell is your typical teenager. She has passions and hobbies, one of them being her artistic talent as both a painter as well as a vocalist. Living in Westchester, New York, she lives her life to the fullest, seizing every moment with her two best friends, Kehlani and Mallorie, going to every party, drinking, smoking, and finding fun wherever it may be.
Pushed by her friends, especially a boy she's liked for the longest time, Nikki makes a SoundCloud account, where she uploads music and songs she has written for years. Little did she know that it would throw her into a life of fame, fortune, sex, drugs, and loss that causes Nikki to lose herself more than she ever imagined.
Lost, constantly making mistakes, and desperate to balance her real life with her newfound fame, Nikki goes on an inner journey, loving and losing, laughing and crying, to find again what it's like to be a free spirit.
Excerpt (sneak peek)
_________________________________________________________
"I never wanted so much of a glance in my direction. Now, I get stares. I am judged by the world on what I choose to do, who I choose to date," I lingered on the fragment of the sentence, thinking of what to say next.
My mind was frantically trying to put together something to say. My thoughts were bouncing around my head, going millions of miles per hour. Worried phrases screaming, "Don't say this. It'll be skewed. People will think this." "Stop. What will Chase say? You need to keep your image as spotless as possible." It took all of my might to push them back, forgetting about what people will think. Honestly, I couldn't give less than a fuck. I never have. I've been coaching myself for the longest time that I need to be straight up in this interview. I wanted to be as genuine as possible.
"...And who I choose to be. I wasn't always this starlet. I wanted to be an artist for a long time. You know, the ones that paint and sketch and draw. I loved it so much. I felt like my spirit relaxes and I can create whatever I wanted, and whatever world I pleased. Lately, I don't know, I feel caged. I have to be this girl who is strong and can handle the attention and fame. I loved my life before all this. When I was normal, almost. Now, I feel lost. I've missed the feeling on what it's like to be, I don't know, free?" I squirmed a little, my hand grasping the leather couch, a little too hard. I swallowed hard.
'I think you over shared a little too much, Nicole', I say to myself.
I looked up at Sanja. She nodded her head ever so slightly, in agreement. I could tell that she only wanted the truth. She knew I was always asked about when my next album is coming. Or way-too-personal questions about my family and my friends. Especially about Brandon. Oh yeah, and about my cup size. Way too rude. Sanja placed her glass of water down, the condensation of the outside coatinf her hands. She wiped it off. Her brown eyes seemed as if they were staring into my soul, as if she could see what I was trying to say, what I have been trying to express to everyone who has ever asked me, "Do you enjoy being who you are? Or do you want to go back to being Nikki?"
__________________________________________________________
YOU ARE READING
Free Spirit
Teen Fiction"I never wanted so much of a glance in my direction. Now, I get stares. I am judged by the world on what I choose to do, who I choose to date," I lingered on the fragment of the sentence, thinking of what to say next. My mind was frantically trying...
