The Department of Lost and Found

This weekend I did something I don’t normally do – I read a fiction book (I know, I know, I’m a wild one, eh?)

I’m pretty much a non-fiction, memoir, documentary, biography type of gal, but I couldn’t resist reading The Department of Lost and Found.

Let me back up a little…

I’m so grateful for Allison Winn Scotch and her wonderful blog Ask Allison – an entire site devoted to answering questions from freelance writers about the biz side of the industry. Her insights have helped me fine tune my magazine writing career. She also answers a lot of questions about the publication process for a book. And she should know because The Department of Lost and Found is her first novel and it hits stores May 8. It’s about a Senator’s aide named Natalie who is diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. Even though the book is fiction, Allison did have a close friend who died of breast cancer a few years ago. During Natalie’s journey through chemo, she learns some valuable life lessons. My favorite character, I’ll admit, was “Sally” the freelance writer (who, in my head, I kept thinking of as Allison and would ask myself, I wonder if that really happened!).

Overall, it was a fun read even though it’s about a serious topic. In fact, I just might pick up another fiction book and go for two novels in a row (I’m telling ya, I’m going nutzo here breaking outta my shell).