Writing a book

"Call Me Ishmael."
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

As writers we all struggle over those oh-so-critical first lines.

Below is the introduction to my latest work.

Brutal critisizms are welcome, providing the cruelty is constructive. :)

Sissy
A Novel By Kelley Bell


Columbus, Ohio is a city outlined, by two rivers; The Scioto, and the Olentangy, (fondly called "The Old and Grungy" by most.)

It is not a fancy town with tourist attractions or monuments of great importance. It is a simple place, filled with average folk, who represent the cross section of a nation. It is a place where different cultures arrive on the rivers, and opposing ideas merge in the confluence.

The Twin Rivers join as one in the center of town, then travel south to feed The Ohio, and the Mighty Mississippi.

It is fitting that Twin Rivers feed this town, for it is a reflection of the duality of the place and her people.

People who live here laugh at their "Cow Town" moniker, for they know, that under the surface Columbus is a complex place, filled with a unique mixture of Eastern Refinement, Wild West Independence, Northern Sensibility, and Graceful Southern Charm.

It is a place, where every child grows up with a deep understanding of The American Way.