I have lots of writer friends. It sort of happens when you write. You form friendships with other people who understand the strange insanity that drives you to write.

One of those friends who is even MORE nutty than me, and luckily for her, Southern, which means she can get away with it and I can’t, is Joshilyn Jackson. Joshilyn is the author of gods in Alabama. This is a very COOL book. Very cool. I reviewed it here. Now, that said, do not call her Josh. Shortened, if you must, her name should be JOSS. Not JOSH. I regrettably made that mistake many times, mostly in email. In fact, entirely in email. She’s not a Josh. That’s a guy’s name. We all know that. And yet, I KEPT shortening her name to JOSH. Even after she asked me not to. Nicely, kindly, and very Southern-ly.

You might think that every time she gently corrected me, her Southern accent coming through, even in email, that despite her kindness, I might be offended. After all, I wasn’t TRYING to piss her off. Blame her mother. She’s the one that named her JoSHilyn. See that SH together? Wouldn’t you automatically shorten that to JOSH?

But, of course, what right do we have to shorten anyone’s name? What right, say, would you have to call someone Nat, which most people associate with a small, annoying, very pesty bug? What sort of genteel person would do THAT?

I, of the name Natalie, have been called Nat, G-Nat, Squito, Skeet, Bug, Buggy, and some other names that I’d rather not repeat, because they had nothing to do with the actual “Natalie” name.

I hated them for most of my life. I took great offense when someone called me Nat. “I….am…..not…..a……bug.”

I don’t blame Joshilyn for not wanting to be Josh.

So JOSS, I just have to say…..

WHERE are the answers to those questions I sent you??? Hmmm???? Notice I wrote JOSS.

Stay tuned, as we find out where Joss is in her tour (yes, Joss got a SLIGHTLY larger promotion budget than mine, ha ha) and why she should even WORRY about taking the time to answer my silly questions.

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