It's called "Wallflower at the Orgy" and it's about her life as a reporter/journalist and how she's always at the "party" but more often on the sidelines, taking notes and making observations. Only Nora would think to equate her work as a journalist to an orgy and somehow make that make sense. Brilliant.
Anyway, in the second chapter she talks about the famed editor of COSMOPOLITAN, Helen Gurley Brown and a particular sentence stood out to me that exemplifies the reason why I truly love Nora as a writer:
"But no. Just the other night, it happened again. On the Merv Griffin Show or the Joey Bishop Show. One or the other."
I understand this simple section is not glamorous or even really clever, but you must understand what stands out to me; what makes it complete and utter brilliance.
In writing, she has made her confusion and lack of memory very conversational and natural. She's a reporter/journalist so you know that she understands what it takes to research and find your facts, but instead, she chose in that moment to write as though she's thinking out loud and can't quite remember what show this famed editor appeared on. It made me realize how the internet and search engines have ruined us (or maybe just me) for brilliantly written exchanges like this; an exchange that Nora made effortlessly and why so many enjoy her books, plays, and screenplays.
Writing can be a conversation, not a presentation.
Thanks, Nora! I needed that.
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