Edie Richter is Not Alone

Yesterday I woke up thinking about a movie I saw in Perth several years ago. A documentary about a family who moves to the Canadian wilderness, the story is a beautiful portrayal of isolation, hardship, and unconditional love. But what was it called? As my tea brewed, I pulled my robe tighter and took a swig from my water bottle. I closed my eyes and envisioned the poster for the movie. A mother pushing her kids through the snow in a wooden sled. But what on earth was the title?  

On the walk to my office, I listened to “Against All Odds.” I wish I could just make you turn around. Turn around and see me cry. This was not the state I needed to be in. I put my phone away and started thinking about that movie again. Was it called All The Love? Our World? No. There’s a bear, and someone gets sick. Was bear in the title? 

Titles are either good, bad, or forgettable. I find it hard to assign titles to my writing. I understand artists who simply use Untitled #14 or whatever. How can we expect to sum up a piece of writing in a few words? Dave Eggers’ A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius might be the best title of all time. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle isn’t bad either. Some titles are like bubbles – pretty for a moment, until they’re gone. Yesterday Never Came, for example, or Love on The Mind (I made these up). 

For my debut novel coming out in March, I had a long list of titles. For a while it was called You Belong To Everyone, and then it was simply the name of the narrator, Edie Richter. I toyed with Species Checklist but couldn’t say it without spitting on myself. I liked Lost Satellite Reception but it didn’t have much to do with the story. I think I just liked the word satellite. I scrolled through lyrics to Sufjan Stevens songs, because he makes an appearance in one chapter. My editor also had a list of possible titles, but I didn’t love them. Finally, the name came to me. It was simple, paid tribute to the matter-of-fact protagonist, while expressing the theme of the book. Edie Richter is Not Alone. My editor approved, and within days I was reviewing potential covers.

Walking home from my office yesterday, I found myself behind three meandering young men discussing their favorite Thai restaurants. They took up the width of the sidewalk, so I slowed down, relishing the eavesdropping opportunity (something I miss during this pandemic). One of them noticed me however and pulled his friends towards the curb. “Let’s let this lady pass,” he said. I responded jokingly, “I’ve got big plans tonight. So many places to go.” The tall one with the bushy beard and black mask laughed and said, “Good point. I guess we have all the time in the world.”

As I passed them, I grinned under my blue Golden Gate Bridge mask. That was it. That was the name of the Canadian wilderness movie. All The Time in The World. It’s good. You should see it.

I don’t have any tattoos. I admire some tattoos – very few to be honest – but some. My favorites are the ones that are not thought out in advance. The ones that are sketched in a dark bar and inked that same night. I also love the roses. So many roses on so many bodies, and why not? They are beautiful and thorny. The only thing I envy about tattoos is the concealment. You order a coffee and the barista has no idea you have a snake on your hipbone. A coworker pulls up his shirtsleeve to reveal a lyric from a Taylor Swift song. The secrecy and subsequent disclosure are exciting to me. 

My secret is Edie Richter is Not Alone, my debut novel coming out in March 2021. This is a story I’ve wanted to tell for many years. It is not my story. It is fiction. But ever since Edie appeared in my mind and persistently tapped me on the shoulder, I have held her close and not shared her with many people. I didn’t know if I could write a book. But it turns out, showing up every day, writing a lot of words, and then eliminating most of them, works.  

Edie doesn’t have any tattoos. She probably wouldn’t see the point in trying to make something permanent out of something so temporary. But she would certainly notice them and wonder about the inspiration. She might ask someone an uncomfortable question, like how they feel about regret. 

Feeling alone is something we all understand. Especially in 2020. But of course, as Edie learns, we are never alone. We have each other. And some of us have snakes on our hipbones, and faded roses on our arms. And it’s all beautiful, and we’re all going to be ok. 

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[Edie Richter is Not Alone (Unnamed Press, March 2021) is available for preorder at most bookstores. If you live in the states and would like a signed copy, please order through Green Apple Books in San Francisco.]