Excerpt from:
The Boy Next Door, by Meg Cabot

Why you should buy a copy of your very own:
It's a romance novel told entirely through e-mail exchanges, and it's funny as all-git-out.

In this scene...
This e-mail is addressed to our heroine (Mel), and was written by a supermodel named Vivica. Vivica's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and she's never learned the no-capitalization rule of e-mail etiquette, but her heart's in the right place. Both she and Mel have recently been disappointed in love, and Vivica is sending her condolences.


"To: Mel Fuller Melissa.fuller@thenyjournal.com
From: Vivica@sophisticates.com
Subject: Max Friedlander

DEAR MEL,

WELL, I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE. THAT STORY ABOUT MAX WANTING TO MARRY ME BEING MADE UP, I MEAN. I LIKE YOUR IDEA ABOUT RUNNING ANOTHER STORY ABOUT HIM. COULD YOU SAY THAT WHEN HE SLEEPS, HE SNORES LOUDER THAN ANY HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET? BECAUSE THAT IS DEFINITELY TRUE.

I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT HOW YOU CAN'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS BASED ON LIES. MAX TOLD ME HE LOVED ME, AND IT TURNED OUT THAT WAS ALL LIES. I REALLY, REALLY LOVED HIM, BUT HE SLEPT WITH THE MAID ANYWAY, AND ALL BECAUSE OF SOME STUPID DRIFTWOOD DOLPHINS.

YOU SOUND PRETTY NICE, FOR A REPORTER. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE LUNCH ONE DAY WHILE YOU ARE ON HIATUS? I FOUND A NEW RESTAURANT I REALLY, REALLY LIKE. IT IS CALLED APPLEBEE'S AND THEY HAVE EXCELLENT CHILI NACHOS, ALMOST AS GOOD AS MY OTHER FAVORITE RESTAURANT, FRIDAY'S. DO YOU WANT TO GO WITH ME SOMETIME? IT IS OKAY IF YOU SAY NO BECAUSE LOTS OF GIRLS DON'T LIKE ME ON ACCOUNT OF MY BEING A MODEL. LIKE MY GRANDMA SAYS, HONEY, IF YOU AIN'T A HUNDRED-DOLLAR BILL, NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU.

LET ME KNOW.

LOVE,
VIVICA"

(c) Meg Cabot, 2002

Labels: Meg Cabot, Snippet