Today I’m celebrating the release of BROOKLYN GIRLS by my agency-sister Gemma Burgess by participating in my first-ever blorgy! (Yep, this was a new term for me, too.)

While I haven’t read BROOKLYN GIRLS yet, the description makes me think of a New Adult version of “Sex in the City,” which sounds like perfect summertime reading to me!

Our blorgy topic is: “Life Begins at 22.”

Looking back, 22 was actually a pretty good age for me. I’d been out of college for two years (yeah, I’m one of those people) and was working full-time as an editor and typesetter at this small, artsy book publisher in Seattle. I’d just bought a house and was living with my brother and some friends, and the economy hadn’t collapsed yet so we still thought that was an awesome idea. I was writing, of course—I believe that was the year I finished “The House on Thornrose Lane,” which became my most popular fanfic and remains the most reviewed Sailor Moon fanfic on fanfiction.net to this day. Who knew?

But what really happened when I was 22—the big, important, life-changing thing?

Hot-Rod-a-Rama, The Swiss Pub, August 2006.

I spotted this super tall, handsome guy in the crowd while I was trying to pinpoint my missing friends on the ridiculously packed dance floor. We smiled, we danced, we talked, and he was funny and charming and knew who Steely Dan was and seemed impressed that I knew who Steely Dan was, and the next day when I asked him if he was interested in going to a Renaissance Faire with me, he said yes (after I explained what a Renaissance Faire was). He even wore a kilt.

And I thought, huh, I may have actually stumbled upon a keeper…

Which turned out to be famous last words.

LIFE BEGINS AT 22 is a blorgy of sharing to celebrate the launch of BROOKLYN GIRLS by Gemma Burgess. Find out more about the book here and read more LIFE BEGINS AT 22 entries here.