Question: I’m 21 and I just had a friend who lost her virginity in December…

Question:
I remember you telling me that the next Alice book after Almost Alice would be Alice Undecided… but now according to Amazon it is Intensely Alice. I’m intense as well so that title is cool with me… but is Alice Undecided moved for later or has the title been scrapped altogether?

Also, I’m 21 and I just had a friend who lost her virginity in December. Besides a Mormon friend I have who won’t have sex until marriage, I have no other friends who are still virgins! I hate all the cliche bullshit like “it’s a good thing you’re still a virgin.” And I know I won’t lose it this year… I just hate it. I’m so passionate you know, I just wish I had someone. I get really lonely here in my apartment. :-/ I have cats, but you know what that means … cat lady!

PHYLLIS Replied:
The editorial staff didn’t like the title “Alice Undecided,” and a member of my critique group, after hearing the manuscript read aloud, suggested “Intensely Alice.” Laura Melmed is one sharp cookie!

So often we get caught up in The Big Divide, as I call it. Virgins or not. Married or not. Pretty or not. Professionals or not. New Yorkers or not. The way I see it, it’s simply not that important, one way or the other. The Big Question is who are the friends in your life? What do you do in your spare time? What projects interest you? What activities excite or inspire you? Where do you go to meet people who share your beliefs and values? As you know, cats are nice, but still…. Put your energies into going places and doing things where the goal is to complete a project, or volunteer your help. You want to find supportive friends who would like to know you better. Whom you can bring back to that apartment to meet your cats and have a book discussion or a wine tasting or to watch a good movie with popcorn and pizza. Making yourself and your apartment! a warm and welcoming place for friends of both sexes will eventually solve the virginity problem.