JayB wrote:
I think Joey's struggles with writing are realistic - it's her instant success that is less so. Although some authors were published at the first attempt when very young - Georgette Heyer was one.
I'm currently in the midst of a reread of Sally Watson, whose first book (1954; would have competed favorably with Joey's "historicals") was not only published on the first try, but accepted with
no changes -- though there are some bits she finds embarrassing in retrospect.
I enjoy Joey throughout, though I think she does suffer from her role as a fixture holding the series together in the later, more formulaic period. Sale theme, check; naughty middles scene: check; Joey cameo: check. Still, some of the complaints about her older self still strike me as odd, e.g. the simultaneous grousing about her perfection and her faults. Also, I've been lucky enough to know and admire a few women who managed to achieve maturity, including more than adequate parenting/mentoring skills, without losing their joy in "schoolgirl" pursuits or their imaginations. OK, sooner or later it becomes physically difficult to climb a tree or maneuver a slidey mat, but I see no reason that mature should equal staid.
It also seems absurd to me to conclude that Jo is "always bouncing over" to the school. I think the most I've ever counted are five interactions in an entire term. The fact is that, once she leaves school, the genre limits us primarily to the school aspect of her life, despite the hints that she also devotes untold time, energy and thought to her family, writing, friendships and religion. Even most of the holiday books are centered on characters the age of the target audience; we're very fortunate to have
Rescue.
In general, I think I'd enjoy Joey's company quite a bit. That doesn't mean we'd never be annoyed with each other. On my side, there'd be the odd snapping over the self-centered teenage moment here, or the foot in mouth there, and likely I'd sometimes feel like poor colourless whatshername in contrast to someone with Jo's charisma. But overall, I imagine she'd be a caring and loyal friend.