In classic tragedies, the woman in love is often written as a helpless victim. The younger, the less control she has over her tragic fate. In my experience, real women are as often in control as they are controlled, when it comes to love. And so, the idea of writing a new kind of tragic love story, where the female character was calling the shots became somehow irresistible to me. Writing Vector a Modern Love Story, I created the central character as a young woman, Eva. She comes of age on her own terms, and she takes control of her relationships and her future. Impulsive behavior is her tragic flaw. It leads her to places no one would want to go, but where many must go.

The basis of the story was the opera La Bohème, a love story interrupted by unbearable pain of a chronic disease, tuberculosis, TB. In modern times, the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, has taken center stage. It is feared but not understood, surrounded by myth and prejudices. The disclosure of HIV can bring up feelings that change relationships and may separate lovers. In Vector, the modern plague of HIV haunts Eva as she falls in love and crosses the boundary from her student life to adult life. Writing the story, I explored the many relationships the young woman develops, from friends and family to teachers and lovers.

To read more of JJ's interview and my review of her book, go to http://bit.ly/L7fgRV