My novel comes out next month (December 2021). I worked hard to be vulnerable and put my own pain into my character. Now that is so close, I am worried how friends and family will perceive my main character as me.

The character, Mikey Haskell, does some terrible things. Will they think that I wanted to do them.

My character is a tall, overweight guy. So am I. So while there are many things that are risky, the biggest thing I am worried about is that he falls in love with his best friend, Alaine. Alaine began as a tribute to my female best friends over the years. Yet because it is a novel, I had to amp things up. I had to put my character exactly where he did not want to be. So I had him screw up his friendship.

Is this going to screw up MY friendships?