Getting to know Caleb

Caleb Nichols is the hero of The View From The Fishbowl.  Caleb's story is one of anguish, certainly, but there is a glimmer of hope and triumph.  Writing Caleb's character was a fun experience for me in that I was able to write from the perspective of a 23-year-old man.  It goes without saying that a thirty-something woman thinks and interprets the world in an immensely different way.
Caleb's back-story is an important aspect of the novel.  He wasn't privileged, entitled or even loved; and his early life sets the stage for Caleb to be reserved in his emotional connections throughout the novel and conversely, overly dependent on some relationships. As I understand it, it's not uncommon for individuals with difficult upbringings to have life-long social challenges.  Part of the appeal of Fishbowl is the journey that Caleb takes in order to wade into the negative feelings that plague him, rather than run away from them, through to his eventual growth in learning how to cope.
Another aspect of Caleb that I find intriguing is his ethereal love for his ex-girlfriend, Leah.  Though Caleb and Leah's relationship happened before the start of the story, his love remains the same for her.  The romantic in him longs for her love, even if he is unwilling to truly admit it to himself or anyone else.  From him, her love is the most pure, real source of affection he has ever known.  That fact makes Caleb more attached to her than anyone else, even his best friend, Travis.
Caleb's friendship with Travis is another crucial element in his story.  Caleb views Travis like a brother, sees Travis' family as his own, and behaves accordingly.  Caleb's connection to Travis stems back to boyhood, and the longevity of their association creates a permanence that Caleb had not known previously.  Travis becomes a living version of a security blanket for Caleb, something to hold on to and never lose sight of, through everything life throws at him.
These emotional attributes of Fishbowl are only a small piece of the greater pie.  I hope that you'll read Caleb's story, The View From The Fishbowl, and enjoy discovering him as much as I did!