From my first bar experience to Ali’s. How real life shapes fiction.

On our blog, Shane and I often share pieces of our lives — the experiences, challenges, and moments that have shaped us. But today’s post comes from me, Jood, because it’s about a scene in my upcoming novel, “The Timeless Pendant” that manifested directly out of my own story.

Writers are often told to “write what you know.” For me, that advice couldn’t be more true. Some of the most vivid scenes in my upcoming novel were born out of deeply personal experiences — moments that shaped who I am long before I ever put pen to paper.

One of those moments happened thirteen years ago, when I walked into a bar for the very first time after leaving the Jewish Orthodox world. The music was deafening. The lights were overwhelming. And I felt like I had landed on another planet.

When it came time to write my protagonist Ali’s first experience in a bar, I didn’t have to imagine what was running through her head — I had lived it.

And so, that real memory became the foundation for the scene you’re about to read.

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I entered the bar and froze. It was my first time in any bar — let alone a queer one. The noise, the lights, the people — it was all too much. For a moment, I thought about turning around and leaving.

If I had, I never would have met the person who helped me navigate into the secular world.

As she spoke about that evening, I recalled the sheer difficulties that I experienced due to venturing alone into a lesbian bar.

The DJ was blasting rap music, and I had to resist putting my hands on my ears to muffle the sound. The music was so different than the calm Jewish tunes I was used to, and it was so loud that I felt like my eardrums would burst any second.

The bar was dimly lit with flashing disco lights that were too overwhelming for me. Some people swayed to the music, others drank from large glasses or took shots, and a few were making out in the corners.

I stood there self-consciously, unsure of what to do with myself. I didn’t know anyone and I was clueless about the basics of navigating a bar. Approaching someone felt impossible. I was like an outsider in my own country. I felt so naive and ignorant about the different beverage choices. I was unsure how to proceed and I was just looking around the bar and feeling quite uncomfortable.

Eventually, I settled on a beer and took a seat on the closest barstool. I glanced around again, trying to figure out what to do. Play it cool Ali, I told myself, but my heart was pounding, I felt overwhelmed, and my anxiety was escalating. I was nervous I would have a full blown panic attack.

I was so anxious I was unable to mask my heightened emotions. I must have looked as anxious as I felt, as a cute dark-skinned girl approached me with concern written all over her face.

She looked like a model; her hair was styled into cornrows, and she was wearing a short red dress and high heels.

“Are you okay?” She asked me. “You seem overwhelmed. Mind if I sit next to you?”

She introduced herself as Kerri, and bought me a glass of wine, laughing at my beverage of choice. The two of us spent the next three hours talking and by the end of the evening we knew that this was a friendship that could last forever.

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Writing “The Timeless Pendant” has been a way for me to transform real-life moments — some scary, some exhilarating — into fiction that feels alive on the page. If you’ve ever stepped into an unfamiliar world and felt completely out of your depth, I think you’ll connect with Ali’s journey.

More updates and behind-the-scenes moments coming soon.

The journey is just beginning — stay tuned for updates on the release of “The Timeless Pendant”.

Looking forward,

Jood