Midnight in Suburbia

Daniella Coffey is the Protagonist

Background Story:
The Birth Certificate

"Mama", shouted Daniella as the front door slammed behind her. "Did I get any mail today?"

"Yes," Amity closed the oven door and, wiping her hand on her apron, walked over to the dining room table. "It's from the vital statistics office in Carson City, Nevada." She picked up the large manila envelope and handed it to her daughter. "What is it?"

"It's my birth certificate." Daniella sat down at the table, carefully opened the envelope, and removed the certificate.

"What..." she took a deep breath and collapsed in the chair next to her daughter. "Danni... Daniella, why..." Amity was trembling, she knew this day would come, but she had hoped to put if off until Daniella graduation from high school in June.

"I need it to apply to college," as studied the certificate Daniella's smile turned int a frown. "Mama, it says here that my father's name is Jack Daniels, but you told me..."

"That I didn't know who your father was," she studied the expression on her daughter's face. "I don't know who your father was, but I couldn't put that on your birth certificate."

"So you made up a name!"

"Not exactly," her hands began to tremble. "I... I put the brand name of the whiskey I was drinking the night you were conceived."

"So I'm the results of a drunken..."

"Daniella," Amity stroked her daughter's hair. "the day I learned I was pregnant was the turning point of my life. You gave me a reason to change, something to be responsible for besides myself. After you were born, I moved to Oklahoma where I could start over again and I let everyone presume I was widow. I met Ethan's father and he raised you as his own."

"Did Papa... my step dad know?"

"I tried to tell him, but he said it didn't matter and that he would prefer not to know about my past experiences with me."

Protagonist Change

At the beginning of the novel, Daniella is focused on her career and personal life. She want only to get her mother back to her house in Oklahoma as soon as possible so that she can get back to business as usually. However, as the novel progresses she realizes that there is something more wrong with Amity then simply old age. When Amity is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Daniella realizes that her life is suddenly changed and that in order to care for her mother, she must give up her career. The alternative is to put her mother in an assisted living home where she can get round the clock care. Daniella decides in the end that she would rather keep her mother in her own home for as long as possible. By the end of the novel Daniella became less selfish and focused on material things. Daniella grows spiritually.

Interview

Journalist: How did the events of your story change you?

Daniella Coffey: The events in Midnight in Suburbia changed me for the better and made me aware that there is more to life then simply making money. Money does not lead to happiness and it cannot buy happiness. I realize that what happened in the past, in my childhood, does not define me any more then my career defines who I am. I realize that when we forgive our parents for their weaknesses that we begin to forgive ourselves.

Journalist: How is life for you now?

Daniella Coffey: Life is much better for me because I am less selfish and more focused on the things that last spiritually rather then the material things that soon pass away or goe to someone else.

Profile

Name: Daniella Coffey

Age: Born May 1, 1953; she is 60 years old

General physical description: Daniella is big boned and solidly built, but has a tendency to gain weight. She has salt and pepper hair. She is 5' 9", with brown eyes. She is in good to fair health, depending on how much over weight she is at any one time.

Hometown: Daniella was born in Las Vegas, Nevada; however, she was raised in Oklahoma from the age of five she was raised in Oklahoma.1 The family moved all over the state as she was growing up, but the two towns she remember most are Blackwell2, where her mother now lives, and Guthrie3. Daniella lives in suburb Las Vegas,4 Nevada5

Type of home and/or neighborhood: Daniella's house is a Ranch House, with the following layout 3 bedrooms; 2 full baths; 1 story; 2 garage bays; 2,091 square feet (DHSW69293).6 The house is located in on the slopes of Mount Charleston and is surround by several acres of forest. She has a garden in her backyard.

Relationship status: She is in a long-term romantic relationship with her business partner Preston Farnsworth.

Current family: She has no children, but she does have a cat named Lauren Becall and a dog named Humphrey Bogart.

Family background (parents, previous marriages, etc.): Her mother is Amity Coffey-Shupe and her half-brother is Ethan Shupe. She is single

Friends: Most of her friends are business people.

Other close relationships: None

Relationship with men: The only romantic interest in her life is Preston Farnsworth. She gets along fairly well with her brother Ethan Shupe.

Relationship with women: She goes shopping once a week with her office manager Rachel Maguire. She also has a neighbor, Mary Droste, that she socializes with on a semi-regular basis.

Job: She is a partner in, and keeps the books, for Farnsworth and Coffey: Art Connoisseurs.

Dress style: Her favorite color is pink and she prefers emeralds or jewelry that appears to contain emeralds or emerald-like colors. She likes to wear high-quality clothing.

Religion: She was raised Southern Baptist, but no longer attends church regularly. The only time she attends religious services is on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Attitude to religion: She is accepting of most religions.

Favorite pastimes: Her favorite pastimes are gardening and cooking the vegetables she grows. She also enjoys working with hands, music, and romance.

Hobbies: Creating her own recipes.

Favorite sports: Enjoys the Olympic games, especially figure skating and gymnastics.

Favorite foods: Anything she cooks herself.

Strongest positive personality trait: She is dependable, patient (under most circumstances), musical, and practical. Her strongest positive trait would be her dependability. She can also be extremely orderly.

Strongest negative personality trait: She is stubborn, uncompromising, and possessive. Her strongest negative trait is stubbornness. She can also be quick-tempered and overly cautious in money matters.

Sense of humor: She has an interesting sense of humor.

Temper: Sometimes quick-tempered when she believes that someone in her life is not practicing truth, justice, or discipline

Consideration for others: She is normally considerate of others with certain exceptions that concern discipline, truth, and orderliness.

How other people see him or her: They think is is overly conservative concerning money matters.

Other traits, especially those to be brought out in story: Her temper, stubbornness, practicality, creativity, and caution.

Ambitions: She is diligent, with work being important. She is stubborn and will not give up on a project that appears stalled. She plans large expenditures.

Philosophy of life: Analyze what you do not understand to find its deeper truth and humor.

Most important thing to know about this character: She is practical and persistent to the point of stubbornness.

Will readers like or dislike this character, and why? The reader's will like her because she can learn from her mistakes.

Footnotes
1  http://www.ok.gov/
2  http://cityofblackwell.com/
3  http://www.cityofguthrie.com/
4  http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/
5  http://nv.gov/
6  http://www.dreamhomesource.com/house-plans/dhs/styles/ranch-house-plans.html#isT...