From a Virtual Fling to the Real Thing: Diary of an Internet Relationship

From the tentative musings of Claire as she first spots Sam's photograph on a dating site, overcomes her resistance to Internet dating and finally makes the decision to contact Sam to their actual first meeting two and a half months later after several hundred e-mail exchanges, the book provides an insightful look into the thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of two strangers as they virtually come to know each other.

"From A Virtual Fling To The Real Thing" portrays the situation from both the female and the male perspective allowing a glimpse into both sides of the story, through their e-mails and their own individual reflections. It is a unique, personal and factual look at one couple's successful experience with Internet dating. As in a 'face-to-face' romance you follow along with their hopes, their doubts, their anxieties and ultimately their joy.

While the book, written in diary format, has been slightly fictionalized, the story is factual. The characters, Claire and Sam represent the authors. Their feelings reflect what the authors felt during their months of e-mail communication. Although some of the emails contained in the book have been slightly edited, they are the original ones the couple sent to each other over the two and a half month period before they met. The book details their emotional journey filled with hope and humor towards one another before their first date and their impressions upon finally meeting in person. The book represents what can happen if people are willing to take a chance and virtually believe in romance. And of course, the ending is real.

Though slightly fictionalized, this book is a chronical of Maria and Onno's cyber courtship. Both multilingual, not only do their email show a growing affection, but also, the missives (in English, mostly) are sprinkled with phrases in too many languages to count (they are translated in footnotes). And the fact that the notes started as emails (such an informal and foraml style of communication at the same time), perhaps not even in their primary language (at least for Onno, who is Dutch), make the writing a bit jerky and awkward.

However, the charm of the developing relationship wins out. I only have a few pages left, but I wanted to get this out to you so that you could give yourself a Valentine's gift. It's a perfect one, full of hope and romance. And you will see how feelings can develop through the written word. You'll love it. I promise.

Now I have to get back in front of the fireplace and finish it!

Best, Kathryn

Kathryn B. Lord, CyberRomance Coach
I help singles find someone wonderful!
www.KathrynBLord.com
Kathryn@KathrynBLord.com / Ph. 601-619-0030
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"I work with singles who are terrified, despondent, or just plain frustrated with the dating scene. I'll help you get ready for love, use the Internet to find a Sweetheart, and then do what needs to be done for a long and happy coupled life."


You will read this in 48 hours   March 10, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This is for you if: You are slightly disillusioned by love, wondering why the dump truck ran over your heart, placed it into the compactor, through the shredder, sliced and diced it, then served it back to you in a puree sauce over potatoes and a medium rare steak.

This girl gets boy tale is a great story of how an online romance developed between two people that wouldn't have met if it wasn't for the world wide web. It is an amusing account giving us a fly on the wall's view of the author's emails to each other(with little editing, I am told) which first begin as a playful friendship and ended up turning into love.

It's rare to see something so honest in this world.