This is interesting. Local blogger Frances Nash, long a member of the Hidden City link list, isn't actually real. She's the protagonist of the new book Total Constant Order by author Crissa-Jean Chappell. According to Chappell she started the journal while she was working on the novel, and now that it is published she has shut it down. "Her thoughts and dreams are based on my own, though disguised in the form of fiction."

It's an odd thing to do without making it clear that the thoughts you are reading aren't the thoughts of a high school girl, but of an author portraying one. It is hardly unique, though, and certainly nowhere near as destructive as the Kaycee Nicole hoax perpetrated on the Internet (and Metafilter) in 2001. As far as I know "Frances" limited her contact with the South Florida on-line community to a few comments here and there, usually when someone linked to her writing or photos. In a way the revelation makes me feel a bit better; while I have always been impressed with the quality of "f-i-n"'s writing and art, there was a certain disconnect that made me a little uncomfortable, something I always attributed to the obvious age difference between us.

(An interesting side note: A couple of years ago CriticalMiami scored a link on Metafilter, said link provided by a nearly new member named Thayer-P. In the comments of the post someone pointed out that "it would have been better if you [Thayer-P] would have just directly linked to Frances Nash's blog. Her writing is much more interesting." What an odd coincidence, that the male protagonist of Chappell's novel about Frances Nash is named Thayer Pinsky. It doesn't mean anything, really, except that Chappell liked CM as much as he's been as much a fan of hers. Using a pseudonym online is hardly a crime against god and country.)

In the end I don't suppose it really matters. Chappell lives in Miami, and is clearly a talented writer. Perhaps she'll choose to open up more direct communication with the locals, now that she's dropped her mask.