In "Shadowed Skies: The Third Smog City Novel" by Rebecca McNutt, a character named Amanda grapples with the challenges of loneliness. She finds herself relying on an imaginary friend for companionship, which highlights her struggle to form genuine connections with others. This illustrates the deeper issue of social isolation that many individuals face.

The quote emphasizes that Amanda's reliance on her imaginary friend is not the core issue; rather, it's her lack of real friendships that is contributing to her predicament. This serves as a reminder of the importance of authentic relationships in our lives and how they can impact our emotional well-being.