Monday Manuscript

I'm really tired. I stayed up late last night, reading and coming down from my trip home. So I'm not really all here, if ya get my drift.

I realized that I forgot to leave a copy of my novel-in-progress with anybody before I took off...so as soon as I write this post I'm going to go email it off to bunch of people. But, as a side note to my manuscript let me just say:

1. It's a work in progress. I think I know where it's going but nothing is certain. Obviously there are some errors/typos I haven't caught yet.

2. I'm writing in the first person (something I hate doing). I don't know why, but for some reason that's how it started, and that's how it's going to end. The main character IS NOT ME! There is no symbolisim in the story, so I hope no one freaks out.

3. It's what I like to call a "popcorn" story. In other words, I know it's not Shakespeare or "Citizen Kane." I'm saving that for book two (when I have a book deal I can piss away on making a broad statement nobody wants to hear).

4. Did I mention it's not finished?

I hate this beacuse I don't no anyone who will be honest with me. I think people want to encourage me, and will say anything. At the same time, I really don't want to hear my ideas are crap from the people I know and love. Which makes this all very difficult. I have different sensiblities than most of the people I'm really close with, so I worry people won't "get it."

Anyway, my story started out a murder-revenge story and quickly changed into something else. Partly because I wanted to write a "journey" or "traveling" type story because I like those. I also like "quests." I sat and watched the first part of the Lord of the Rings with my folks this weekend, and I remembered how much I enjoy those movies. I can't write fantasy...everything comes out LOTR's. Anyway, my journey story became bent into a rather personal quest for me! (of all things). I want to explore my own spiritual beliefs, so that's what I'm doing. Beneath the thin layer (or maybe it's not that thin) are what passes for my beliefs on life and death. Do I think this story is an accurate portrayal of the after life? No, but the story is a vehicle for me to think about some of the "big" questions.

I'm afraid I'm only into the fifth chapter (which is really the sixth, because I wrote a short Prologue). I didn't get a chance to work on it over the Easter weekend, because, frankly I was too tired from driving and spending time with everyone. I was going to work on it today, but I think I'll wait until I get some feedback from people.

Well, that's all I wanted to say about that. If I don't hear from anyone I'm going to bug them this weekend!