All right, not on the whole first 50 pages. Just on Chapter Four-the protagonist's childhood. According to first reader, (also known as my husband), I changed my tone in that chapter and began writing in the style I usually use in literary short stories. All the tension drained away. At least, it returned in Chapter Five and Six, thank, God.
I admit Chapter 4 was almost a cut and paste job so I'm not surprised. And, on the bus today, I suddenly saw what has to happen in her childhood. The tone reasserted itself when I thought of the story I should tell about this period.
I am still unsure how much childhood is good for the story. Very little, I expect unless it is as dark as her adult years.
My husband, a great fan of Sara Gran's, waved Come Closer in front of me this morning. I read half of it on the bus. She does manage to sustain tension, doesn't she? I'm not much a fan of horror (although I loved Dope), but as a roadmap to what I want the book to be like, it's right up there with Megan's Queenpin, Duayne Swierczinksi, or Anne Frasier's novels.
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3 comments:
Isn't it fun to write? It's funny how stories change as we examine and write them. It is always interesting how a story manifests while channeling through you. I don't think we have a conscious control over the stories we tell - I think we're controlled by Xenu and his body thetans from the Galactic Confederacy. OK, I don't think that, but I think it is our subconscious coming out - and usually the subconscious is a better writer. Go figure.
It is fun to write. Even more fun to wordsmith. Even more fun to have written. Better yet to get published. And you are so right about the unconscious taking over. Things you never even knew you knew turn up if you let them.
aw, patti. thanks for the kind mention. i actually think come closer is my favorite of the two sara gran books, although i loved both. come closer was so internal. kind of a cross between the yellow wallpaper and rosemary's baby.
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