When I set up my trip in such a way as to stop off in Ireland and do some research for Place of Safety, I knew I'd be working on finishing The Vanishing of Owen Taylor, as well. Which was fine. Gleaning details to put in a story is one thing; finishing an almost completed book is another. And all was going well. I added more to OT as I flew over and made notes and had a nice list set up for when I hit Belfast.
But on Tuesday, while headed back from Canary Wharf to my B&B...I saw this guy on the underground to Wimbledon. You can't tell it from this photo, but he was having some sort of texting argument with someone and it was upsetting him, greatly, even though he was trying hard not to show it. So much so, I began building scenarios in my head as to what was going on.
And before I knew it, another story grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go. Totally threw me off working on OT. Made it hard for me to focus on doing my research at PRONI, which proved to be even harder than I thought it would be. And it dragged me, kicking and screaming, into a new book...for which I have 30 pages typed up, another 12 pages handwritten and the whole damn thing plotted out.
It's called Underground Guy and I named this fellow Reg Thornton. He's an undercover cop trying to help stop a serial rapist/killer in London. The story is told by an American in town for business, Devlin Pope, who's gay and fixates on Reg, who's straight and married with two kids. Initially, the Metropolitan Police think Dev's the killer; instead, the plot twists and turns and becomes even worse than anyone could imagine...and darker...and more banal.
As of now, there's a happily ever after ending, of a sort...but I never know what will happen till that thing's done.
I snuck a dozen photos of "Reg" but this is the only one that came out...and it doesn't begin to do justice to the expressiveness of his eyes, his clean good-looks, or the masculine beauty of his hands. Didn't hurt that he's got a footballer's body and that slightly bandy walk. I came so damn close to following him off the underground, it spooked me, because I didn't get nothin' in the way of gay off him...and that could have turned nasty very quickly.
However, here's proof, yet again, that you never know when the muse will show up or where it will take you, and you damn well better follow or your life will be ashes.
But shit...I wish I knew his real name...
And before I knew it, another story grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go. Totally threw me off working on OT. Made it hard for me to focus on doing my research at PRONI, which proved to be even harder than I thought it would be. And it dragged me, kicking and screaming, into a new book...for which I have 30 pages typed up, another 12 pages handwritten and the whole damn thing plotted out.
It's called Underground Guy and I named this fellow Reg Thornton. He's an undercover cop trying to help stop a serial rapist/killer in London. The story is told by an American in town for business, Devlin Pope, who's gay and fixates on Reg, who's straight and married with two kids. Initially, the Metropolitan Police think Dev's the killer; instead, the plot twists and turns and becomes even worse than anyone could imagine...and darker...and more banal.
As of now, there's a happily ever after ending, of a sort...but I never know what will happen till that thing's done.
I snuck a dozen photos of "Reg" but this is the only one that came out...and it doesn't begin to do justice to the expressiveness of his eyes, his clean good-looks, or the masculine beauty of his hands. Didn't hurt that he's got a footballer's body and that slightly bandy walk. I came so damn close to following him off the underground, it spooked me, because I didn't get nothin' in the way of gay off him...and that could have turned nasty very quickly.
However, here's proof, yet again, that you never know when the muse will show up or where it will take you, and you damn well better follow or your life will be ashes.
But shit...I wish I knew his real name...
4 comments:
People watching is one of my favorite past times. I also create stories about some of the people that I'm observing. Everyone has a story.
So do I...especially when they're cute. And I bet you can't guess what I worked on, today...
New characters have joined the story to interact with Reg and Dev -- like an Arab prince from a country similar to Dubai, who may also be the killer; a homophobic Chief Constable; and a sister-in-law who's eyes are on a certain prize. First chapter is 26 pages long; I finished it while doing laundry, today, so I'm up to 35 pages typed.
Lots of sex in it...and danger...and hope...I hope...
I've had this happen to me a few times on the tube too. Once I was so entranced by a guy I was flat out staring, probably open mouthed, and eventually I saw the guy pretending to scratch his face with his middle finger and I realized I'd gone into a trance and he was flipping me off.
Keep up the work I'm waiting for your new titles
Thanks, HG! It's funny how that works...and how threatening it can be to some characters. Of course, me being a total freak, if he'd done to me what he did to you, I'd probably have nodded with a smile. And then run like hell if he got pissed off. ;)
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