As I contemplate The Alice '65, I wonder just how far I can push the story into another realm before it disintegrates or I lose the focus, completely. And what sort of style that would entail? Third person means I can follow an omniscient POV and wander in and out of Adam's mind...but would that be good for the story? Should I take better care in crafting elegant sentences that carry weight and meaning with every bit of punctuation...or is that pretentious? Just keep to a simple framework and method of telling the tale?
It's not a heavy story...but I do think it's a plausible one. If on the crazy side. Adam leaving his safe little hole in London slams him in contact with people who have excellent reasons for doing the things they do...insofar as it benefits them. Some are benevolent enough; others are merely self-interested. I don't have anyone who falls under the banner of cruelty, defined. Would that be needed to give the story some heft?
I've thought about bringing in a true villain -- the Australian who's after the A65 for his collection, not because it's a fine book but merely because it's rare and valuable, so would be a bragging piece. Which makes him a Philistine, in my eyes. But having him remain in the background feels a lot better than having him or his people wandering about and messing with Adam and Casey. It's more real...more honest. At least, I think so.
I considered making Adam gay and Casey male...for about five seconds, once, just to shake things up. Man, did I get negative vibes from both of them on that. Same for making it more of an Indiana Jones type plot. As Adam puts it, "This is merely 48 hours of detached insanity in my life that brings about a cataclysmic change in my world. Why would you want to even think of tarting that up?"
And my answer was, "Because I think...almost to the point of madness."
It's not a heavy story...but I do think it's a plausible one. If on the crazy side. Adam leaving his safe little hole in London slams him in contact with people who have excellent reasons for doing the things they do...insofar as it benefits them. Some are benevolent enough; others are merely self-interested. I don't have anyone who falls under the banner of cruelty, defined. Would that be needed to give the story some heft?
I've thought about bringing in a true villain -- the Australian who's after the A65 for his collection, not because it's a fine book but merely because it's rare and valuable, so would be a bragging piece. Which makes him a Philistine, in my eyes. But having him remain in the background feels a lot better than having him or his people wandering about and messing with Adam and Casey. It's more real...more honest. At least, I think so.
I considered making Adam gay and Casey male...for about five seconds, once, just to shake things up. Man, did I get negative vibes from both of them on that. Same for making it more of an Indiana Jones type plot. As Adam puts it, "This is merely 48 hours of detached insanity in my life that brings about a cataclysmic change in my world. Why would you want to even think of tarting that up?"
And my answer was, "Because I think...almost to the point of madness."
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