Seven or eight chapters left to go; just depends on how I do it. I want each one to be between 12 and 20 pages, but a couple seem intent on going for longer. The one I'm facing now deals with one of Brendan's closest friends, Danny, dealing with some brutal demons and Brendan not knowing what to do...and it's at 40 pages, right now.
Throughout the story, there have been hints that Danny was being abused by his parish priest. He's grown more and more moody, and when the priest was sent away, he grew lighter but still problematic. Brendan drew him into helping with repairs and electrical wiring, and there's talk of him being apprenticed for that work. But it finally catches up to him and all hell is going to explode here.
The consistency of Catholic priests molesting boys and girls in their parishes all over the world is far too well documented not to make reference to. Especially since there are studies linking that molestation to emotional and legal troubles for the kids later in life. This reality slipped itself into the story without my noticing, at first. And I still don't address it directly but allude to it....until this section, when it comes out in the open. Still unnamed but obvious.
I've got 4 full days left before I head out to a packing job along the Hudson Vally, between Albany and NYC. Maybe 5; depends on what Caladex needs from me to get ready for this job and the Toronto Book Fair, the following Sunday. But I'm so close to being done with this draft, I'm on pins and needles.
Something I have been doing throughout this draft is emphasizing Brendan's emotion reactions to things. How he feels. When he's angry and why. When he's happy and why. Giving him more and more a hint of a poet's heart. By the time I'm done with this book, he might actually be strong enough to tell me to fuck off.
Isn't that what every author wants his characters to do, finally?
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