I've been working on a new book, a graphic novel about the last battle at the end of the world, and have reached the point where the shape of the story needs to start being stitched together, the pieces measured and aligned and ordered. And for the last few months, I've struggled with that. The book was begun in the deepest darkness after my mother's death, and the initial idea was sparked in the pandemic. If that initial story had a shape it would have been an arrow aimed directly down at the heart of a cold, dark, and seemingly uncaring world. A great unwieldy drill throwing off sparks as it ground its way through miles and miles of rock in the darkness, without a goal, only wanting to keep going down until the earth collapsed in upon it, to be buried, to be lost, to lose itself in nothingness.
Great entry and I especially loved your thoughts at the end re: CHILDREN OF MEN. I too, hope Charlie Huston eventually writes more novels (and did the same binge on ALL his work when I first discovered him), but I think last time I looked him up he'd been doing TV writing work for a while, so who knows? But I also saw that he was working on developing the first Hank Thompson novel into a TV show, so that's promising.
Having grown up in the military myself I really identify with what you wrote about the feeling of always being a stranger, the outsider. It is a disconnect I think is unique to military kids that seems to stick for a lifetime. No wonder so many of us turn out to be artists. I think also watching our nation’s democracy attacked is especially painful, too. I am so sorry about the passing of your mother. Take care.
Your words are beautiful even if they come form a painful place. Looking forward to this next project and the novel you spoke of ...my wish is that you find the hope you are looking for.
Can't wait to see the new project! Wow, this line struck me "If that initial story had a shape it would have been an arrow aimed directly down at the heart of a cold, dark, and seemingly uncaring world." I am glad you're seeing the hope. We all need it.
Was so happy to see this in my email this morning :)
Great entry and I especially loved your thoughts at the end re: CHILDREN OF MEN. I too, hope Charlie Huston eventually writes more novels (and did the same binge on ALL his work when I first discovered him), but I think last time I looked him up he'd been doing TV writing work for a while, so who knows? But I also saw that he was working on developing the first Hank Thompson novel into a TV show, so that's promising.
something about the depth of this arrow, tells the hope and release thereafter will be all the more sweet.
Having grown up in the military myself I really identify with what you wrote about the feeling of always being a stranger, the outsider. It is a disconnect I think is unique to military kids that seems to stick for a lifetime. No wonder so many of us turn out to be artists. I think also watching our nation’s democracy attacked is especially painful, too. I am so sorry about the passing of your mother. Take care.
Your words are beautiful even if they come form a painful place. Looking forward to this next project and the novel you spoke of ...my wish is that you find the hope you are looking for.
Can't wait to see the new project! Wow, this line struck me "If that initial story had a shape it would have been an arrow aimed directly down at the heart of a cold, dark, and seemingly uncaring world." I am glad you're seeing the hope. We all need it.
I love seeing new panels you've made. On Fairy-Stories is terrific.