Apply the word ‘photographer’ to any work of fiction and many listeners might conclude that the story will be about war. If you’re over sixty, you’ll have more than a ninety per cent chance of thinking war correspondent.
My first few readers assumed the same and were surprised (or disappointed) to find out my book went to another place.
A writer’s group were the first to clap eyes on the early but evolving Seethings manuscript. Their ages ranged from 30 to 70 and each gave their critique on my book’s first chapter. Most older members expected a war story to emerge from the text. There is a war in the story but the conflict is found a little closer to home.
Making conclusions about what a story will become after reading its opening chapter is risky business. Not every piece of information is deposited by the author in the opening pages. According to my peers, contemporary writing demands quicker steps to be taken. If the protagonist isn’t apparent by paragraph three, there isn’t a story worth reading beyond it. Adding to the list of literary no-nos I committed, was the lack of war correspondent content. The older members had expectations. Lens people should be battle-scarred. There is no other option
Boo hoo!
But a big thumbs up went right where it needed to go — to a character I’d written into the chapter. Readers despised her. They wanted karma to judge and sentence her for her crimes. They weren’t aware of it but my evil plan was already taking shape. I got my readers ready to commit murder without knowing it. Maxine Sewell would die and no one would feel regret. That’s the type of journey I programmed throughout Seethings. In a way, the reader becomes a protagonist. Their journey into the darkness matters as much as my character’s. Fortunately, a proper protagonist is revealed in chapter one but their arrival is slow. Eventually, they’ll rise to the top of the narrative but, for those younger readers, it’s not obvious enough to keep them interested. Yes, it’s true. I don’t smack readers in the face with obviousness. They have to do some work. There are no free rides. In time, the pieces will fall into place… and then it’ll leave them shuddering just before closing the book.
There are no guns, camouflage uniforms, bombs or trenches. This photographer’s war is found inside the sub-tropical thunderstorm. He photographs lightning.
Somewhere inside that raging Sky Beast are the answers to some serious questions he asks of love and life. His wife Samantha thinks his storm obsession is dangerous and unnecessary. Nevertheless, she supports his foolish hobby because he was doing it before they married. She doesn’t want to be blamed for changing him. They are in it for sickness and in health, for better or worse, until death does them part.
At the last minute, I added a prologue. The group’s consensus appears to exclude them in favour of getting on with the all-important obvious items. I popped in a prologue because I didn’t want readers to get lost in chapter one, wandering in the landscape devoid of obvious elements. It’s a slow burn to get to what will become an inevitable explosion.
Clearly, my story is targeted at older readers. It is meant for those who have experienced troubled love. The struggle to keep the happy-ever-after on its tracks is, at times, difficult. The pressures of modern life, raising children, a changing world, shifting hormones and expectations, keep us on our toes all the time. Influences threaten to derail our plans from the outside too. I doubt young readers would get most of the themes I wrote into Seethings. So, I just have to go with my gut, publish the story, and then compose these posts to find new audiences so I can allow you to experience Seethings in all its sinister glory.
Yes, it has a prologue, a slow entry, and probably a whole lot of other rule-breaking flaws working against it, but that’s not what I get from those who have read the book. By the time they get to the other side of it, the comments and reviews have been surprisingly positive. It seems I’ve hit the mark well and hard with Seethings. The creepiness factor is high and the ending is unsettling — both of which were intended. If those didn’t happen, I’d be disappointed and feel my job was incomplete.
Curious?
Okay, here’s where you can get a copy of Seethings. It’s a digital book and downloadable right now — for any device and you can start reading it within seconds. The best part is it’s free (limited time). So go and get it now. Tell me what you think. Leave a review and then add your comment below this post.
You won’t be disappointed.
-Michael Forman (Dark Fiction Author)