Well, I finally got around to harvesting a few trees and published "A Space, A Period, and A Capital" at this location, here.
As I mentioned previously, I dedicate this book to those for whom silence forever bears grave witness, people who took the next bus stop, the next train station and exited life early. I have delved into their thought processes, read many books upon the subject and present to you my view of what such people face. To look into the abyss takes courage, to step off the edge and fall in takes but one step. Although death meets us at the bottom of the abyss into which we all must fall one day, I'm not ready for death. After covering this subject, I prefer the view from the top or even from the dangling end of a bungee cord, ready to be pulled back up. There's too much to see and too much to laugh at to take the plunge prematurely.
As I mentioned previously, I dedicate this book to those for whom silence forever bears grave witness, people who took the next bus stop, the next train station and exited life early. I have delved into their thought processes, read many books upon the subject and present to you my view of what such people face. To look into the abyss takes courage, to step off the edge and fall in takes but one step. Although death meets us at the bottom of the abyss into which we all must fall one day, I'm not ready for death. After covering this subject, I prefer the view from the top or even from the dangling end of a bungee cord, ready to be pulled back up. There's too much to see and too much to laugh at to take the plunge prematurely.
Have I posted the reviews I received of the novel excerpt I submitted for the last Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award? I don't remember. If not, here they are:
If we weren't told that Lee was checking himself into an inpatient Psych ward, this excerpt would have seemed scattered, messy, and rambling. However, because we are given that information right from the start we are given a small idea of how Lee's mind works. We don't know what is torturing him, but we know it is something big. Or perhaps it is just a lot of small things that are eating away at him. What exactly it is, we don't know, but because of the care the author took to set the scene, I sure want to find out.
I want Karen to get her husband back. I want Lee to give up the gun and let the pain go. But most of all, I want to know what the big secret it. I want the answer to the riddle.
"A Space, A Period, and A Capital" is too jumpy for a non-crazy reader. I realize that the narrative style is trying to imitate the world of a mentally ill person, but I really had a hard time getting into the story because it shifted gears so fast and so often. I would suggest that the author tone down the random stream of consciousness style. I think some stream of consciousness would be okay, but the author just needs to stay with one topic a little bit longer.
This story could be really interesting if the narrative quirk is worked out, particularly since "The Big Layoff" at Lee's firm is a relevant topic with the current state of the economy and the massive layoffs. I think examining what a layoff does to the psyche is interesting, and this narrative has an interesting perspective on it.
Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Reviews
ABNA Expert Reviewer
This is well written. The excerpt jumps around a lot, and there is a touch of paranoia, but in light of who the main character is, that fits well with the reality of what is going on in this story. Lee seems like a nice enough guy. A hard worker, has a loving wife, it sounds as if he has a nice home, but something is going on. Some sort of internal struggle. From what is written it could be an affair, perhaps he knows something about someone having an affair, or maybe he is just tired of keeping everyone's secret. Whatever it is, Lee is not happy. In fact Lee is so unhappy Lee wants to die.If we weren't told that Lee was checking himself into an inpatient Psych ward, this excerpt would have seemed scattered, messy, and rambling. However, because we are given that information right from the start we are given a small idea of how Lee's mind works. We don't know what is torturing him, but we know it is something big. Or perhaps it is just a lot of small things that are eating away at him. What exactly it is, we don't know, but because of the care the author took to set the scene, I sure want to find out.
I want Karen to get her husband back. I want Lee to give up the gun and let the pain go. But most of all, I want to know what the big secret it. I want the answer to the riddle.
ABNA Expert Reviewer
"A Space, A Period, and A Capital" starts with Lee, the protagonist, and his wife sitting in a hospital waiting room, where they are waiting for Lee to be admitted to the psychiatric ward. Lee has just tried to commit suicide again, so he's checking in. Lee then proceeds to take the reader on a roundabout assessment of his life, his job, and why he is suicidal. The excerpt ends with Lee being admitted, and him being paranoid that the hospital is already watching him."A Space, A Period, and A Capital" is too jumpy for a non-crazy reader. I realize that the narrative style is trying to imitate the world of a mentally ill person, but I really had a hard time getting into the story because it shifted gears so fast and so often. I would suggest that the author tone down the random stream of consciousness style. I think some stream of consciousness would be okay, but the author just needs to stay with one topic a little bit longer.
This story could be really interesting if the narrative quirk is worked out, particularly since "The Big Layoff" at Lee's firm is a relevant topic with the current state of the economy and the massive layoffs. I think examining what a layoff does to the psyche is interesting, and this narrative has an interesting perspective on it.
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