A novel approach April 11, 2024
I only realized this week that I actually have three novels that incorporate the same fem fatale, not two.
“Hudson City” and “What is but should never be,” are the
most obvious since these were designed to serve as a fictional recreation of
characters vaguely associated with her.
But I hadn’t realized that I had reconstructed the script of
an old video “Meet me in Atlantic City” as a novel that also included the same
characters in some fashion or another.
Unfortunately, she gets killed off early in “Hudson City” as
the novel turns into a who-done-it as the main character (Sam or Dan, I haven’t
made up my mind yet on the final name) is accused of her murder and spends the
rest of the novel trying to find the real culprit in order to prove his
innocence, while also trying to avoid getting killed by her vengeful ex-lover,
a disgraced former cop who still loves her.
“What is and what should never be,” starts out with Sam
finding out that the woman he thought dead is still alive, and the novel
centers on his search to find her and find out what she is up to.
‘Meet me in Atlantic City” is an expansion on a video I did
years ago in which Sam’s friend needs help because the mafia is after him, and
Sam has to revisit a painful past relationship with the woman that is part of
this.
“Hudson City” take place in the mythical city but with side
trips through the past in Kingston -- partly because I’ve been to Kingston
enough to be able to use it as a back drop, but I will likely have to change
that section of the novel in order to avoid the obvious conflicts.
“What is and what should never be,” takes place mostly in
Asbury Park (for the same reasons I had picked Kingston), but also poses a
problem in that it might be taken as too autobiographical. At this point, I have
no plans to change it.
As the name implies, “Meet in Atlantic City” takes place mostly
in Atlantic City – past and present.
These three words differ from “the fantasy” pieces, short
stories that play out “what if” situations – such as one that speculates on
what might have transpired had I decided to go to the magazine party way back when.
Many of these other fantasy pieces are semi-erotic stories shaped out of what I
dreamed of or wanted to occur in specific settings (such as early on in office)
that actually never took place.
Since I expanded my videos and short story about the Old
Mill – the original story coming from an erotic piece I wrote before I met our
poet – it might be argued that one of the female characters that appear in that
novel might well be marginally based on our poet as well. Since I’ve yet to even start typing in the
handwritten version of that very long novel, I won’t be certain until I’ve
looked more closely at it.
At this point, “Hudson City” is half written and half still in
outline form – although I’m about to post the love scenes shortly. “What is and
What should never be” is almost all outline, as is the Atlantic City novel.
I’m focusing on completely Hudson City first before I plunge
into “What is and What Should never be,” and the Atlantic City novel – although
I will likely be posting a number of the fantasy pieces since they are shorter
and easier to tackle.
Meanwhile, I need to figure out what city to replace
Kingston with, a place remote enough and yet which I’m familiar enough with to
make credible scenes.
Wish me luck.
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