Intro |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003-06
Novel
Diary — 2002
25
January, 2002
On the way to work today I realize how the novel concludes:
in the middle. Following Jenny's recovery and Paul's visit
to determine that she cannot recall the accident, Valerie
returns home with Eliot and puts him to bed. Following that
she makes an overture. Does Paul remember how they met? The
instant the saw one another? Yes. He reflects on the time:
Their meeting in Xchanges art gallery. Walking out the door
with her, knowing that she was the one. Knowing that she
knew it too.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
14
February, 2002 /Valentines
Finished draft one of ch. 7 yesterday and opened up the
last draft of The Bank
Inspector [my abandoned
novel of the mid-1990s] hoping to salvage some of the best
of it; two scenes with native women – apparitions – come to
save the heroine. Decided it was bad writing and bad
practice to cut and paste ghosts where what I want is a
spirit. In this case, I realize I now need Jack Wise to
fill this role, a mentor to Paul. Someone to see him
through the darkness in his life. Perhaps Jack himself
would love to see it thus….
All this comes as a bit of disappointment, since I was
counting on the old scenes with the women to serve as a
transition. Now though I see it was all wrong. The new
novel stands well above anything I have written before. It
truly feels inspired and I cannot fake anything that would
be a compromise. If ever a book has written itself, this
one is it. Though I have to work to get each sentence on
the page, the overall direction — the destiny — of the book
is fixed and I simply need to follow it. All I need is the
stamina, discipline and faith to stay the course.
PS – just re-read this journal for the first time. I’m
surprised to read of my doubts and uncertainty. Now the
flesh of the book is well packed onto its bones. I believe
in this book like I believe in my dearest friends.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
25
March, 2002
I met last Friday with Aaron Gordon, an old friend and
personal injury lawyer [now deceased —DFB, Feb., 2007]. I
wanted to get straight how the accident inquiry would shape
up. While the details are different than I imagined the
substance is correct. I’ll focus on a “discovery” session
as a preliminary to a civil suit in which Jenny’s parents
sue everyone at the accident. This will bring Paul up for
sworn testimony and force him to deny his guilt.
Furthermore, he will lie in order to protect himself and
his family. Second point: the police would likely not be
involved in this case; therefore I have to re-work the
scene in which Paul has the fantasy call with the police.
On another front, I’ve discovered Valerie’s flaw: she had
rheumatic fever as a child and it attacked her heart (the
valves) and resulted in heart surgery when she was twenty.
Another surgery is due, this time to replace the valve with
an artificial device that will require life long use of
beta blockers. To set it up, I’ll back and fill what I’ve
already written it the first 8 chapters with some
foreshadowing about her chest scar and how her anxiety
about “losing everything” relates not only to Paul’s
trouble, but to her own health.
Onwards….
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
30
July, 2002 – a cut from Ch. 13:
You could thank Jeanine for that. No matter, she meant well
and it was her little contribution, one of the many that
head lead to the singular predicament.
What had Jensen said in the washroom? That he hadn’t yet
told the police what he knew: that Paul had hit Jenny with
the paddle. How could he know that? Furthermore, if he
could know it, he might be able to convince them of it.
=====
This is the first entry here for a long time. Due to good
progress over the past months. Now it’s time for a break –
up north and back east for work and holidays. I’ll try to
pick up the flow in late August….
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••