I did not intend for this story to become a full novel. My plan, and the Muse laughed, was to write another novella as a loose sequel to Snow in Her Eyes, and then another one after that, before finally writing bridges for the three to create a single novel. Yeah. Plans are great, but what happens when things don’t go according to plan? Evidently in my world, I wind up with a novel I had not planned for, and am not sure what to do with. Well, ok. Sanderley Studios is about to put out their first novel, I guess!
It’s funny. I finished this in one big burst of writing, on a work night, just before leaving for LTUE. I’d known I was close to complete, but had figured I might work on it while flying to the conference, rather than getting much done before hand. But the brain kept feeding me bits, and I would write them out, and then try to sleep, but nooo, there was more. Until finally there wasn’t any more.
So this is another Amaya Lombard story. The detective with magical talents, who can see a world transposed on our own, gets called in on special cases. When a horrific scene surfaces in Possum Creek, Kentucky, her boss ‘loans’ her out to help with it, and she boards a plane from Oregon to the Appalachians. She has no idea what she is about to walk into…
Writing this was interesting. The whole story started with my daughter misreading a sign. Just up the road from where we live is a park named Possum Creek, and as we drove by it one day, the Ginja Ninja asked in startled tones ‘did that sign read Possum Creek Massacre?’ and just like that, the kernel was planted. I decided to set it primarily in Kentucky, since I’ve been getting to know that state while visiting my in-laws, and then when my mother moved into an old farm. The setting of the story seemed natural in a region known for the deep folklore, Granny witches, and a certain reputation for violence and family feuds. And from my experience of it, everyone knows everyone, and takes care of their neighbors, and it’s a way of life I can admire in some facets.
The other part of the story, the inanimate characters, if you will, are the abandoned houses and barns that dot the rural countryside of both Kentucky and Ohio. I’m not used to the concept of this casual abandonment of, in some cases, beautiful homes. Left to rot, they hark back to different times, families that have vanished into the surrounding hills and hollers, so incorporating them into the case, and story, was a way to add another level of ghostly presence of the past to Possum Creek. Which is, I hasten to assure you, entirely fictitious. There is (according to the internet maps) no such town in Kentucky. If you want to experience a place like it, though, you might start near Berea, KY, and take a left to head east into the area near the Red River Gorge. There, you may see such tiny, dying towns trying to keep their place in the world that seems to have forgotten them and passed them by, leaving only the detritus of the War on Drugs in it’s wake. If you were to stop in one, and set a while, you’ll hear the accent I tried to capture in Marilyn… and oh, that’s another thing. I pulled the name from my own experience listening to a Kentucky lady saying her neighbor’s name. I was startled when I first heard it, but having an unusual name myself, went along with it. It was months before I realized that the neighbor was Marilyn, not Merlin. I was somewhat disappointed!
And as an additional surprise, this novel went in subtle directions I was not anticipating. Like the chapter headings. They are either phrases from hymns, or Bible verses.
- Benediction
- Cleaving the Sky
- Endeavour
- Wrestling with the Devil
- Through a Glass Darkly
- Suffer not a Witch
- Morning comes but Also Night
- Dwell Among Ravenous Beasts
- The Sorrows of Hell Compassed me About
- Testify, Sister, to the Glory of the Lord
- By the Blood of the Lamb
- Vengeance is Mine
- Sup With a Long Spoon
- Hell’s Foundations Quiver
- When the Walls Come Tumblin’ Down
- Writing on the Wall
- Streams of Mercy
- Bind my Wandering Heart
- Though the Night Deepens
Oh – and if you would be interested in Beta Reading this, let me know. I will warn you that there is some language, and definitely graphic crime scene description. If you read and didn’t like Snow in Her Eyes, you probably will not like this one.
Comments
24 responses to “The Accidental Novel”
I’d be interested in the book from your description of it. I didn’t read Snow In Her Eyes, so I would be coming at it with fresh eyes.
That would be very helpful, thank you. I’ll dm you for an email address.
You can also contact me via my wordpress blog’s contact page.
Ah, that works as well.
I would be happy to beta read if you like, although be warned I’ve never beta read before so my input may or may not be useful…
Well, it’s not complicated, at least my version. I don’t ask for specific things, mostly impressions of pacing (did you get bored? Where?) and plot (did something throw you out of the story?) and character (were they consistent?). I’m usually just looking for a reader’s impressions. You can email me at cedarlila at gmail dot com and let me know your ebook format preferences. Thank you!
I MUST beta read this! I will PAY for the privilege, if needed! If needed, but I MUST (!!!) have the story!
LOL! Papa Pat, you need never pay for a story of mine. I am so grateful for your reviews and feedback. I’ll send out an email this evening – kindle format?
Oh, and to reassure you. There are no dead children in this story!
Thank you! And Kindle version is my preference.
Also: for those who have said that they haven’t read “Snow In Her Eyes:”
I heartily recommend that you do so. I gave it a 1-star rating, but that was BECAUSE it was so effective. It’s just that THIS guy has certain squeamish areas that I cross only at peril to my well-being.
Please consider my rating of the story as equivalent to the rating given to a delicious, medium-rare bacon cheeseburger by an Orthodox Jew. It has nothing to do with nutrition, flavor, presentation, etc, and everything to do with rules SPECIFIC to the reviewer.
I expound in my blog post of August 4, 2017:
https://habakkuk21.blogspot.com/2017/08/when-good-authors-get-bad-reviews-cedar.html
Ooh,ooh, can I read it? I promise to be vicious.
Er… don’t draw blood? I have your email, I believe. Preferred format? I should be sending the ms out this evening.
Oohing and aahing, not being that helpful. ;o)
I’m not sure how to get it into kindle, but I’ll go with that.
I’d be honored to Beta read your work and I sent you an email about the format.
thank you, I will put you on the list!
Sigh. I promise I will get to it within the next few days, LOL! I’m still working on M. Timothy Gray’s story that I’ve been proofreading forever, and I need to get that finished before I get side-tracked. But I’m really looking forward to seeing how Possum Creek came out!
Sent you an email concerning Beta Reading Possum Creek Massacre. If you didn’t get it, send me an email at drakbibliophile at comcast dot net
I see the list of volunteers is long, and quite distinguished, but if another set of eye is wanted/needed I would love to see it.
I honestly never checked out your work before. But I am now sorry about that. From the introduction you gave, they sound right up my alley!
I would love to be allowed to sample your work.😊
I’d be happy to have you! Please send an email to cedarlila at gmail dot com and let me know your preferred format for the manuscript – ePub, mobi (for kindle) or PDF.
How long is it? Should I read Snow in Her Eyes first?
Not necessarily. The two are loosely connected by the same main character. This is about 50k words long
I found snow in her eyes to be a very interesting story. And if you are in need of yet another beta reader, I would be happy to serve.
In anycase, I do look forward to this…
I’d be happy to have your input. What format would you prefer?