An adventure in multiple time zones
I'm working on a novel (it actually might end up being more of a novella) right now that's a bit different than what I usually write. Although it has some familiar characters who readers may recognize, it's more of an adventure than a slow meander through the lives of Lake Caywood's inhabitants.
When I say "adventure," please don't assume that I'm trying my hand at a Jason Bourne- or Robert Langdon-esque tale. I'm absolutely not! I don't think I could write something like that even if I wanted to; it's not my strength. No, no. This story that I'm working on now is about a young woman named Jane who travels to the fictional town of Radio Park, Oregon, to attend her cousin Piper's wedding. She plans to stay for a week. So that's one narrator.
Another narrator is her uncle, Ansel, who is Piper's father. Ansel's plotline is where the magical realism comes into play because he has a tattoo that sort of guides him toward making solid decisions. I really like the character of Ansel. This book is a rewrite of something I wrote well over a decade ago and he wasn't a key player in that version. This time around, however, I'm having a good time getting to know him.
The third narrator is a guy named Jonny. Only a few years old than Jane, Jonny lives in the fictional town of Moonglow, North Carolina. He's toying with the idea of proposing to his long-time girlfriend (he already bought the ring!), but can't seem to muster up the courage to pop the question. The reason for this? He's only 99% positive that she's the one. You see, six years earlier, when Jonny was still single and traveling out west, he ended up in a hole-in-the-wall bar where he spent five hours with a charismatic woman he simply can't seem to forget. Unfortunately, he knows very little about her. Things he does know about her include her love of art (she's a photographer), her hometown (Radio Park, Oregon), and her first name (Piper).
On a whim, Jonny travels west in the hopes of discovering the mysterious Piper and figuring out his next step in life. Spanning one week and five time zones (EDT, CDT, MDT, MST, and PDT), the chapters are short and the plot is all over the place... literally! I'm toying with the idea of releasing it as a serial novel, a chapter or two each week.
So here's my question to you: In the event that I decide to do this, do you think you'd be interested in reading it? I have a feeling this work will be too short to even attempt to push to an agent. Therefore, I'm going into it with the intent to self-publish. I'd appreciate learning your thoughts. I love writing more than just about anything (not cats, obviously...), but it's kind of disheartening to not be able to share my characters. That's the point of writing, after all, and if I never get an agent, no one will ever know what I have to say. Hence, the possibility of this serial novel.
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