How Two Characters Hijacked an Author

Hijacked

Hijacked!

If you have not already guessed, the title of today’s post is a play on the name of Luigi Pirandello’s masterful work, Six Characters in Search of an Author. Among other things, Pirandello’s play deals with the relationship between authors and their characters. If you want more information about the play, please see the Wikipaedia article.

Getting on with it . . .

As I recently mentioned, I’m working on the last chapters of Syrena and, like many stories, a lot transpires in these three or four chapters[1]. In one of these final chapters, I wanted to write a minor scene involving Amy, Penelope’s VBFF, and Billy King, Peter’s old college room-mate.

The scene was intended to run about 600 words (+/-). It would simply remind readers that the two characters were still interested in each other. It was at this point the trouble began.

The Plot Thickens

There I was, minding my own business and writing the opening sentences. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the two of them jumped me. Billy threatened me with bodily harm. Amy suggested I would sleep with the fishes if I didn’t do as they said.

Faced with extreme emotional distress, I had no choice but to capitulate. The 600 words turned into 2086 words. I was told to keep writing their thread within the story if I knew what was good for me. I have been doing just that over the past few days. Nonetheless, I have steadfastly refused to cast Billy as the hero who saves the day, revamps the postal system and makes the trains run on time[2].

A Last Request

If I don’t make it and you, dear reader, happen to find this, please tell my wife that I love her.


[1] For those who regularly scan this blog in hopes of finding some juicy insider information, here’s a tip; The final chapter resolves a minor mystery that began in Chapter Twenty-Six of Urban Mermaid. The mystery is so minor that most readers barely noticed it. This mystery will be a minor plot-line in Syrena.

[2] Those of you of a certain age and possessed of a certain sense of humour will recognise this last bit. It was having been shamelessly pilfered from a parody of Tolkien’s masterful epic, Lord of the Rings.

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