2 down...16 to go

I've put together two chapters so far and have the next two days off so I should be able to pick up some ground.

The more I think about this story, the more versions I think of, each with varying levels of detail or complexity. I could see writing two versions - the one I'm currently working on and one more akin to The Boy Who Cried Wolf. The second version could be done relatively quickly - a few sentences a page, more broadly defined characters and setting. Hmm...

18 chapters in 18 days

That's the challenge I'm presenting myself. I'm already pissed off for not introducing myself to a girl tonight at Amy Bloom's reading so I'm going to take it out on The BFL. 18 2-4 page chapters in 18 days. Mark it down. February 27. It's on.

In other news, I submitted ACYW to a contest and started research on small presses.

A Dahl Version

I spent a lot of time this week refining The BFL's outline which now calls for eighteen chapters. I also considered how to write the story. Going with the subtitle, The Girl Who Cried L-v-, I could write it akin to a Grimm fairytale, or in a more modern vein, akin to a Roald Dahl story. While he wrote with greater detail in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a number of his books find ways to make the most of the little description that he provided. To this end, I'm considering writing a rough Dahl version of The BFL, ie, starting with 2-4 page write-ups for each chapter, concentrating first on moving the story along and second, working in key details that appeal to the five senses.

Once I have that broad version done, I could then review and consider what parts of the story to expand on and what needs greater descriptive detail.

The end

After staring at my computer screen for the last three days, taking innumerable breaks to nap, to run errands, to listen to reggae, the Gym Class Heroes, Holly Miranda and Hall & Oates, to track down Chinese drinking songs and attempt to make dark Muscovado brownies (failed, but succeeded in making a tasty potato casserole with gouda, garlic and thyme), I have come up with the framework for an ending to The Beer Flower Limited. It needs work - no doubt - but I like it. It works. Or it will with some jigging.

After a little more cleaning up of the outline, I should be ready to race ahead.

What happened to that kid?

The boy who cried wolf. What happened to him? Sure, the wolf ate the flock he was guarding when no one responded to his final call of, "Wolf! Wolf!" But what happened to the kid? Anyone know? I've come up empty other than pure speculation.

Chinese Drinking Songs

I figured if I'm going to write a book about beer in China, I should look into Chinese drinking songs. Thankfully Jerome P. Seaton edited just such a book, The Wine of Endless of Life: Taoist Drinking Songs from the Yuan Dynasty (1985). Most notably, I enjoyed the songs of Yun-K'an Tzu:

who envies you
oh high and mighty
all done up in purple
and dangling your badge of rank
my heart's at peace
I'm satisfied with me
there aren't many in the world today
to match this
crafty rascal.

*

when I'm drunk I sleep
and even when I'm not
I loll my head and
stagger east and west completely
shameless
there is no spring
there is no fall
toot-toot, woo-woo
this music
keeps me young.

Of course, there are at least caveats to Seaton's work. One, it's Taoist, not Phi Delt. Two, it's approximately 700 years old. Unfortunately, at the moment, I have little else to choose from, but I like Tzu's work.

Possible subtitle

The Girl Who Cried L-v- (a play on the boy who cried wolf).