Unbound Boxes
Limping Gods:
Farokh Merek
Unbound Boxes
Limping Gods:
By Cheryl Moore
Time Line: 3988, China
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 16:
Farokh Merek
Farokh is thirteen and has just lost his father, Eric, to a heart attack. He is angry with his father for dying and longs for a different life, somewhere better than his homeland. He wants to be like his older sister, Alexand. Nothing will convince him that life in the army isn’t the great adventure he dreams about. The mandarin in the second drawing reads, “Beloved Father.” It was placed there by Heyem in his honour. This story is set a few weeks after issue # 9: The Guild Master’s General.
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My Thoughts:
Although it was sad, I am happy to see that the loss of Alexand's fingers was the only result from her fight. But her father died while traveling to the hospital to see her, and at the funeral, we meet her two siblings and, it seems, her lover. I find I am compelled to go see the story for each character as they are introduced and study their pics. But it becomes addictive, when you go to the backstory, then you see other stories where that character appears. I found myself itching to go out and read those...but must wait...
Farokh, I think, will definitely follow in the footsteps of his hero older sister...
I am not an artist and don't see the similarities between siblings, yet they are unique enough I hope to ultimately do so. The second drawing with Alexand having hair has forced me to pay more attention...I find I want to recognize these main characters... They become so much more real when you can immediately see their picture and learn about their story!
Even though I'm working ahead for posting, I find I want to continue with the story... The capture of what is essentially a "scene" as opposed to a story is intriguingly frustrating...
I'm wondering whether Cheryl should even try for printing of her novels. I find the interactive advantages refreshing, unique, and compelling... Serial Magazine style??? It makes me think about the future of books...sites to which you pay/subscribe to??? For surely Cheryl's work deserves attention as well as financial feedback to her!
Hi, Glenda, sorry for the late reply. (Had issue 20 to handle yesterday, but she's been safely let out amongst the other stories. Her name’s Maria Thamian, Heyem’s wife.)
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting point, that these stories could potentially stand alone without the novels. I can see how that would work. Regardless of any future novel release, I intend to keep telling these short teasers. Although I personally think that without the novels there is a limit to what I can reveal in the shorts. There are so many things which can only be explained with a solid novel. I’m withholding a lot of details. It’s actually frustrating for me as the writer, knowing that I have to be very careful not to tread on the ground covered in the novels. My greatest wish is that one day people can begin to read the first novel, so they know a lot more secrets than the micro stories can possibly tell. I’m hoping publication will be relatively soon, but realistically that may not be the case. (It’s also very liberating for me to be able to write an entire book without having to draw illustrations every few hundred yards..lol)
In my view, these short stories wet the reader’s palate for potential appreciation of the novels. But to me they are the first course. Preparing the palate for something more substantial. My intention is that when the first novel is published, I can reveal a little more about the present lives of my characters. The micro stories are restricted strictly to the past, so I don’t spoil the reader’s pleasure, when she/he reads Unbound Boxes Limping Gods for the first time.
Ok, so the novels will not have any, or little, art work? I know you are looking for a publisher and I thought that might be an issue in finding one. Otherwise, I am surprised you are not yet published... What I was thinking of was an alternative to print as opposed to alternative to a full novel. I think it is very important for you to get at least your first novel out and hope you do in the near future! I want more than the teasers too...LOL
ReplyDeleteThere is so much you can do electronically that is not as expensive as it would be when printing...even a ebook can probably be produced less expensively than a printed book. I know of one author who had put together art and word and found it was so expensive that "review copies" were not available...and the cost of purchase was well beyond the norm...guess I was just thinking out of an unbound box and seeing how to get your novel published! LOL
I quite agree that it's important to get the first novel published, lol. Well, I suppose the addition of artwork depends on the publisher to a great extent, but I was planning something more traditional for the first novel. It doesn't really need artwork, save the cover, as the art is already so widely available on the internet. I have submitted the first manuscript to a publisher, that I feel will do my book credit and fits with my own ideologies about the integrity of the writer's vision, but we'll see if that is a reciprocated feeling if I'm accepted. I'm hoping so, but it's my first ever submission. I quite cowardly waited until I'd written my fifth novel to seek publication of the first and then hand picked the publisher. Wish me luck *crosses fingers* I'm supposed to be hearing back from them this month. (Keeping busy....) Anyway.. yes, that's a good point about printing costs on art-centric books, I'll keep that in mind as I certainly don't want to get trapped in the 'too expensive to print' trap. *Shivers* Thanks Glenda, I appreciate the tip. I think artwork works well in e space, but not in print if you want it available for people to read, which I certainly do!
ReplyDeleteActually, I wish the technology would be developed to more easily accommodate the inclusion of art work. For me, and I am sure so many others, pictures add greatly to stories, just as they did for all of us as children...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that this is your first submission to a publisher. To me, it shows a maturity and long-range plan for your activities that will undoubtedly help throughout the upcoming months and years, working through the publishing process. I don't know whether you know that I worked part-time for a small publisher and got to learn the entire process through submission into printing, news releases, etc. It's fascinating, and can be time- consuming. Not being impatient in this activity will definitely allow you the time to experience the birth of your first and future books in a much more pleasurable fashion! Crossing my fingers for you!!!
Thanks, Glenda, yes I definitely like to plan, when it comes to submitting! I'm also crossing a lot of fingers and toes! I didn't know you worked in the publishing industry. As for the inclusion of artwork, I think maybe it could stil work well with a real life published book, to have very little pictures, but a web address pointing to the illustrations/short stories, so that the reader gets an opportunity to dive into the world, before, during or after reading the novel? It would make me so happy and would give more meaning to the short stories, and enrich the novels. It would also allow me to tell other stories and produce illustrations that I'm unable to, due to spoilers. Once the first book is published (crossing more than fingers and toes) I'm planning an expansion, based around the time period of the novel, as there are some characters and stories I have to avoid telling about, which I'm itching to, but can't without giving too much away! That's the plan, anyway!
ReplyDelete