Charlie No Face: Reception/reading/signing

Posted by David B. on Saturday, March 5, 2011

The news about Charlie No Face continues to be encouraging. I’ve gotten considerable positive feedback and am planning a number of readings. For those of you in the Rochester area, I will be having a book reception/reading/signing at Lift Bridge Book Shop in Brockport (45 Main St.) on Monday March 21 at 7pm. Hope to see you there!

I will also be returning to my home town, Ellwood City, Pa., the setting for Charlie No Face, to do a reading at the Ellwood Public Library on Saturday May 14. I have other evnts planned, as well.

I am alos working diligently on my next novel, Chimney Bluffs. In the last few weeks I had hit a dry patch in which the ideas seemed to fade and the blank computer screen seemed to get bigger and bigger. I felt stuck for sure. This led to a few sleepless nights. Instead I lay awake considering various directions to follow. One night I hit upon an entirely different angle to take with the plot that I thought would energize it and add an intriguing twist. But it would mean re - writing aspects of the story beginning with chapter one (I’m one chapter 30). That would be like reaching into a cake after it has been cooked and trying to rearrange the ingredients. Nevertheless, I thought it was a good idea. The next day I started re - writing chapters one and two. It went well until I went to sleep that night. This time I tossed and turned because I realized there was no reasonable way to bring these new threads together; that they would flap helplessly and inconsequentially in the narrative breeze.

The next day I went back to the last chapter I had written, the one that had given me such trouble. I re - read it aloud, which is always a good thing to do. To my surprise, I liked it. It hung together and I finished the chapter in a very few sentences. Not only did I feel relieved but as I ran errands that day I got a glimpse of how this story would end, how I could bring things together. When that happens, I know I’m within 70 - 80 pages from the end.

And so, the writing is going better.

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BELOW IS A Sample Psychology Today BLOG.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN HOPE SHOWS UP?

I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM MY FAVORITE COFFEE SHOP. IT WAS LATE MARCH. IN MANY AREAS OF THE COUNTRY I WOULD HAVE BEEN ENJOYING BUDDING TREES, DAFFODILS AND TULIPS ALONG THE WAY. BUT I LIVE IN WESTERN NEW YORK WHERE WINTER HOLDS ON FOR DEAR LIFE WELL INTO MARCH, SOMETIMES APRIL. I EVEN REMEMBER A DUSTING OF SNOW ON OUR LETTUCE IN MID-MAY. NEVERTHELESS, AS I DROVE ALONG, I WATCHED FOR SIGNS OF SPRING.

I PASSED A HOUSE AND IN THE DRIVEWAY WAS A LITTLE BOY SITTING IN FRONT OF A TINY TABLE. HE HAD A WINTER COAT ON, HOOD OVER HIS HEAD PULLED TIGHT AT THE CHIN. HIS KNEES WERE CLENCHED TOGETHER FOR WARMTH. IN FRONT OF HIM ON THE TABLE WAS A PITCHER, CUPS BESIDE IT. THERE WAS A SIGN HANGING FROM THE TABLE THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. AS EACH CAR PASSED, HIS RAISED HIS GLOVED HAND SLIGHTLY AND TILTING IT BACK AND FORTH IN WHAT WAS BARELY A WAVE.

I SMILED AS I DROVE BY. I THOUGHT, “NO ONE IS GOING TO STOP ON THIS BUSY ROAD TO BUY LEMONADE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S ALMOST FREEZING OUTSIDE.” SO I TURNED AROUND AND DROVE BACK TO THE STAND. I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AS THE LITTLE BOY’S MOTHER CAME OUT TO TAKE PICTURES. I ASSUMED SHE WAS SHOCKED THAT ANYONE HAD STOPPED. THE EIGHT-YEAR-OLD BOY, ON THE OTHER HAND, DIDN’T SEEM SURPRISED AT ALL.

ON THE TABLE WERE TWO PLASTIC CUPS ALREADY FILLED. HE WAS READY FOR BUSINESS. I ASKED IF HE MADE THE LEMONADE HIMSELF. HE SAID THAT HIS MOTHER HAD HELPED. I NOTED THAT THE LEMONADE COST A QUARTER; HE SHOOK HIS HEAD AND POINTED TO ONE OF THE CUPS AS IF TO SAY, “THAT ONE’S YOURS.” I PICKED IT UP AND TOOK A SIP AS A STIFF WIND SET ME BACK ON MY HEELS. “THIS IS VERY GOOD. MUCH BETTER THAN JUST TWENTY-FIVE CENTS.” I REACHED INTO MY POCKET AND GAVE HIM A DOLLAR. HE LEANED BACK IN HIS CHAIR AND SMILED FROM UNDER HIS HOOD AND SAID, “THANKS. YOU CAN KEEP THE CUP.”

A LITTLE BOY ON A FREEZING COLD DAY SITTING BY THE SIDE OF A BUSY COUNTRY ROAD CONVINCED HE CAN SELL LEMONADE. I THINK THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF HOPE. AND WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU COME ACROSS A SIGN OF HOPE ALONG THE WAY? FIRST YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION OR YOU MIGHT MISS IT; THEN YOU STOP, GO BACK, WELCOME IT, DRINK IT IN, AND SUPPORT IT HOWEVER YOU CAN.