The Book
This is where you will witness the development of the book. My challenge, to tell you the story without telling you the story.
The Book is called The Book because my novel still does not have a name, but I have a list of possibilities.
The Carer
Jack
The Pact
In sickness and in Health
Regrets
Heidi’s Voice
It is What it is.
Progress
22/05/2016
I have writen the first draft and sent it out to alpha readers for developmental feedback. The response has been VERY POSITIVE.
I am now working through my first edit, taking into account the feedback I have recieved. This time through I am looking at filling any gaps in the story, making sure I move between scene, dialogue, action, that I am showing not telling, that the story is told by meaningful, beleivable characters. I am removing glue words and sticky sentences, dotting the is and crossing the ts.
It won’t be the last edit.
I am up to chapter 7.
Would you like to read the first few paragraphs?
Chapter 1
The fluorescent lights begin their backward slide, a brick wall gradually appears beyond the open window. The coiled cord slinks back into tight loops as the nurse returns the controls to the bed railing. I am sitting upright.
“Hi there. How are you feeling today?” the nurse asks, as though I can answer, her voice muffled by the mask. Why ask a question I have no way of answering? What would she want to hear if I could?
“Hi, there,” I could reply in the same fake chirpy tone. “How am I feeling? Well, the fact I can no longer move my body is a little devastating. But it’s the total inability to communicate, to tell you I am still in here, listening, watching, remembering that is causing the deep despair that engulfs me. How are you feeling?”
The nurse has moved to the top of the bed. I can’t see her but the smell of hand sanitizer hangs around my face like a cloud. She tells me that the physiotherapist will be there at ten, with a speech therapist who will assess my swallowing. What the bloody hell does it matter how well I can swallow? I close my eyes.
29/06/2026
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