loved the metaphor of the bolt. You're right about Ford's--though I'm not sure there is any agreement as to whether it is plural, possessive or plural-possessive.
The clock is ticking on these stories if the subscriber base doesn't increase. That's just a reality. Despite all the kind words and support, daily fiction hasn't performed to my lowest base expectations. In that department it's a disaster, and Substack was way, way off in their assessment that 10% of free subscribers could be converted. That model is more fictional than anything I've written.
I have a screenplay that garnered some interest, and two of the Roulette Weal stories did as well. It would be lovely to have the financial buffer to keep going. The crazy thing is that Substance pays big names who don't need the money, but don't have any programs in place to keep writers like me around despite an obvious resume of consistent quality production.
Wow. Wonder who his dad is? Would real mom know for sure? How old was she, anyway? How old is she now? Will he ever ask her about his dad? Would it matter?
I did leave that open ended but spent a great amount of time considering her place in that current world. Remember, he just saw the emails. He really hasn't had time to consider his options other than a late night walk.
It's a fortress. One of the things I'm most proud of is that for the last like 2 years I drank I wasn't in denial anymore. I was just " screw it, I'm a drunk".
That's precisely the point. Lies and deception left him adrift, feeling like a discarded bolt. Like he was meant, created to belong to something but just felt like he didn't belong to anything. That's what kids join bands, gangs, identify strongly with certain musical subcultures, Proud Boys, etc, etc, etc. But there is rarely ever any resolution.
“Mark tossed the bolt on the grass and envied the soft landing” Great line, and yes I can imagine that finding out you are adopted through email would be like getting hit by a truck. But Mark’s parents were Felix and Laurie. They may not be biologically related, but they’re still his parents.
💜
Damn
loved the metaphor of the bolt. You're right about Ford's--though I'm not sure there is any agreement as to whether it is plural, possessive or plural-possessive.
Life hits hard.
Sometimes 3:24am hard.
How it's dealt with makes us who we are.
Really good story, Jimmy.
The clock is ticking on these stories if the subscriber base doesn't increase. That's just a reality. Despite all the kind words and support, daily fiction hasn't performed to my lowest base expectations. In that department it's a disaster, and Substack was way, way off in their assessment that 10% of free subscribers could be converted. That model is more fictional than anything I've written.
Sorry to hear.
You are a great writer and storyteller.
So many different stories you have written could be compiled into book form.
Self-help
Motivational
Teaching moments
Story-starters
Gang stories
Life stories
Story noir
Never sell yourself short.
Never give up.
You are sitting on a gold mine.
Unfortunately, marketing and monetizing it is the difficult part.
Fourty years ago, I subscribed to Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine - just a collection of short stories each month.
Over the years, some of those stories became movies.
The first one I can think of off the top of my head was "Enemy Mine" - awesome story.
You never know!
I have a screenplay that garnered some interest, and two of the Roulette Weal stories did as well. It would be lovely to have the financial buffer to keep going. The crazy thing is that Substance pays big names who don't need the money, but don't have any programs in place to keep writers like me around despite an obvious resume of consistent quality production.
Remember, before Star Wars, no one would do Science Fiction because "no one was doing it".
Suddenly, everyone was doing it.
With your 360 degrees of writing, it's just a matter of time.
Hopefully, not in 40 years!
Wow. Wonder who his dad is? Would real mom know for sure? How old was she, anyway? How old is she now? Will he ever ask her about his dad? Would it matter?
He asked. That's in there. She denied Contreras wasn't his dad, repeatedly.
No, I mean ask Lynette--real mom.
I did leave that open ended but spent a great amount of time considering her place in that current world. Remember, he just saw the emails. He really hasn't had time to consider his options other than a late night walk.
Denial is a powerful tool.
It's a fortress. One of the things I'm most proud of is that for the last like 2 years I drank I wasn't in denial anymore. I was just " screw it, I'm a drunk".
“I gotta be me.” -SDJ
Wow, so much learned and so much unresolved.
That's precisely the point. Lies and deception left him adrift, feeling like a discarded bolt. Like he was meant, created to belong to something but just felt like he didn't belong to anything. That's what kids join bands, gangs, identify strongly with certain musical subcultures, Proud Boys, etc, etc, etc. But there is rarely ever any resolution.
Fiction and authentic real people stories at the same time. That's part of the treasure in your stories.
“Mark tossed the bolt on the grass and envied the soft landing” Great line, and yes I can imagine that finding out you are adopted through email would be like getting hit by a truck. But Mark’s parents were Felix and Laurie. They may not be biologically related, but they’re still his parents.