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Detectives
Luck
SF Fantasy
Scripts
Glass Mountain
Cancer
Other
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The Truth About Cancer.
This is my second
completed novel and it is something of an oddity, it is a funny book about
cancer. It also deals with the reality of cancer including the science of
the illness and its cure as well as the emotional impact it has on sufferers
and those around them. It tells the story of one young man’s trip through
testicular cancer. Most of all, the book has a happy ending.
The main character,
Steve, is a composite of several people I met when I was ill and probably a
big chunk of me. If nothing else, writing this book has been a cathartic
experience.
The book uses “The Innes
Mode” to tell the story. This was first used by Jon Dos Passos in his USA
Trilogy, but is very successfully used by a number of science fiction
writers (John Brunner, Stand on Zanzibar, Joe Haldeman, Mindbridge). This
means it uses short stories, letters, pseudo magazine articles, biographical
inserts and scripts as well as more conventional story telling to tell the
tale. All these elements are woven into one complex and highly readable
narrative.
The different elements
of the story are:
Timeline Segments (C+ or
-).
These contain the basic
narrative and serve as a description of what has actually happened to the
character.
Click here for a sample
Biographical Details
These are effectively
independent short stories which describe the lives of the main characters
and how cancer has affected these lives. They are used to build up
affection for the characters and emphasise the Steve’s isolation from his
friends whilst in hospital.
Click here for a sample
Tales of Good and Bad Luck
I am a firm believer
that cancer is a matter of luck. These chapters are either light hearted
factual pieces explaining the nature of luck or short stories to illustrate
what consists of good or bad luck.
Click here for a sample
The Truth About Cancer
A series of factual
pieces or short stories explaining what cancer is, how it is treated and the
effects it may have.
Click here for a sample
Asides
Random lists or details
that occur in the narrative
Click here for a sample
Solitude With Good Company
I originally thought
this was a quote from Bertrand Russell, but it turns out its Byron and it
refers to letter writing. This is a series of letters from Steve to his
friend Chris. They add to the narrative and give Steve a chance to express
his thoughts and feelings.
Click here for a sample
Woke Up This Morning
Whenever I woke up in
the morning, the older guys in the ward were having these weird non-sequitur
conversations. These are presented as scripts and allow the characters to
tell their own stories in a quick and efficient fashion. I also like the
phrase FADE IN which starts each scene, because it reminds me of how it felt
to wake up every morning in a strange bed
Click here for a sample
Please Help Me!
The Truth About Cancer
is complete at 65,000 words and I am currently seeking representation for
it, so if you know of any publishers or agents or could put me in contact
with someone who could recommend me to someone else, please click here and
let me know.
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