Well, well.
Here we are. Familiar territory.
Click here to read Laramie, Chapter 11.
I’m sure many of you might have questions. Let me throw some
answers to a few.
·
Oh. We caught up to Coffee at 9. So, is
this book almost done?
Hardly. While there are 24 chapters, we aren’t even at the
halfway point in terms of that. As for actual written material, we are
approaching being one-third of the way through.
·
Don’t we know how it ends?
No. The conclusion of Coffee at 9 might be known, but
that was Cooper’s story. We have much, much more to cover in Laramie’s story.
·
If Cooper is in the picture, does that mean we
won’t see Grayson or Freddy anymore?
They are still very much a part of Laramie’s life, so their
roles will continue. The format will continue to be the dual narrative in each scene, but it will still continue to change.
Before you think you “know everything” and might as well
skip the next couple of chapters, bear in mind that Book Six always shows two
perspectives in its narration, so we have a lot to take in from Laramie’s
mindset.
This was a challenging chapter to write. While events are
familiar, I still had to make it fit the current narrative and also match the
details we knew from Book Five. While an author knows the flow of a book, as
details materialize in the writing, there is a lot of going back and forth
checking on continuity. When everything is said and done, it would almost be
fun to see one huge master timeline. It would be wonderful if such a thing
existed before you even started, but that’s a fantasy. The real detailed character development
comes in the actual writing process.
If I can call the first ten chapters the prequel, the
current chapters are Act II. This arc will take us to about the halfway point
in Laramie. This is established canon but a new take on it. Then the
rest of the book can be considered the sequel. All three arcs are vital to
Laramie’s complete story, but the second half of the book has all the stuff I
love. (It reminds me of Jakob’s book.)
Now that Laramie has met Cooper, does it feel the same to
you as the reader, or now fully knowing Laramie’s past, is there a difference?
Mitchell had a big role in Coffee at 9, but from Laramie’s end, we won’t
see that here.
Once again, this was a sizable chapter. What’s interesting
is that I didn’t include a sex scene. Sure, there is some frank sexual talk
here and there, but no one is in bed with anyone else. I hope that doesn’t
disappoint readers out there. There are hundreds of pages yet to appear for all
the steamy stuff.
Let me hear from you. While we are in this current arc, I
probably won’t do a blog post each chapter. But it is still nice to see readers’
responses. I love your email.
Once again you’ve outdone yourself. Love reading about these men again. Thank you for all you do.
ReplyDeleteja
Thanks, Timothy, both for a lovely long chapter bringing Cooper into the story of LARAMIE and for the blogpost orienting us in the new book. Definitely, the "familiar" events look and feel very different seen from Laramie's perspective. Intrigued as I was by him in COFFEE AT 9, I was always struck by how little we actually knew about him.
ReplyDeleteNow, for example, when the subject of Tyler's suicide came up at Lance and Jakob's, I felt the bludgeoning effect it must be having on Laramie. I couldn't be more pleased to know how much still lies ahead in LARAMIE -- and to know that our smug assumptions that we know what's coming are as off-base as such assumptions usually are in real life!
You: "Now that Laramie has met Cooper, does it feel the same to you as the reader, or now fully knowing Laramie’s past, is there a difference? Mitchell had a big role in 'Coffee at 9,' but from Laramie’s end, we won’t see that here."
ReplyDeleteMe: I feel like an idiot, I have misjudged Laramie. Thanks to your new narrative you get to see all sides now. I felt that Laramie was kind of needy. Instead he is just a great guy, despite what his parents have put him through, and a great friend to Cooper.
You: "Once again, this was a sizable chapter. What’s interesting is that I didn’t include a sex scene. Sure, there is some frank sexual talk here and there, but no one is in bed with anyone else. I hope that doesn’t disappoint readers out there. There are hundreds of pages yet to appear for all the steamy stuff."
Me: The size of the chapters helps with the rhythm of the story. And why stick in sex just for the sake of having something steamy? We didn't need it. I am also glad to hear there is much more to come and that there will be surprises.
Your stories are the best Tim! Thank you!
K.
I am enjoying this soooo much, and cannot wait to read the next few chapters. Though they may in some way duplicate some of "Coffee at 9," we need to read them in context of Laramie's story. As usual your craft is strong and the narrative has brought my emotions to the surface big time! I had to wipe away tears!
ReplyDeletedw
Can't imagine anyone would be disappointed! I love the way you develop the stories, tie them together and develop the characters. Loving following Laramie's story, just like all the others!
ReplyDeleteC.