Better Fiction

I've been thinking about themes and the problem I have with the first part of my novel. Though I will continue to edit as you provide crits, I also plan to go back to address that section (and other problem sections) when my current rewrite is done.

I will be focusing on some of the key advice you have given. A couple of you have urged me to flesh out Mark's character. I will make that a primary goal.

In addition, I will be looking at my major themes and asking how I can better reflect them in that section of the book. I see two major themes in the work: "The parent/child relationship" and "Justice vs. Forgiveness".

The two themes play themselves out in several relationships:

Bryson and Tina (his daughter)
Bryson and Nate (his father)
Bryson and Francine (his stepmother)

Alan Jones and Mrs. Jones

Father God and Christ

Plus a few less central relationships:

Bryson and Claire (his mother)
Another antagonist and the antagonist's parent (short bit, but I'd hate to give this away)


How do we handle the wrongs done to us by our parents/children? In the case of Mrs. Jones, she ... CUT... just realized, that hasn't been revealed in the story, yet. Got to save that one.

In the case of Bryson, he gives lip service to forgiveness, but his heart seek justice--or revenge. In the rewrite, his daughter gets into much deeper trouble, I'm eagerly anticipating what his reaction will be.

God--you know me...but this might not stay in the book. I'm just the co-author, and we might not end up pushing it as Christian fare. In the meantime, though, Bryson's growing inability to forgive will pull him away from his faith as he begins to question the justice in God's forgiveness through His Son.

Anyway, as indicated in chapter one, Mark's character is based on an agent who was second generation FBI, the sire of a rather colorful agent. I think that will be my focus as I try to draw him out.

I'm feeling better about filling him in more, even if the character later slips away. The book has several sections where minor characters hold center stage for a while: Bryson's mother, Bryson's father, William Osburry--the Assistant United States Attorney (whom you haven't met yet in the book), and (I hope) an agent from Little Rock who I introduce in the coming chapters with the hope that I will use him later in the book. That character has no father-son theme to play off of, but there is the theme of justice/forgiveness to build on. Again, won't name him here. He's minor, but I want there to be some question in the reader's mind about his true intentions.

I'll be sending several chapters to my co-author soon. It's been over a year since he's seen anything. I haven't known what to do since finishing the 1st draft, but I have new hope for the novel now. Thanks for your help.

Wade