NOTES: El Escogido

El Escogido is the connection between El Patroncito and the boy.

The Chosen One.

Chosen for what, by what process? For how long? Since when?

Arcs

• Hacienda La Fuente | El Patroncito, golem, la fuente, la muchacha india/bisabuelo


• Ice Cream Truck | LSPA


• Death Ray/Panama | Spook, Panama boy


• San Cristobal | Adara's father, project, golem


• Boy's father | boy


• Panama boy | El Cliquero


• Chamula | Talking Cross, Dogs

There is an implied project, conspiracy, etc. It's hanging there and has been for years now. Can I write this thing without knowing what it is? It's possible. I need to know where the mystery is uncovered and ultimately revealed.

There are several flashbacks in the second half. It could be that part of the project is uncovered in those flashbacks.

How does the golem relate to the project? Is it a project?

The Chosen One

So called by El Patroncito to LSPA
So called by the Talking Cross
related to the golem
related to the Spook, the boy's father
related to El Cliquero
related to Tesla, Marconi, the subterranean city in the Andes

So called by the Messages (trans OTP)

Does the boy ever know that he is the Chosen One before he dies? Does he learn this as he is killed? The killing is the prophecy fulfilled.

Report: The Lucky Dog outline

Studied the Lucky Dog outline this morning/pm. Drew out the connecting elements and MSGs pointing to the critical pieces. I found a small number of problems.

1) Second appearance of the golem has no motivation yet. The flow is interrupted with doubt. Wonder. Determine progress of G.

2) How do MSGs work? {write one and find out!}

3) Boy's father and connection to LSPA in DF. Lots TBD.

4) Lead up to boy's death unclear - need to know he's in danger before he's hit.

5) Several moments are divided by MSGs. Is this right? Req: stylistic plan.

6) El Cliquero is the golem. How do we learn this? A lot more is req'd in the development of these 2.

7) El Patroncito admits his purpose. How is he forced to do that?

8) The golem hunts LSPA, why? Cocodrillo saves LSPA, why?

These eight items represent remaining elements that suggest further development, potentially additions to the outline. Perhaps half of them should work out as I write; the other half need to be considered sooner.

Now, reread "LD Narr Org" to find what I left out and still need to reconcile. Before I create something new that was already there.

More: the boy's access to the pistol. From whom?

The boy comes to love Adara. How?

Connect El Patroncito, the Spook, LSPA. Thus, el Cliquero and the golem. Actually the critical path is El Patroncito to the others. This was the major problem I was having before. It was how Abuelita was born. The boy was killed, etc, etc, but it was never satisfying. Tesla. The Andes. The dead dogs. Every stupid detail from the past version of the book. I have carved off so much unnecessary crap--I hope that I can work toward solving this one brilliantly. Better than the last try, at least.

The Lucky Dog Tailspin

The need to look for work has placed this project in chains. I've stopped going to cafes--where I write. I have stopped reading, or feel like I have. I've stopped writing.

I need to pull out of the Lucky Dog tailspin. Half hour per day? When? At night. 7 days--is it reasonable or bound for disaster? 5 days. That's possible. If I need to take an evening already planned, I'll know I need to make it up during the next day. Can anything be written on half hour a day?

Wake up! It's so easy to get distracted at the keyboard. Turn it all off for 30 min. To make 30 min work I need to take some time with the outline. Little warm up and no outline work during a session.

Reread existing sections and David Schweidel's notes.

It's back on.
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I have the feeling of this novel backed up in my blood. Each day reveals more of it to me. The back up. The bile. Toxic swill. It will be beautiful.

One year of being laid off. Six months of looking for work. 6 months.

Just read D. Schweidel's comments from a few months ago re: latest LD sections. Am about to read the sections themselves again.

I know they are good.

With some distance on the critique I like the ideas or reactions that DS had.

--Estab direction with an omniscient narrator
--Estab time/space in the Ice Cream truck section. This is LSPA
--Add physical details of boy's parents to bring them to life
--Use Adara's POV in her scenes. Find her POV
--Write on!

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Just reread 4 sections. Now, locate myself in the notes. I must have a list of section ideas that is useful somewhere. What was I using to write these? The outline?

Caught up, I think. Lucky Dog. Need to refamiliarize self with Jul 2009 outline. (JUL!)