January 13, 2017 - On Being a Writer

January 13, 2017 - On Being a Writer

One of the reasons I came to Bolivia was to write. I know I could just as easily write in Kaufman or Ennis.  A good writer should be able to write anywhere.  Right?  But I felt I needed something more.  A little bit of inspiration.  A little less responsibility.

For years, I have spent part or all of my summers writing, and sometimes even Christmas break, but then the school year would get in the way.  Those who are teachers know what the first weeks of school are like.  There never seems to be enough time.  Even after years of planning, even knowing what you will teach the first days and weeks of school, there never is time.  I often found myself staying late or coming to school on the weekends.  I would say the first month of school I averaged 50 or more hours a week.  I know many teacher friends who do many more hours than that!

That meant anything that I started to write in the summer got put away by mid-August.  Sometimes it would be put away for months even years.

When I arrived in Bolivia, in July, I was working on a novel that was maybe 95% complete and have since published it.  It is the story of the Trojan War, but without the supernatural mess found in Greek mythology.  I love history and I love Greek mythology.  When I was a kid, I devoured every book on Greek mythology I could find.  One day, about 20 years ago, I decided to write down everything I knew about the Trojan War and put it in order as best I could.  I have concentrated on just four characters.  If you read Homer or the ancient writers, one character will be a hero at one moment and a crying baby the next.  There is no consistency of any character.  I have tried to make my characters more consistent; make them believable to a modern audience.

I think I did well on it.  I discovered a recommendation on the book that reads as follows: “I love stories of the Trojan War.  I think this one has the characters right.  Ag (Agamemnon) is less hateful.  The complexities of the huge Trojan family, and an interesting fantasy about Achilles and Helen add some interesting twists that ring true.  I am starting the 2^nd book tonight!”  I loved reading that from someone I don’t know.  It makes me feel like I got Spartan Sisters right.

I have since written a short novel about the Bolivian legend of the Mojon con Cara.  It is a story that I always loved, kind of a Bolivian Romeo and Juliet.  I have also been working on a novel about Onesimus, an obscure biblical character mentioned in the little book of Philemon, a runaway slave in the days of the Roman Empire.  I hope to have this one finished by spring.

There are other ideas that I started in the past.  The Y Club, taken from a dream I had one night.  Remembering Sorrento, a memory of an event on a trip to Italy.  Sobeknefru, about the time of Joseph from Genesis.  And Conquistador, about a secondary character during the conquest of Peru.  These are all novels I have started and one day I want to see finished. 

One of the reasons I came to Bolivia was to write.  I discovered after being there for several months, that I had some good ideas and I could express myself well.  That is my opinion.  A few others have agreed with me.  I must do it, even if it is for a year or two.  It is my life-long dream.

So that is my idea.  What do you think?

Link to My Author Page