New ideas are like fireflies, on,
off, on again, lost among the leaves. Problem is that around here, in
Connecticut, fireflies are waning. No one knows why, they just are. Problem is,
around here in my head, ideas are waning too. No one knows why, but I do, too
many leaves.
I have so many projects I would
like to work on, that double the hours, double the days would not give me
enough time. So I picked something I don’t have to finish…yet. A project presented
by proposal.
Timing and ten years removed from
the actual event, with enough story to bolster truth, gives me hope. It’s one
of those, “It Could Happen to You”
stories, an “Erin Brockovich” kind of
unbelievable David and Goliath true tale. No one won the lottery, no one was
poisoned but we were David and we went up against the biggest newsworthy
bad-boy of the decade and guess what…we won. That’s what my proposal will be
about, testing tenacity, truth and an against-all-odds triumph. Picture one of
those scenes in a movie, when a huge door is being lowered and the good-guy has
to run and slide under it and not be barred forever or crushed. That was us,
sliding and making it through the opening, just before the door slammed shut. We
made it to the other side and our lives changed
Because this story is so personal
and because members of my family are against baring all, I have hesitated to chronical
the journey until now. This story is convoluted, the background research
will be extensive. We knew what was going on with us, what was going on with
them is what I must discover. I can’t wait. When it comes to light it will
explain, in a simple way, to an audience of millions, yes millions, how a
monster’s failure saved a little guy.
I have contacted a number of agents,
explained the specifics, and asked this one question only: can this be presented
via proposal. Yes they all answered, most definitely yes. So that’s what I am working on now, a story
about the story.
It’s a hell of a tale. Unlike the waning fireflies, this idea will not be lost among the leaves,
it will shed a flickering light that will eventually grow strong, fed by the fuel of the truism, that sometimes the nice guy at the end of the line is the last left standing. Like the movie title said, It Can
Happen to You, it did. It happened to us.
When was the last time you won?
When was the last time you won?
Good luck with the new project Carolynn. Are you shelving the memoir for now, or will you continue to query while you work on the proposal? Either way, the way you've presented this is intriguing. I hope the agents who said yes, this is proposal material, will also ask to be queried. Gotta assume that's a yes.
ReplyDeleteWhen was the last time you won?
I guess that depends on the definition of "won." If by "won," you mean like lottery winnings, or court case, or winning a race - never, never, and 2011. If by "won" you mean just how it feels to have something good happen, then yesterday, when the Book-Hive newsletter came out about my latest endeavor. Whoop!
Memoir is out on query, not shelving it. Very excited about the proposal. I've never written one before so this will be a learning experience. I'm about half way there.C
DeleteI read about your Book-Hive success and will comment but I'm babysitting my granddaughter and am typing during naps. Oops, she just woke up. See you over on your blog a little later.
Dear Carolynn,
ReplyDeleteI love reading your comments on Janet Reid's blog, especially the one about the brine in the depths. So, I clicked on your signature to find out who you are. I'm looking forward to reading more of your writing. The proposal sounds very exciting.
Hay Angie, thanks for stopping by. I love Janet's blog, she has helped me immeasurably. She's really very nice but I promised her I'd not tell anybody and proclaim her a real badass.
DeleteCheck out my Enough Said blog, it's got almost all my published columns. No profanity there though. Oh well.