I can’t imagine what this must feel like for Kelly, but you do an incredible job pulling us into her experience. Feels lonely, confusing, exhilarating and dissociating all at the same time.
The price of success is often more than the sum of the parts... so often, for me, it is a dilemma and I feel this here in a certain backwards way.
Lefty seems content according to Kelly's journal but she herself, without Ona...? Her life screams of her becoming a lonely recluse. And I wonder what good is money to a recluse?
I felt sad by the end of this chapter Ben, especially by the gift although I am sure Lefty gave it with all good intentions, it felt almost like a prophecy.
It’s complicated stuff, success. You don’t usually understand when you have attained it and if you do, I think it’s difficult to know what to do with it. Thank you, Susie for always being such a close, generous reader.
Wow. success is a kind of gilded trap that we only see when it’s sprung and failure is a kind of freedom that we may never recognise or appreciate. This is full of confliction (not a word, I know!!) that I feel so tangibly through Kelly’s diary. It so sad in one way but so amazing in another. Love it.
Loving this! Maybe I’ll comment more when I get my head round it, but for now just wanted to check if the date of the first journal entry should be 1992?
Great catch, Mark! The year is wrong, but I think it's the two following entries that need to be changed to 1993. Tracking exact chronology across my novels is always painful for me. Thanks for the help and I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
I didn't have enough time/mental space/human goodness to read fiction for a while, but caught up on this last night. I enjoyed Departures, but for me this is several levels up -- more focus, more evocative characters, and a more sophisticated structure. The only problem is that now that I've caught up I have to wait whole days before the next instalment!
This really got me: "Like he’s trapped by this thing he started. I feel that." The loneliness of artistic success, especially for a creative person who's used to following the muse. Once you have buyers, that pressure to keep producing the same, proven work, almost like a worker on an assembly line. Takes all the vitality out of it.
I agree w/ Kim -- you've captured the confusing mix of emotions very well. And the reminder of just how young she is, with limited life experience and no emotional support other than Lefty. How could she possibly put it all into perspective? Did I pick up on a hint that Oona isn't always there with her now? Hmmmmm.
(Small copy-editor note: for the first journal entry, did you mean "July 12, 1992"? Right now it's 1993.)
I can’t imagine what this must feel like for Kelly, but you do an incredible job pulling us into her experience. Feels lonely, confusing, exhilarating and dissociating all at the same time.
Thanks, Kimberly. These journal entries were a fun way to get closer to her inner workings.
The price of success is often more than the sum of the parts... so often, for me, it is a dilemma and I feel this here in a certain backwards way.
Lefty seems content according to Kelly's journal but she herself, without Ona...? Her life screams of her becoming a lonely recluse. And I wonder what good is money to a recluse?
I felt sad by the end of this chapter Ben, especially by the gift although I am sure Lefty gave it with all good intentions, it felt almost like a prophecy.
It’s complicated stuff, success. You don’t usually understand when you have attained it and if you do, I think it’s difficult to know what to do with it. Thank you, Susie for always being such a close, generous reader.
Wow. success is a kind of gilded trap that we only see when it’s sprung and failure is a kind of freedom that we may never recognise or appreciate. This is full of confliction (not a word, I know!!) that I feel so tangibly through Kelly’s diary. It so sad in one way but so amazing in another. Love it.
It is an endless source of tension for any artist, I think. Thanks for reading, Emily!
Ok, yeah of course this is where we have the colour change... good stuff, Wakeman ❤️
Thank you, Chloe.
What a wonderfully complex situation you‘ve created, Ben. Can’t wait for more
Thank you, friend. I’m glad you’re enjoying the ride.
Loving this! Maybe I’ll comment more when I get my head round it, but for now just wanted to check if the date of the first journal entry should be 1992?
Great catch, Mark! The year is wrong, but I think it's the two following entries that need to be changed to 1993. Tracking exact chronology across my novels is always painful for me. Thanks for the help and I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
I didn't have enough time/mental space/human goodness to read fiction for a while, but caught up on this last night. I enjoyed Departures, but for me this is several levels up -- more focus, more evocative characters, and a more sophisticated structure. The only problem is that now that I've caught up I have to wait whole days before the next instalment!
That’s the highest compliment you could pay me. Thanks for reading and subscribing, Mark.
This really got me: "Like he’s trapped by this thing he started. I feel that." The loneliness of artistic success, especially for a creative person who's used to following the muse. Once you have buyers, that pressure to keep producing the same, proven work, almost like a worker on an assembly line. Takes all the vitality out of it.
I agree w/ Kim -- you've captured the confusing mix of emotions very well. And the reminder of just how young she is, with limited life experience and no emotional support other than Lefty. How could she possibly put it all into perspective? Did I pick up on a hint that Oona isn't always there with her now? Hmmmmm.
(Small copy-editor note: for the first journal entry, did you mean "July 12, 1992"? Right now it's 1993.)