The seeds of my novel were planted over three decades ago while I served as a Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force. Parts of what I wanted to write about came from my job, but these parts were primarily background. The heart of the story, especially as it evolved in later years, came from what I shall euphemistically refer to as extracurricular activities. So many years have passed since I first put pen to paper that I cannot accurately date the beginning. Suffice it to say, I have been writing this book sporadically for at least ten years. Lest it appear that I will never finish, I need to add that almost one third of my total output has come inn the last three months.
One might wonder why I would take writing time away from the novel itself to write this blog, especially given my track record of procrastination. The short answer is that I believe that writing this blog will help more than hurt. For one thing, this project will help me keep the novel front and center of my overly wandering attention. Second, I do not always have something for the novel, but I need to keep in the habit of writing. At any rate, I look forward to your help keeping me focused and breaking me loose when I get stuck. Even after the first draft is finished, which I hope will be when this blog is still new, there will be much for both readers and me to do. There will be at least wo re-writes and then the truly difficult part, getting it published. I will need all the help I can get.
When I began my novel, I believed that the main character would be a psychopathic Air Force officer disenchanted with his marriage. His problem is that he fears the results of a custody battle should he divorce her. I should note here that the story is set in the 1980's, a time when the judicial preference for awarding custody to the mother was still almost unshakable.I originally envisioned the wife as an utter shrew. The slow pace of my writing turned out to be a blessing; as I grew and evolved, so did my understanding of my character, to the point that the book is now more about the wife.
Grant Adamson, the husband, is a pilot in the United States Air Force, stationed at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Grant is one of the best pilots on the planet (if you don't believe me, just ask him). He is also, in Air Force jargon, a "fast burner", meaning that he is advancing through the ranks at a faster pace than normal. He is cold, analytical and devoid of conscience. Although highly intelligent, Grant lacks wisdom, and is thus quite capable of outsmarting himself. This trait figures prominently in his plan for dealing with his marriage dilemma.
Candi Adamson, Grant's wife, is a former exotic dancer who suffers from a sexual addiction centered far more on the approval of men than on physical pleasure. At the beginning of the story, her addiction is being held in check by her love for her preschool aged son, Grant Jr. However, she soon recognizes the need for a more permanent solution. She finds an ally in Felicity Franklin, a recovering cocaine addict and former campus radical. Along the way on her journey to recovery, Candi gets shot, and, as a result, holds Grant's future in her hands. She is currently deciding what to do with that power.
That is a very brief summary of 37 completed chapters, but I do not want to spoil the book for anyone. I will provide more details as I go along, especially when asking for help.
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