I've spoken before about the rules legendary animator Chuck Jones established for his Roadrunner cartoons. He insisted that the roadrunner not speak - only Meep; the roadrunner had to stay on the road; the coyote would always fall the same number of frames. To Chuck those strictures freed the creativity of the artists within that context. It was very structured.
Some would say rigid.
But it worked. The Roadrunner - (And Pepe Le Pew, which was similar) is extremely popular. When I interviewed him for "The Hand Behind the Mouse" he reaffirmed those rules as a creativity-enhancing device. For me, that's what my little experiment with Tolstoy was all about - working within a structure.
Each line for me was like one of Chuck's rules. It may have limited my options, but it also forced all of my thought processes to be concentrated on the content and the story - instead of rhythms, parts of speech or anything of the sort. All of that was already done for me. The process was enabled in some ways by the choice I made to have O'Ryan be integral to every chapter. With the exception of the opening chapter at his funeral - and the final scene in the hospital - the viewpoint is limited omniscient. I write from his perspective, feeling his pain.
So knowing the subject was O'Ryan, and the sentence structure I needed, I merely had to fill in action verbs and pretty it up with the filigree of adjectives and adverbs as prescribed by Tolstoy's word choices.
"Merely," the man said. "Merely!" Hah! Darned hard work actually. But that hard work was between the lines. Not external. Everything that suffered my restless nights was what was truly important - the story itself.
Not that I would do it again. But it was certainly an interesting process.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Creating the Unexpected when so much is Known...
One of the immense challenges with writing "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" - aside from the Tolstoy sentence structure - was in creating a narrative that was somehow interesting when so much was known from the start. Heavens, the very title tells you all you need to know, doesn't it?
Or does it?
If that were the case, why write the story at all? Indeed. O'Ryan Ross lived; then he died. Big surprise.
But it is that journey from A to B that is revelatory. How and (more importantly) why did he die? Part of that is explained away in the opening scene which takes place at O'Ryan's funeral. We know he committed suicide, we know he used a gun, we know he's dead. Done, done, and done...!
But despite that fore-knowledge, there is much we don't know as well. We are given some hints in that opening scene, and the stage is certainly set, but with a work that is so dogmatic as is this - it is so very important to add surprises where possible, just to maintain the reader interest. Even up to the final line, I have tried to do that.
One thing I have attempted to do is to slightly skew events by having unreliable narrators at times. It is more fun if even I don't know precisely what is happening and when. By having characters be self-delusional (O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross) or simply mistaken (Peter Ivanovich, Alwyn Ross, Professor Hays), we are able to keep that suspense evident along the way.
Or so I hope.
By writing with this in mind, I feel I have veered a couple of times from where I thought the story was going. Several of the twists were un-explored when I began and only revealed themselves with the writing of each scene. What made this interesting was that I did not write "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" in sequence - but rather, I wrote Chapter One, Twelve, Nine, Two, Three, Eleven, Four, Five, Ten, Six, Seven, Eight. So surprises had to be consistent with the continuity without mucking up something already written. Fortunately there were few instances where I had to rewrite an existing section of an existing chapter.
Adding to this continuity challenge was that at about Chapter Six in my writing, I began to work on "silent words..." which added a layer. That companion book didn't really alter the original concepts of "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" which is a much more vital book in my mind (right up there with "The Missionary and the Brute" for me) - but it did add some nuance and a sense of symbiosis. In a way, "silent words..." is a parasite-pecking bird on the back of the crusty-backed rhinoceros that is "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!", but the relationship hopefully benefits both works.
Coming soon: How animation legend Chuck Jones influenced "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!"
Or does it?
If that were the case, why write the story at all? Indeed. O'Ryan Ross lived; then he died. Big surprise.
But it is that journey from A to B that is revelatory. How and (more importantly) why did he die? Part of that is explained away in the opening scene which takes place at O'Ryan's funeral. We know he committed suicide, we know he used a gun, we know he's dead. Done, done, and done...!
But despite that fore-knowledge, there is much we don't know as well. We are given some hints in that opening scene, and the stage is certainly set, but with a work that is so dogmatic as is this - it is so very important to add surprises where possible, just to maintain the reader interest. Even up to the final line, I have tried to do that.
One thing I have attempted to do is to slightly skew events by having unreliable narrators at times. It is more fun if even I don't know precisely what is happening and when. By having characters be self-delusional (O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross) or simply mistaken (Peter Ivanovich, Alwyn Ross, Professor Hays), we are able to keep that suspense evident along the way.
Or so I hope.
By writing with this in mind, I feel I have veered a couple of times from where I thought the story was going. Several of the twists were un-explored when I began and only revealed themselves with the writing of each scene. What made this interesting was that I did not write "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" in sequence - but rather, I wrote Chapter One, Twelve, Nine, Two, Three, Eleven, Four, Five, Ten, Six, Seven, Eight. So surprises had to be consistent with the continuity without mucking up something already written. Fortunately there were few instances where I had to rewrite an existing section of an existing chapter.
Adding to this continuity challenge was that at about Chapter Six in my writing, I began to work on "silent words..." which added a layer. That companion book didn't really alter the original concepts of "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" which is a much more vital book in my mind (right up there with "The Missionary and the Brute" for me) - but it did add some nuance and a sense of symbiosis. In a way, "silent words..." is a parasite-pecking bird on the back of the crusty-backed rhinoceros that is "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!", but the relationship hopefully benefits both works.
Coming soon: How animation legend Chuck Jones influenced "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!"
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Tolstoy
Now I've never really been a Russian Literature buff, bigger on American Lit actually. But there are a lot of folks whom I admire that rave over Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Turgenev and of course - Leo Tolstoy. So I figured that I had to read me some Tolstoy. My cocky, confident side thought I should tackle "War and Peace," but good common sense prevailed and I chose "Ivan Ilych" instead. It was the smallest Tolstoy in the bookstore!
Even though it was small, I found the concepts and the writing to be quite large. Ambitious, dense, huge. The sentence structure was amazing to me - and I wasn't certain if it was the translator or Leo that had made it so. I tend to give Tolstoy the credit.
No writing I have ever encountered has featured such convoluted run-on sentences within sentences within parenthetical phrases within asides and lists and more lists. Being almost dialogue-free, it practically scared me off. I was tentative of digging in, but it was ultimately well worth it. I felt it was almost precisely opposite of my usual way of writing. I tend to truncate. Eliminate articles, subjects, predicates.
So I started dissecting it clinically. Then it hit me. To take that structure, but me-ify it. It was some of the most tedious writing that I've yet encountered. But still I feel that I found my voice within it, and began to feel that rhythm strike me. It fit the tone of the story I wanted to tell, and it fit me. Fantastic exercise, and an incredible experience all the way around.
It isn't a perfect mirror of the original by any means, but then again it was never meant to be. Ultimately, it was meant to be book that I hope you will all want to read. I know it is the book I wanted to write.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
The Ross Chronology... as it stands...
Did you miss them? The Rosses, I mean. The last we saw, Jadwin Ross was flying back from Africa in "The Missionary and The Brute" and Alwyn Ross was interviewing animators in "Animated Lives!" but O'Ryan Ross? Who in the name of William Faulkner is that?
Before we go too far, perhaps we should lay out the chronology we are encountering here. There are four Ross siblings (as far as we know). In descending order of age they are: O'Ryan, Jadwin, Dottie, Alwyn... When I was writing "The Missionary and the Brute" I quite deliberately avoided any semblance of backstory. I wanted the novel to be set in the universal NOW with no encumbrances of time or history to intercede on the reader's interpretation.
Now however, I have discovered that all of my books are inter-linked, and they ARE the backstory to one another. Jadwin Ross is a character in the upcoming "The Death of O'Ryan Ross" as is Alwyn. But 30 years or so before the events that take place in Missionary and Animated Lives!
Placed upon a rather shaky chronology and always subject to change, the Saga looks something like this:
"Ira, the Seeker and the Kid" - 2017
Timeframe: 1800s
Primary character(s): Ira Haseltine
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Ethan Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"The Death of O'Ryan Ross" - 2012
Timeframe: Mostly O'Ryan and Jadwin's college years.
Primary character(s): O'Ryan Ross
Secondary character(s): Jadwin Ross, Sarah B., Professor Hays
Minor/Mentions: Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross
"silent words..." - 2012
Timeframe: O'Ryan's college years as viewed from Alwyn today.
Primary character(s): O'Ryan Ross, Alwyn Ross, Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: Jadwin Ross, Dottie Ross
"Man-soldier" - 2017
Timeframe: O'Ryan's college years
Primary character(s): Man-soldier, Slade
Secondary character(s): O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross, Sarah B.
Minor/Mentions: Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross
"Reject from Retard School" - 2013
Timeframe: Mostly Alwyn's Middle School and High School years.
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, GranPap Ross
Secondary character(s): Dottie Ross
Minor/Mentions: O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross
"Straw Man" - 2014
Timeframe: Mid 2005
Primary character(s): Dottie Ross, Professor Hays
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: None
"Animated Lives!"- 2011
Timeframe: 2009
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: Dottie Ross
"The Missionary and the Brute" - 2011
Timeframe: 2010
Primary character(s): Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Rev. Kweka, Godsend
Minor/Mentions: None
"The Blue Man" -2013
Timeframe: 2012 and 1930s (Alwyn's research)
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Secondary character(s): Karen Wilcox
Minor/Mentions: Dottie Ross
"A Harlot's Diary" - 2015
Timeframe: 2013
Primary character(s): Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Minor/Mentions: O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross, Professor Hays
"Chiaroscuro Bums" - 2014
Timeframe: 2013
Primary character(s): Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Not telling
Minor/Mentions: None
"Believer" - 2015
Timeframe: 2014
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): Dottie Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"Lifecycle" - 2016
Timeframe: 2015
Primary character(s): None
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"Shorts" - 2013
Timeframe: Multiple
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross, Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Godsend
Minor/Mentions: None
Before we go too far, perhaps we should lay out the chronology we are encountering here. There are four Ross siblings (as far as we know). In descending order of age they are: O'Ryan, Jadwin, Dottie, Alwyn... When I was writing "The Missionary and the Brute" I quite deliberately avoided any semblance of backstory. I wanted the novel to be set in the universal NOW with no encumbrances of time or history to intercede on the reader's interpretation.
Now however, I have discovered that all of my books are inter-linked, and they ARE the backstory to one another. Jadwin Ross is a character in the upcoming "The Death of O'Ryan Ross" as is Alwyn. But 30 years or so before the events that take place in Missionary and Animated Lives!
Placed upon a rather shaky chronology and always subject to change, the Saga looks something like this:
"Ira, the Seeker and the Kid" - 2017
Timeframe: 1800s
Primary character(s): Ira Haseltine
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Ethan Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"The Death of O'Ryan Ross" - 2012
Timeframe: Mostly O'Ryan and Jadwin's college years.
Primary character(s): O'Ryan Ross
Secondary character(s): Jadwin Ross, Sarah B., Professor Hays
Minor/Mentions: Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross
"silent words..." - 2012
Timeframe: O'Ryan's college years as viewed from Alwyn today.
Primary character(s): O'Ryan Ross, Alwyn Ross, Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: Jadwin Ross, Dottie Ross
"Man-soldier" - 2017
Timeframe: O'Ryan's college years
Primary character(s): Man-soldier, Slade
Secondary character(s): O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross, Sarah B.
Minor/Mentions: Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross
"Reject from Retard School" - 2013
Timeframe: Mostly Alwyn's Middle School and High School years.
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, GranPap Ross
Secondary character(s): Dottie Ross
Minor/Mentions: O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross
"Straw Man" - 2014
Timeframe: Mid 2005
Primary character(s): Dottie Ross, Professor Hays
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: None
"Animated Lives!"- 2011
Timeframe: 2009
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: Dottie Ross
"The Missionary and the Brute" - 2011
Timeframe: 2010
Primary character(s): Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Rev. Kweka, Godsend
Minor/Mentions: None
"The Blue Man" -2013
Timeframe: 2012 and 1930s (Alwyn's research)
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Secondary character(s): Karen Wilcox
Minor/Mentions: Dottie Ross
"A Harlot's Diary" - 2015
Timeframe: 2013
Primary character(s): Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Minor/Mentions: O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross, Professor Hays
"Chiaroscuro Bums" - 2014
Timeframe: 2013
Primary character(s): Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Not telling
Minor/Mentions: None
"Believer" - 2015
Timeframe: 2014
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): Dottie Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"Lifecycle" - 2016
Timeframe: 2015
Primary character(s): None
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"Shorts" - 2013
Timeframe: Multiple
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross, Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Godsend
Minor/Mentions: None
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The Reviews Are In!
Here are a few of the reviews written on Amazon, GoodReads and the Boston Globe for "The Missionary and the Brute"! Great fun for me to see that folks get it! Enjoy!
Boston Globe
(in an interview of Author Suzzy Roche - "Wayward Saints")
"[Kenworthy’s] written such a page-turner."
Amazon.com
****
Steev Baker
"Equal parts travelogue, thriller, and theological treatise, Mr. Kenworthy's first book-length work of fiction is a genre-bending tale of sin and redemption. "The Missionary and the Brute" pulls no punches but moves breathlessly between gorgeous descriptions of Tanzinian landscape and customs, a tense story about a serial killer, and the faith-driven, internal dialog of a tormented man. The story is fairly straightforward: 4 days in the life of a man as he assists a visiting American missions team building a school in Tanzinia. Along the way, they encounter everything from fermented bananas to a bushfire to a funeral for a child. Jadwin Ross (also called simply The Missionary) is as flawed a protagonist as you would want, and although the story is largely told from his point of view, there are rarely any times you feel sympathy for him. And that's ok; this book is read best as a psychological horror novel akin to Robert Bloch's "Psycho" or Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." Kudos to Mr. Kenworthy for tackling a difficult subject and complicated character development. I look forward to reading his next novel(s) and watching him grow as a novelist. "
Amazon.com
*****
Shawmemory
"I'm into my second read through this new work. I missed so many nuances the first time because I just wanted to keep reading through to the end! Surprises throughout, fascinating twists and turns ... one of those smile-one-moment-cringe-the-next stories. I've already purchased three - one for myself and two as library donations for my community. This is a thought-provoking and entertaining read. Highly recommended!THE MISSIONARY AND THE BRUTE "
Amazon.com
*****
Sheila Pierson
"Mr. Kenworthy is one of my new favorite authors. With The Missionary and the Brute I was immediately captured by the author's exceptional ability to lead me into a world he's obviously very familiar with, a world of beauty and darkness, mystery and intrigue, heartbreak and triumph. His descriptions of Tanzania, Africa, made me feel as though I'd been transported there. His descriptions of the people make it obvious he is speaking from first-hand experience even though this is a work of fiction. By the end, you are glad it is. By the end, you will be catapulted to a place you never saw coming, never anticipated and will be left positively breathless. I actually needed a moment to recuperate from the shock. Read The Missionary and the Brute for yourself and find a new favorite author in John Kenworthy. "
Goodreads.com
****
Bobby J.
"What started as a lazy read becomes an overwhelmingly intriguing novel taking place in the daytime darkness of Tanzania. Jadwin Ross, the missionary, is the perfect character to keep you guessing throughout as to his innocence or guilt. Be aware, the on-going battle between good and evil (and in this case predator or prey) is descriptive and violent. This tale is a journey to be taken with a seat belt and maybe a lifeline. It took me 2 days to read the first 50 pages and 1 afternoon to read the last 250. It WILL hook you. Mr. Kenworthy has produced an African horror story that will bring you face-to-face with a beast that is undeniably believable and late-night-in-the-dark frightening. I won this book in a Goodread's giveaway and have added myself to John Kenworthy's reading list."
Goodreads.com
***
Cee Martinez
"The opening of this strange, cold tale set in the heart of sweltering Tanzania is a good one. Missionary Jadwin Ross is being pummeled in a creaky interrogation room, accused of a murder he did not commit. There is hardly a better way to open a book, and it hooked me instantly. Ross, as a character, is very clearly defined. Lusty, apathetic at times, and even mean-spirited, Ross is not your garden variety missionary.
He is in charge of a small village in Tanzania, and a flock of American visitors who range from the stereotypical dress-alike married couple, the mother with a problem goth-daughter, and a beautiful guest named Leah. Ross's peers also include a fellow minister, his beautiful bespectacled daughter Imura, and a misogynistic tour guide named Daud.
Imura and Leah are the best defined of the side characters, and both at times objects of Ross's lust. Daud is also well done, a vicious, sharp tongued sulker who becomes a thorn in Ross's side.
In between the day to day goings on of the characters, the story jumps forward to Ross's ordeal in interrogation. The story shines best with all the little details throughout. The Missionary work, Africa, traditions, local colloquialisms, scents, sounds, heat, sweat, smells, all of it shines through from an author who clearly has mastery of his setting and subject. I found it a personal joy to experience this detailed world I'd never previously put much thought to.
Ross himself, however, is a tricky fellow. A man of God, to be sure, and one dedicated to his work. This is outlined with a constant inner monologue, that, to be honest, got old fast for me. The florid quoting of scripture and lofty sentiments muttered over and over, comparing himself to martyrs and to righteous suffering became quite redundant for me to read.
The man of God lapses and quite often, I might add, into another man, an Earthy lusty fellow at that. A disturbing glimpse of his character is shown in a graphic sex scene where the woman in question is degraded to nothing more than a pliable sex toy to satiate Ross's lust.
The center of this novel is sprinkled with mystery and the specter of death. Nevertheless, it did sag somewhat for me. Although I did appreciate the flash-forward format, I still sometimes felt stifled by some of the pacing and befuddled by Ross's increasingly callous nature. I wanted a character to bond with, and Ross remained fiercely resistant to that, no matter how intriguing I found the plot.
A violent, surreal world spills across the pages in the third act however. Bloody, heart pounding, and heartbreaking, with just the right amount of twist, and with no regard at all for expectations, I found myself nodding and smiling at this brilliant final act. A few of the more "infuriating" points I found in the first two acts were actually cleared up for me with the final act and I am so glad to have stuck with it. "The Missionary and the Brute" is an offbeat, uneven thriller but the mastery Mr. Kenworthy has over his setting and the brutal confidence he has in presenting Jadwin Ross to the reader makes this a bizarre, deadly little read"
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Free Kindle Day!
For two days "Animated Lives!" will be free on Kindle for whomever of ya'all want it. Already it has zoomed up the charts and is #1 in free animation books being offered this weekend (Okay, so it's the ONLY animation book being offered free this weekend - but don't burst my bubble....)
So enjoy this special freebie. If you like it maybe you can toss up a good word two on a review somewhere. If you don't like it - hey, it's free!
Happy Weekend!
Get your Free Kindle Book Here
So enjoy this special freebie. If you like it maybe you can toss up a good word two on a review somewhere. If you don't like it - hey, it's free!
Happy Weekend!
Get your Free Kindle Book Here
Friday, March 23, 2012
Reviews, news, free books, cool movie and more...
A lot of great things all happening at once.
The first is that I got a really insightful review of "The Missionary and the Brute" on Amazon. The description and understanding of the novel are really dead on for me. Way cool. Read the review here.
The next is that my friend Floyd Norman (animation legend from Disney/Pixar/Tom Carter, etc.) did a mini-interview for my next novel, "The Blue Man". Floyd is sometimes referenced as the first African American animator in the industry and he did an awesome job answering questions from a fictional character (faux animation historian, Alwyn Ross). When Leslie Iwerks and I did a booksigning at Disneyland in 2001 for "The Hand Behind the Mouse", Floyd drove down and stood behind my chair the entire time telling me tales and keeping me company. It was so ironic that all these hardcore Disney fans were eating up Leslie and my signatures but it was FLOYD's they should really have sought. It was such a cool thing to have him there. I get choked up thinking about the kindness of that gesture to this day.
The next cool thing is that "Animated Lives!" is now available for Kindle! To celebrate that release, I am offering free downloads for Saturday and Sunday so get yours this weekend. If you like it please consider writing a review or ranking it or liking it or whathaveyou. It is much appreciated. Or if you can't wait, get it now!
"Animated Lives!" is a strange hybrid. Just as Floyd Norman was interviewed for a small section of "The Blue Man", real animators are interviewed by Alwyn Ross in separate chapters of this quirky little book. Each chapter features an animator working in short film. Some are famous, some are infamous, some are quiet little geniuses working alone for their art.
Gitanjali Rao was one of my favorites of these interviews. Her work, "Painted Rainbow" is a sensitive and sensitively-rendered work that embodies a visceral sense of loneliness and joy. Ostensibly it is the story of us all - escaping our pain through imaginations that set us free. Here is the film upon which her chapter is based.
The first is that I got a really insightful review of "The Missionary and the Brute" on Amazon. The description and understanding of the novel are really dead on for me. Way cool. Read the review here.
The next is that my friend Floyd Norman (animation legend from Disney/Pixar/Tom Carter, etc.) did a mini-interview for my next novel, "The Blue Man". Floyd is sometimes referenced as the first African American animator in the industry and he did an awesome job answering questions from a fictional character (faux animation historian, Alwyn Ross). When Leslie Iwerks and I did a booksigning at Disneyland in 2001 for "The Hand Behind the Mouse", Floyd drove down and stood behind my chair the entire time telling me tales and keeping me company. It was so ironic that all these hardcore Disney fans were eating up Leslie and my signatures but it was FLOYD's they should really have sought. It was such a cool thing to have him there. I get choked up thinking about the kindness of that gesture to this day.
The next cool thing is that "Animated Lives!" is now available for Kindle! To celebrate that release, I am offering free downloads for Saturday and Sunday so get yours this weekend. If you like it please consider writing a review or ranking it or liking it or whathaveyou. It is much appreciated. Or if you can't wait, get it now!
"Animated Lives!" is a strange hybrid. Just as Floyd Norman was interviewed for a small section of "The Blue Man", real animators are interviewed by Alwyn Ross in separate chapters of this quirky little book. Each chapter features an animator working in short film. Some are famous, some are infamous, some are quiet little geniuses working alone for their art.
Gitanjali Rao was one of my favorites of these interviews. Her work, "Painted Rainbow" is a sensitive and sensitively-rendered work that embodies a visceral sense of loneliness and joy. Ostensibly it is the story of us all - escaping our pain through imaginations that set us free. Here is the film upon which her chapter is based.
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