Strictly
speaking, it is not a novel at all, but something far more sinister. The
dictionary lacks a word for what The
Lessons actually is.
At
the age of 19, I made the momentous decision to pen this novel – on April 23
1985, to be precise. I know this because I kept a diary between 1977 and 1988.
As soon as I began, an illness cut me down for a week. I thought nothing of it,
determined I was going to begin this novel as soon as I felt better. Little did
I realise how this novel would affect my life.
I
kept it secret from family and friends. I feverishly read books on how-to write
novels, sitting in my flat for hours on end, eking out a few sentences. During
episodes, I would lose weight and become ill.
My
novel appeared to have no bearing upon my life at all. A psychopath operates in
a creepy old house called the Hollows and heads a criminal ring. I was living
in a sleepy village with my parents and siblings. I partook in kiddie stuff
like babysitting, toy-making, Sunday school teaching and art.
During
my writing, I connected with this ‘strand’. This strand grew addictive. It ran
deep, powerful, compulsive, shameful, deathly, depressing, creepy and
devastating.
Little
did I realize the source of this strand.
This
fascinating journey into the secret message beneath The Lessons actually is
available in Kindle and paperback.
Illustrations
and excerpts from my diaries are included.
No comments:
Post a Comment