WRITING THE NOVEL

So there was the screenplay—deader than a doornail. It had been optioned, and pitched and Hollywood was no longer returning my calls. But, for whatever reason, I was not ready to give up. My wife’s idea of making the story into a book so the world would take it seriously, felt like a sound one. But, between you and me, I wasn’t sure I could make it happen.

I’d already written a book, a small non-fiction account of dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, was a success among a small group of Vietnam Vets who could relate to its message. I told people when the opportunity presented itself, that the little book, "Life is War But You Can Win," was the best thing I’d ever done, which was honestly the case.

But writing a novel, filled with characters and a protagonist and a romance, even though I’d experienced it first hand, seemed like a much bigger task. And with all the stories we’ve all heard about trying to get a first novel published, the task seemed, in fact, bigger than me. I doubted whether I was up to it—whether I could pull it off. But, as my wife says about me, I am a person who loves a challenge.

But there was really no decision whether or not to begin—it seemed inevitable. It took years of tenacity more than anything. Not giving up when the going got tough. I first had to decide how to go about writing it. At first I thought I could just copy the screenplay, with all its terse dialogue, and vibrant characterization. (I say that tongue in cheek.)

I tried, but it didn’t work. A novel needs so much more. It needs much more description and the description had to be fresh. It had to read like a book and put the reader in the scene. This meant I had to start from scratch, which is what I did. I sat down one day to write the story I’d told hundreds of times, knowing I had to expand each scene—each chapter—long enough to allow the reader to be there. Whereas a movie relies on visual imagery to set the scene, my job now was to write the visuals—to make the scenery and the characters come to life.

It was a more difficult and time-consuming job than I ever imagined. It actually necessitated quitting my long-time job in order to do it. Luckily, I had a wife and family who supported me, so I did. Suddenly I was a full-time writer and a year or so later, I finished the book.

Through a series of fortunate events I found a publisher who was excited about the book. They copy edited it, line edited it and produced it well.

Fortune had more in store for me, and about a month before the book was to be released, I learned that I needed major heart surgery which meant I missed the big kick-off event planned at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington on Veteran’s Day. Oh well, there wasn’t a helluvalot I could do about that. There was a book signing tour planned on the East Coast and one on the West. Trisha Hamilton, the events coordinator for the big Barnes & Noble store in my hometown, Westport, Connecticut, put up a cancellation notice on the day of my book signing event there—the one I most looked forward to.

The good news was, and is, that I survived three separate heart operations, so that one day in January of last year, I was finally able to show up for the big signing. I was overwhelmed at the turn out. There was standing room only by the time I arrived and most of the people most important to me in my life, were there, eager to hear me read from my novel and to buy books. I was a novelist. I’d done it—written the story that had been the unmade movie.

So now when I next went to Hollywood, I would do so with a book in hand. Next, we shall see, who will be the lucky ones who get to make the movie of "Beneath Buddha’s Eyes."

(to be continued)