Ok. This is a very personal post. I hadn't written in years when this "email" conversation took place. I had just seen Fight the Future (against the admonishments of people who knew me well - you won't like it, Roberta, they said. Continuity issues - they screamed) albeit perhaps promising (despite how they'd treated Alex).
They knew me well - Let's face it -- How many flights are there in/out of Antarctica per day (you'd run into CSM and his cronies in the airport)? Ok -- fine. What now?
A friend mentioned that -- Well, Melrose Place has been canceled. What if the MP writers wrote the first episode of Season 6 of the XF?
What indeed?
I wrote an email back that was simply small scene descriptions. This happens and then this and this, etc. Then a friend of mine asked the fateful question that any writer craves/fears -- Well, what happens next? How can you resist?
Well, what happens next. What followed was a 26 episode romp that is (MINE ALL MINE, except for certain characters).
Be warned -- the style is uneven (for a while) and the voice is searching (for a while). But Alex is consistent (I hope always, and is a product of his experience). This is my search for what I could say, but enough people have read it to convince me that there might be people out there who could handle it (all those that demanded plot -- strap in and hang on -- plot, I can provide). Recall and be gentle, you're reading a writer re-finding her voice.
Episode 1 was a one page email describing scenes. Much later, I created a text version which I will post (so you have an idea of the style you're working toward).
I considered editing this to make the style consistent, but realized that it has sentimental value to me -- as it is -- a writer trying to find her voice after too long a hiatus. And, if you stick with me, you'll find the style of episode one emerging as this goes.
So, if you go back to Gibson Praise and his chess prowess. Diana Fowley. Jeffrey Spender. Etc. Thinking back - I hope will be worth it.
Pic