Third Book: Pinwheels

It’s been more than a month now since I’ve written about my next novel. Lots of things have changed since then, but my commitment to book three remains steadfast. In fact, I’ve maintained a fairly consistent working schedule, churning out around 1,000 words a day the last few weeks despite being overwhelmingly busy both and work and home.

I’d hate to get bogged down in details so early, especially since the book’s yet to make its formal debut, so let me just say I’ve found immense joy in writing the current section. As I said in that last December post, it’s rather different than anything I’ve written before and, you know, as they say, change can be good. Not just for the craft, but for the soul.

You know, like chicken soup.

As I’m writing this, my head is bobbing of its own volition to the Smashing Pumpkins’ Oceania. The album’s something of a fresh start for the band, even if Billy Corgan remains the only original member. Despite this, it’s quickly becoming my favorite of theirs, nearly overshadowing Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. I think it’s because, rather than simply releasing an album basking in their popularity, the Smashing Pumpkins (and Billy Corgan in particular) felt they needed to prove, to audiences and to themselves, that they remained relevant in the current musical tapestry.

While I’m nowhere near hitting the same strides they managed at the peak of their popularity, I feel I need to do the same. I need to establish why my writing is important, is relevant. Especially since, while Sanity’s Flaw and The Nobodies are vastly different works, they maintain similarities in tone, setting, layout and even characters. This third book, on the other hand, is a marked departure from the foundation I laid with those novels and though some characters carry over, it’s in remarkably different ways.

My point before I ramble too long: I’m trying to stretch my abilities. To ensure I refrain from being pigeon-holed in one segment of literature. There’s far more to this world and my fictional universe than simply mysteries and thrillers. My next several books, hopefully, will prove this as they tackle all manner of genres, from horror to religion to the modern family to hardboiled science fiction.

That’s a thing, right?

The trick is ensuring the books evolve logically, that they successfully reflect the ongoing storyline. After all, as with the Smashing Pumpkins, the specific details may change, but the core must remain.

I’d love to say more and actually start to make sense, but it’s time I got back to writing. I’ve some set goals to meet today and this weekend before I delve into some heavy woodworking I’ve lined up. Keep an eye on the Instagram scroll on the right for updates if you’re interested (or, better yet, just follow me @warrenpawlowski). Catch you on the flip—

Wait. Damn. I forgot to mention something. I’ve already completely changed the structure of the third book. I doubt this will be reflected in the final version at all, but I’ve mentioned above, and in other posts, the book’s different sections. I had been growing worried, given the nature of the book, that there would be some unnecessary—even annoying—repetition and this proved true. Seeing the issue, I came up with a rather brilliant idea one night in that lovely time before sleep I’ve written about before known as hypnagogia.

There will be only one.

Okay, technically, two. But what once was three is now one. And I couldn’t help but throw in a reference to Highlander. Who could?

—side.