The Inspiration

I've been lost in the quagmire of the publishing industry. No bites yet. Over the past few months I've been sending out queries to agents, and all returned have been polite, but with no luck for wanting to read the full manuscript. Alas, I don't give up hope, not until an unreasonable amount of time has passed and a hundred rejection letter. Then, then, I will rethink my ploy. I'm eying a few local/regional publishing houses to query them directly, and I'm debating the merits of retooling my project to a younger, teen, audience, as there are more readers, and so there is higher likelihood of getting my work into print. Yet, I'll save that debate for another day.

I've been watching Ken Burn's new PBS documentary on the National Parks, and man, it is fantastic. Even the region I so love and adore, and think of myself as a novice expert (if there is such a thing), I learned a few things about the Yellowstone region, at least in respect the country and other Parks in the country, very cool. As posted before, Truman Everts' story is a hefty part of the first episode, and since airing of the documentary, there has been an uptick in the amount of National Park postings, hits, and specifically, people discussing Truman Everts. His story, the original Scribners Monthly publication, is now available as an ebook download, click here. Of course there is the new version, with historical facts and photographs by Lee Whittlesey, which is worth it's weight if you really want to know this story, I suggest it as the way to go, because though, you do read the original story by Truman himself, there is much that is assumed in the time period, and Whittlesey does an excellent job of back-filling that information. Click here for that version. Of course, there is the Google book version, which is at the top of the page. This world of instant information is fantastic for opening up multiple portal the world, and here, the natural world. Truman's story to me is one that if full of wonder, just like the original advertising of the park, as a wonderland, and even though is story if full of adventure, terror, and unbelievable happenings, the reader is left with this overwhelming awe of the natural world and human's place within it. That's what I love about this story. It's a great read, I hope you all read it and enjoy!

Oh, there's also your public library, and if they don't have it, I guarantee they can inter-library loan it for free. Go librarians!

the Old West and a photo of Cody, WY

So much of my story is based on the Myth of the Old West, the western frontier, and I try to reinvent that myth. I don't try to destroy it, I use the pieces I view as truthful, and try to retell it in a humanistic way. I focus on the characters and the way in which they interact, and yeah, the West was known for it's mix of culture, and today, we're still living in that mix and dealing with our own misgivings and mistakes, like the physical and cultural genocide of American Indians at the hand of our government. On one hand we love the western frontier for its ruggedness, freedom, and personal responsibility, and that is still hugely a part of the American West, but on the other hand, gone unchecked, we've destroyed our pristine environment through mining, logging, and personal development of property. The West in essence is the irony of our nation, of our entire world-view, and at the center of that world-view is our national parks, and our first one, Yellowstone, is at the center of it all. What happens in Yellowstone, happens to us all. We reintroduce wolves there, fifteen years later, Montana has it's first wolf hunt. We pollute the air bother the wildlife by running snow-machines through the Park, we essentially say there is nothing sacred about this land, and if there's nothing sacred here, then there's nothing sacred anywhere --it all should be used in any form. The goal in my novel, is to embody those contradictions in the characters, setting, and plot. I wanted it as an underlying element for the reader to discover. It makes the story real, and at the same time, it gave me a place to sort out my own opinions on the matter. There of course, is not wrong or right in the end, because all decisions involve sacrifice. We must be happy with a compromise, one we can live with, not against.

From Drop Box

a waiting game

So, I've been waiting for a reply, and I'm still waiting, but hey, I know that's the process. In the interim I've been reading and collecting ideas for another novel. I haven't even had a bite on this manuscript, but it's a labor of love, and I just like stories and crafting them. The next one's based in eastern Montana, small town, and a real on this time, I'm just not sure which. Glasgow would be easy because I lived there, but some of the events of my story are real, even though fictinoalized, and happened right there, so I'm torn, but that doesn't matter so much yet. I'm really looking at the characters. I'm trying to hone them into realities, and then let them play out their roles through a basic plot structure and see how the story turns out. Any way, every where I look, I'm collecting ideas: news papers, events at work, people in line at Costco, or just stuff I read on the internet. I'm also researching stories for inspiration, like Shakespeare or Ovid. I try to shy away from contemporaries because I want to write my own thing, not like anyone, but if it happens my forethought, oh well. So the story goes...

Video

The story of Truman Everts, the true story, the one I stole to make my own story is told beautifully through this clip from Ken Burns' upcoming documentary on PBS: The National Parks, which seems like it's going to be awesome! Enjoy the clip:

Another Letter Sent

I just sent off another letter to an agent, so again, it's a wait and see. They say 4-6 weeks on this one. Any way, that's what's happening. I've been running ideas in my head for my next project, and there are pieces falling into place.

Rejection #1

"Dear Jesse Franzen, Thank you for sending us your query. We pass on most queries (and in this case yours) as we are only able to review and take on a few new projects each year. We wish you all the best and thank you for thinking of us. WALES LITERARY AGENCY, Inc."

So, I return to my list of agencies to begin again. So is the life. :)

A View

If you haven't noticed, I also like to take pictures. This one is from the top of Bunsen Peak in Yellowstone, looking southeast toward the Gallatin Range. The ponds below are where many people stop and watch waterfowl, buffalo, and the occasional bear or wolf tromp about. The hike is moderate, short but slightly steep, and in June when we hiked it, there was a snowfield that had to be traversed with no sign of the trail. Just go up, and once at the top, the trail is obvious. I suggest A Ranger's Guide to Yellowstone Day Hikes. It is incredibly accurate and easy to follow. On all the estimated times, we were dead in the middle of their given range. Any way, enjoy the photo and go and enjoy Yellowstone!

From Drop Box