Unfinished

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this recently, but I’ve been looking through my unfinished stories and novels which for some reason I abandoned to move on to something else. There’s the story of Gus, who moves to a small seaside village (not unlike Uphill where I actually live) who seems a lonely but friendly person, and who becomes slowly involved with a loose group of friends who socialise in the pub. (If it sounds familiar, that’s basically my life!) He’s a bit of a mystery man, doesn’t reveal much about his recent past and people speculate that his marriage (if he had one) failed, or he’s been bereaved, or he’s suffered some downturn such as losing his job which resulted with him casting up in the village.

In another story, the same imagined pub was in the village where a young woman in police protection settled, only to be embroiled in a murder which she overheard happening. She too was involved in pub life, the quiz, a fest, barbecues etc. There are several other stories, including sequels of my novels, sequels which will never be published but follow a couple of the characters’ lives after my story has finished. “The Stalking of Rosa Czekov” is one which in particular refuses to let go! I might even have to tweak it and the back story, to properly follow the two characters who drive out of “Rosa Czekov” at the end, and into a new story!

I’m at present reading my story about Frederico who “starred” in an unfinished novel. He is a very unconventional, brilliant and charismatic teacher, popular with the students of the college where he works, but not with the director. There is a show-down and Frederico resigns before he is suspended. Three years before the start of the novel,, Frederico’s wife vanishes, and despite a major police investigation, huge publicity, and countrywide searches and publicity, no trace of her has ever been found. Her father is convinced Frederico murdered her and periodically harasses him about it. Frederico’s best friend Erin is helping him sort out the missing wife’s possessions, and comes across a note in a diary about a “hippy” commune on my imaginary island of Farholm. Frederico and Erin take the ferry over to the island to try and find news of her. This is as far as I’ve got, but I’m wondering now, whether to carry on with something else I’ve started, or return to Frederico’s mystery missing wife. Hmmm… watch this space!

PS: As I often do for my characters, I’ve borrowed the face of a famous person for my Frederico, Vincent d’Onofrio will never know he has a new starring role!!!

My featured image is a historic picture of the Dolphin in Uphill, now under new management it’s been repainted in cream and a subtle green.