In a nutshell, Perchance to Feast, a Novel of Impossible Possibilities, is Novel of the Absurd, about alternative universes. Its plot: Mischievous Chance endangers everyone when he manipulates quirky characters into outrageous situations, ultimately causing a fantasy city of evil to capture real people.
Huh?" you say.
My characters would like to explain how they see the book:
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Sadie (born 80 years ago, now dead--not that it matters): "Oy, such a question! Perchance to Feast is about what you want and what you do to get it turns you into who you are. Your what turns into your who."
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Lillian (78 years old, speaking through the ape costume she wears when she gives readings of the children's books she's authored as Auntie Ape): "It's about good and evil, kindness and meanness--the choices people make. About how loving-kindness is its own reward."
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Victoria (78 years old, squirting you with perfume from her antique atomizer as she speaks): "It's about me and my daughter, Helen of Troy, who renamed herself Hera, and the delicious fun I had tormenting Sadie, and Hera had tormenting Sadie's daughter, Barbara."
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Hera (in her forties--a lady never tells her age): "It's about me, Hera Starr, queen of the gods, and how I will lead my students, the Drama Divas, to the fulfillment of their every desire. I alone know how these things are done. I alone have the power to grant wishes, I..."
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The Drama Divas (age 13, taking time out from preening): It's about us, what we want, and how we'll give up everything to make our dreams come true. Also about the fun we have trampling on others' feelings.
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Barbara, aka Bronte Dickens, writer of romance novels and R-rated movies--Sadie's daughter, 35 years old): At first I thought Perchance to Feast was about writers, how they write, and the impact of their stories on the world. But I came to see that it's about relationships--the good and the bad. This book is loaded with mothers and daughters, friends and enemies, lovers and false lovers."
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Karma-Robin, Barbara's daughter, Sadie's granddaughter, known to her family as Karmi and her friends as K-Rob. 13 years old. Busy leading a demonstration for student representation on the Board of Ed): "Cut the crap! It's about good vs. evil, and how most of our rules are ridiculous and un-good. And how you've got to put yourself out front and fight for what is right even if it puts you in danger, the way it did me."
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Gina (age 15, coping with her promiscuous, child-like mother): "It's about standing up and going on nom matter how life tries to squash you down."
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GG (age 78, touching the scar on his head as he struggles to find the right words): People. Bad people who hurt you. Nice people who make you feel good."
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Justin (age 13, K-Rob's boyfriend): It's about falling in love for the first time, and intentions, and myths, and fractured science.
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Louis (Bronte Dickens' character): The best part, it is where we have sex in the alleys of Subring.
Suzette(Bronte Dickens' character): Non, mon cher, the best part, it is the result.
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Maybe (an immature angel): Perchance to Feast is about the time I tried to do something good, and it had really bad results. But it was the right thing to do.
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Chance (a cosmic chameleon): How simperingly stupid you all are. It's my feast, after all. I'm naturally nourished by nuggets of eternal entertainment, so I threw all these characters into a sumptuous stew, added spices, and stirred it as it simmered for 65 years and then--but you'll have to read Perchance to Feast to find out.
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Ellen (the author): All of the above--sort of. Perchance to Feast will be available soon, so you'll be able to read it and draw your own conclusions.
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Do you have questions you want answered--about the book, publishing with a print-on-demand company (which the next few entries will be about) or me, as a writer? Please send them to me at belbook1.com, and be sure to mention Perchance to Feast in the subject line.
