2008-04-17

Levi and Ammon, an untitled tale

Jeremiah Lamenting, with two unknown friends.

Fob is currently compiling an anthology of Bible-themed stories to be released later this year. As I have already written a number of pieces for the anthology, I had thought not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished and I have some time before the deadline, wherefore, I think I'll write a few more things, contrary to that which I had supposed, for I had supposed not to have written any more, but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto ya'll.

I reached this decision last night as I was driving in my car and listening to Regina Spektor when she sang the perfect epigraph for a story yet unimagined:

    And history books forgot about us
    And the bible didn't mention us, not even once

Perfect. This is a story I haven't rewritten yet: A Bible story that was never written in the first place.

Enter Levi and Ammon. Levi grew up scrawny and picked on, the kids making fun of his name because he's not a Levite. Ammon was made fun of for his name as well (named after an enemy nation???) but was too big and tough to be picked on much. Somehow the two became friends, nothing seeming in common besides name trouble.

Growing up in Jerusalem however, they found a new reason to stick together. Separately they hear and believe the wild prophet Jeremiah and become among his most devoted followers.

The story opens with Baruch coming to them, telling them that Jeremiah has been dungeoned and Baruch is joining him to rewrite the destroyed prophecies and Levi and Ammon need to keep an eye on the widows and make sure the small flock of faithful are kept together.

I'm planning on making Levi the point-of-view character and I don't want the story to go very long. So far I like the situation and the characters, but I don't know what the arc is.

I bring this up because Katya is going to be putting Melyngoch's contribution to the Fob Bible up on Mel's blog (she's missionarying in Sweden now and wouldn't be doing it herself) and I thought why not some cross-promotion?

But also I am doing it because I'm curious if writing a story very publicly would offer any advantages. I've learned that most close friends and family are loathe to read a writer's work (not purposefully, but quite reluctant all the same -- ask any writer friend about his friends) and I've hardly following enough to expect unknown fans to comment, so the experiment may prove a waste of time.

Still, I'm curious to see what happens and I'll at least begin the experiment. Let me know what you think.

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