Here's what's going on with me: I sent in the manuscript for No Footprints, the fifth Darcy Lott novel. The book will be available next summer. It may have been my hardest book to write. Admittedly, they all seem that way by the end, but some stories, like this one, are red hot coals.
The red hot coal is a Zen story. Unlike No Footprints, this tale takes place in a monastery in Japan. In it a student comes to a formal interview with his teacher. The student bows. The teacher returns the bow. Then, with tongs, the teacher picks up a red hot coal and holds it out to the student. The student understands he has to accept what the teacher offers him. But how? It is, after all, a red hot coal. He looks at the coal, looks at his own bare hands, then does what we'd all do. He turns and runs.
But he's not about to give up seeing his teacher, so in a few days, he's back in the interview room, bowing. And the teacher's back holding out the red hot coal. But this time the student's prepared. He's got a potholder! The teacher motions for him to put down the potholder. The student panics and runs.
Finally, the student returns and does what he feared all along. When the teacher offers the red hot coal, the student holds out his hands and accepts it.
The point of the Zen story is you have to accept your problems, you can't protect yourself from them.
For a writer, the coal is the underlying question in the story. If you try to avoid it, you keep coming back to it. There's something in that question that you, the writer, are asking yourself, that makes you want to steer clear of it and yet it's got you like the red hot coal in your hand.
But more on this later when it's closer to a time you can actually read the story.
Meanwhile, I'll be doing some events. (See below.) And if you want any of my backlist, email my fine local bookseller and he'll get them to you.
And thanks for your emails. It's always really nice to hear from you.
Upcoming Events:
Thursday, November 3
Center for Independent Living
7th Annual Authors Night:
Mystery Unveiled
Featured Authors:
Penny Warner, Cara Black and Susan Dunlap
Panel Moderated by Camille Minichino
November 3, 2011
Ticket Price: $40
Ed Roberts Campus
3075 Adeline Street
Berkeley, CA 94703
Directly accessible from Ashby BART Station
Garage and Street Parking available
Hosted Reception from 6-7 PM
Author Readings, Q&A Session and Book Signings, 7:15-8:30 PM
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Women's Literary Festival
Santa Barbara, CA
© Susan Dunlap. Web site by interbridge.