“Pursuit of the Golden Lily” is a new novel by R. Emery, inspired by her father's WWII POW diary. Initially documenting the author's journey to return the diary to Thailand where it was written, the Blog now follows her experiences as she self-publishes, launches the novel and reflects on topics woven into the narrative.

Friday 7 October 2016

Diving back in... the wonder of words.


OK. First novel, Pursuit of the Golden Lily,  published... marketing steps begun, book signings here and there, back to work full time... what's missing? 
Writing the sequel! 
I didn't set out to write a series, but as the saying goes, the book writes you and now I'm hooked, intrigued by what my research uncovered; and, like my protagonist, Rose Jamieson, hungry to learn more.
Is it a spoiler to say you're writing a series? To be honest, I'm not sure at this point how many books are waiting in the wings, but there's most definitely one. 
I wrote the first page of Chapter One today, and it felt wonderful... like meeting an old friend, delighting in our shared history. Thrilling to the sensation of disappearing down the rabbit hole of my imagination, oblivious to the cacophony of sounds in the cafe around me; fingers tapping across the keyboard as if driven by some unknown force. Exhilarating!
Watching the sentences unravel before me, I was once again reminded of the wonder of words; the marvel of language and our ability to conjoin letters thereby giving voice and meaning to our thoughts and ideas.
And while I am not seeking to write a literary masterpiece, nor inject too many unfamiliar words into my work, I confess that the delight of hearing certain words in the English language, still thrills. 
Perhaps I am even more driven today to cherish words because they, like everything, are subject to the whims of change and technology. Abbreviations seem to rule. Staccato has become the norm. I'm sure there are many who still relish deepening their vocabulary, but I do wonder if our collective lexicon is being rapidly diminished. 
It will be what it will be. Personally, I shall continue to relish and gather these distinct elements of speech as I meander along life's path. I will thread them together like glittering jewels and weave them delicately into the fabric of my next story.
Reading the likes of Anne Michaels , Fugitive Pieces, and most recently Isabelle Allende's The Japanese Lover, has certainly inspired me as I seek out these treasured nuggets of literary construction, we call words.

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