Chapter 1 of How the Light gets in has now been posted.


Visit My WebsiteWhile it will stand alone as a story, it is a sequel to Everybody's Wounded... so you might want to read that first!

Enjoy....

and do take time to comment!

duncan

This is definitely going to be an interesting story. It's obvious that Luc is still haunted by his past. It makes one wonder how he will climb out of the tomb of his own heart and rejoin the living. All I have to say is that I want more.

But Luc isn't the only one who is being haunted by his past. We see Josh in a whole new prospective, well at least I do. He's scared and I somehow wonder how that is going to play into everything with the past that he has. But what really surprised me was the end of this chapter, Luc is asked Scott for help...

You done it again Duncan, by drawing your readers in from the very beginning and keeping them at the edge of their chair, waiting desperately for what's going to happen next...

I hate you!!! =D

It is interesting to see Josh from a new perspective. I hate to do comparisons, but I am reminded of a TLW and ITFB with how things were different with Owen. This is further proof of how switching from 1st to 3rd can actually work. Screw the nay-sayers. As for the jealousy Mike... I think you should draw inspiration instead. You did a great job on that anthology piece you did a while back. You need to quit being down on yourself. So, when are you going to have another story for me to dive into?

Now, it's been a while since we've talked. How's life?

Yes, I'm a little but I just had to comment on that. I'm definitely looking forward to the next chapter. This one was great.

Thanks guys.

To call it a sequel is really a little unfair....it's really the rest of the story. But I stopped it where I did precisely because I needed to get out Scott's point of view. I just had so much more I needed to express about Josh and Luc (and Matt...just wait for Matt....)

But the thing that has actually turned out fascinating from a writer's perspective (and you'll have to let me know how it works from a reader's perspective) is to do Scottie from the outside. I mean, I realized I never even really described him. The fact that's he's a whisperer was a real revelation...though of course as readers we've been inside his head all along, so maybe it shouldn't have been such a surprise....

Duncan,

I'm so glad that you decided to continue the story. Although you did conclude Everybody's Wounded, there was still so much more to learn and understand of those characters.

On your index page, very cool btw, you have this as the description of the story:



After reading chapter one, I have the feeling the two are Josh and Matt. Then again, Luc may be actually more wounded than the other two. Funny how you can not really say who is more 'wounded'? Really all the characters are carrying around some baggage including Josh, Scott, Luc, Matt, Laura. Really it seems like Bran may be the only one not to have some emotional or physical scars that need to be healed but I'm sure there is a story there as well

I look forward to seeing how everyone deals with what you have in store for them.

Once again, I'm so happy that you have chosen to continue the story.

Thanks,

Steve

Duuuuuuuuuuncaaaaaaaaaaan~

The switch from first to third person was a bit... odd for me, not bad, just... odd. Not the 'usual' Duncan I am used to reading anyway. One of the things I love most about EW and the way you write is your ability to get the emotion to the surface and let us, the readers, connect with it. That was probably my favorite aspect of your writing and of reading EW, but I totally understand that you can't tell someone else's story in the first person. Once I switched to third person myself, I fell in love with it. I may never go back.

That said, this was a fantastic start to, what I suspect, won't let me down at all as one hell of a story. I want to know what's in Luc's head, what Matt is hiding, an see Josh and Scott heal, grow, help each other become the men they are supposed to be. I suspect there will be a lot of Luc, Scott, and Josh holding each other up as well.

Congratulations!

Hugs,
Vivian

Oh Yes how could I forget about Matt, I have a feeling he's going to play a big part in this story, I mean why else would you bring him into it? hehehe <3 Duncan!

hey there,
i loved everybody's wounded and i'm so glad that i'n finally going to hear more about scott, josh and the rest... duncan, you are a great writer!

Ya think <G>?

Well, Viv, I hope I can sustain the emotion, because that's what it's all about for me, writing emotion. We bury it, hide from it, so much in our real lives. I think we need to pick it up and look at it closely to understand ourselves... Ok, that's Duncan the amateur psychologist for today.....

I absolutely agree, which is why there are some stories that you can connect with, and others that, while the writing might be good, or the plot creative and well thought out, but you'll never FEEL it.

I'm sure you'll do just fine... I know you have it in you

Hugs,
Viv

A great follow on story.

I knew something was different! But I'd convinced myself that I was just showing my ignorance yet again, and that EW wasn't actually in the first person. Ha! I feel vindicated!

As I read the first chapter of HtLGi, I noticed that the words didn't flow as well, maybe because it wasn't a stream of consciousness. I also found it less intimate, even though it wasn't, you know? I guess I'll have to get used to it...


Wasn't a surprise to me! It felt right. And you did sort of describe him, his size mostly, by comparing him to the others. Everyone else was always different degrees of small.


I thought this, too. Bran seems to be the anchor for many others... Scott, Laura, Matt. I liked how Scott and Josh could be both anchors and wounded.

Now, Duncun, regarding that bleeping cliffhanger! I was so... so... hurt, appalled, angry at what happened at the end --My PM to you on EW should explain why. Thanks, I guess, for keeping it realistic. *grumble, grumble* I need some chocolate...

Actually, 3rd person is less intimate, because the author is not in the point of view of one of the characters. Instead, the author becomes a witness to all that is going on in the world of the story. It gives the author a wider view of the world, but it also makes the author less in tune with the main character's emotions. Like I said before, I think it is a good change. In fact, it was necessary for this particular series.

Right, it felt less intimate, especially when it came to Scott --that's when I first really noticed it, enough to break my concentration in the story. But I thought Duncun did a good job of compensating for that. He seemed to use some of the same types of observations that "Scott" used, so it still felt familiar.

*sigh* that probably makes no sense. I need to stop participating in discussion on POV, because I miss the nuances.

Well, Steph, the thing is... (as I explained but which others might be interested in as well) Light isn't so much a true sequel as the second half of the same story. I couldn't finish it and stay in Scott's pov, and I didn't want to do that thing where you stay in first person, just change whose head you're in. If I had it to do over, I'd have written the whole story in third person...

That means... you're really still in the centre of the story, not the beginning of a new one. There are still many things to resolve that came out of EW...not only things between Scott and Luc, and Scott and Josh, but also between Josh and Matt and even (don't forget) between Josh and Luc...

Not to mention what's gonna happen brand new moving forward.

As...who was it? Yogi Berra (isn't it always Yogi Berra?) said... it ain't over til it's over.

As for Bran... well....everybody's wounded.

No, I think that's a good observation. You're supposed to feel a little...pulled back from Scott. Get a different perspective on him. I mean...everyone is the hero of his own story... Scott is wonderful, wonderful guy but...we need to see him more completely I think. I'm going to try to keep away from him as viewpoint character in this 2nd half entirely. May not be possible but I'm going to try.

Yes, Tiger, that's exactly right. I needed a broader view, and in terms of the story I was essentially trapped... So...we'll see how it goes from here.

This, I get, and can't wait to read more!

I was talking more about the end of Light, Ch 1... I knew exactly what Luc felt when he didn't receive a response from Scott, because I've been there, and it totally sucks. and that made the cliffhanger so much more powerful to me.

Ah! I thought you meant the end of EW (or at least the last scene between Luc and Scott.)

Ok. The end of chapter one. The thing about writing a serial is that you want your readers to come back. That means you always have to end at a point where they don't know something they really want to know. You can't have a wrap at the end of a chapter...it always has to lead into the next chapter and the reader needs to want to be there....

But really...think about it. We know exactly why Scott didn't answer Luc. He didn't answer because Josh needed him... he went to bed early, remember?

But...how will Luc cope with that....because he doesn't know...

this is the evil way my mind works...

Yes, yes, the benefits of the 3rd person POV. It's still EVIL! In fact, it almost makes it worse.

Where's CJ when you need him? We might have someone new in the running for king of evil cliffhangers and he admitted it!

So... when can we expect the next chapter?

Scott was perhaps the most important part of EW that first person was perfect. Seeing things from his point of view was absolutely right for EW. Now that we know how Scott sees things and we understand him you needed to back off a bit and let us see things from a broader perspective. Hence the switch from first to third person was ideal for HtLGI. I haven't sensed any loss of the strong emotions that drove EW. If anything those emotions are even more intense because we're not limited to seeing them as Scott see them. Josh jumping at Scott's unexpected touch still felt as powerful and painful as if Scott had related what happened. Luc's sense of disappointment at not hearing from Josh was quite obvious. You're off to a great start Duncan. Once again thank you for giving so willingly of yourself for your fans.

Yeah, yeah, I'm late, I know.

I was very happy to see the new one start. You know what a fan I am of your work. Looking forward to seeing where this one goes.

Ok, you're forgiven, lol.

By the way, do you know who said that bit about women having to things twice as well as a man? Charlotte Whitten. Mayor of Ottawa. (that's the capital of Canada, for those of you geographically challenged...)

Maybe this weekend.... it's close...

thanks Gary. I hope I carry it through.

D.

YAY!!

Wise woman.

Editors never get a day off, do they?

Any ideas on when can we expect the next chapter?

I discovered EW belatedly and read it in one sitting. Wow. Wow wow wow. I absolutely loved that story, from start to finish, every word. The characters were vividly drawn, the emotions so poignantly expressed... I literally couldn't bring myself to stop reading until the end.

I gave it a day before I read chapter 1 of this sequel, and I'm just as impressed if not more. Let me put in another vote for someone who thinks you did the right thing switching the point of view from first-person to third-person. EW works well in first-person because - with the exception of Josh's flashback scene - we're basically kept guessing in the same way Scott is. We don't know anything he doesn't know until he finds out, and it's a great way to introduce the key characters and plot elements.

The person who made the comparison to DomLuka's The Long Way and In The Fish Bowl was pretty dead-on. Third-person POV offers so much more opportunity for the writing itself to mature. I mean, we're no longer stuck in the head of a college kid, but we're able to see things that the poor characters are oblivious to. It makes sense, what you did, and it's a perfect progression.

*Warning* I'm about to get a nitpicky:

The opening scene, where Luc is in Montreal... there are a few small details that jumped out at me as having missed the mark:

1) Starbucks at Crescent and Ste-Catherine is more likely to be packed full of Concordia students than McGill students. There's a Starbucks on McGill College and one at Place de la Cathedrale that will attract more students from McGill. I mean, it's not far, but it's not right next door either. Certainly in the cold of January, it isn't that likely that Luc would've walked from McGill all the way there just to have a coffee. Not when there are hundreds of closer places.

2) A lone student listening to an ipod at a cafe in Montreal isn't likely to attract much curiosity or attention, positive or negative. It's not so much that people are cold or unfriendly here - though outsiders often feel that way - it's just that people are a bit more reserved here. You know, the fake banter that passes for civility in the rest of the world is met with a bit of skepticism here. And it's a very normal thing for people to go to a coffee shop and sit by themselves - reading or working on a laptop or just being. You see it every day. I doubt anyone would've batted an eyelash at Luc.

Okay, enough nitpicking. Sorry for being so anal-retentive... just thought you might like to know. Besides, I love your writing so much, I'm betting you're the type who strives for 100% accuracy... right?

Can't wait to read the next chapter! Keep 'em coming!

It's done. Being proofread right now. So soon. very soon.

And 3 will be faster. It's already half done. Last month was just very very busy....

Thanks.

And I gather you're a Montrealer and so I believe you about that Starbucks... I don't get to spend a lot of time in Montreal (though it happens that I'm there right now...). Thing is...I actually wrote that scene sitting at that table in that Starbucks surrounded by McGill students (I was evesdropping) ... so....maybe it was an odd day.... but there it was.

(And they're looking at Luc like that not because he's alone but because Luc is...Luc. He's special!!!!!)

Heh. I believe you. And it's not as though there are never students in a coffee shop. (Students drinking coffee? What a concept!) I just found it a little odd because you'd gone to the trouble in the story of pinpointing the exact location of the Starbucks, so I figured I'd mention it.

Can't argue with you about Luc being special, though. If he's as hot as you describe him, I probably would've been among those looking... or, at least I would've been a few years ago. Hell, maybe I still would. I just hope the poor guy can get past his demons.

Excited for Chapter 2 here... bring it on!