My shameless plug for "The Boy" Part One (http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2625308/1/The_Boy), a novel thus far 30+ years in the making. (Fact based fiction), and the continuing tale (Part Two), at http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2658957/1/The_Boy_Part_Two_A_Survivors_Story

Set in the deep South, a mentally ill vagrant finds an injured boy alongside a lonely country road. In attempting to help the boy, the vagrant betrays him, sending the two of them fleeing cross-country from an insane father who uses the law to track them in an attempt to silence them both -- or recover what he has lost. All are troubled souls with inner demons; for the vagrant, it is his past; for the boy, his present, and for the law officers, a mystery to be solved and brought to justice. All have their individual goals and hidden motives. Its a long read, but like a roller coaster, it picks up speed as they begin to hurtle along into an uncertain future with an unsettling past.

Experienced teen to Mature content, including violence against and implied rape of a child, cursing but no porn. Addresses themes of racism, prejudice, all types of child abuse, homelessness, survival on the road, miscarriages of justice, crime, police and governmental corruption, the search and denial of love, incestual pediophilia (by a madman), insanity (DID and developing schizophrenia) due to mental problems associated with PTSD, and gives an inside view of how some abused children think, and their special problems, and much, much more. Not recommended for overly sensitive people who are badly affected by stories dealing with child abuse. (triggers)

If you like richly detailed stories with well developed characters, this may be for you. The few local readers I have here say it has artistic and social merit; I don't know. It's one of those things that has been writing itself -- I just read what the pen (or pixels, now) put out. "The Boy" - my plague for your pleasure. With 30+ years of thinking and tinkering over this story, I've had some time to develop it into a full blown read with twists, turns, surprises and symbology that I hope will send you on an emotional ride you won't soon forget. Reviews are welcome. Flames are not. Mostly I would like to know how the story makes you feel, and how it affects you emotionally.

If you have read Part One of "The Boy", you may wish to continue the saga at: http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2658957/1/The_Boy_Part_Two_A_Survivors_Story

Q&A

Note: Potential "spoilers"

Q. "The Boy" is a fictional story, isn't it?

A. Yes. "The Boy" is fiction; however, the characters in it are based on real life persons whom the author has known and numerous discussions with over a hundred adult survivors of child abuse. Part One of the story deals with Jeff's escape from an abusive environment; Part Two will deal with the particular problems and abused child -- and their caregiver -- can face as the child begins to grow up into an adult.

Q. If the characters are fiction based on fact, who did you base the characters on?

A. The characters in the story are conglomerates of a number of individuals the author has known.

The boy is based upon in-depth discussion and study of adult survivors of sexual, emotional, physical, and mental abuse. A number of survivors were taught that sex=love=sex, which remains an issue for some in their lives today. Most survivors of sexual abuse still bear emotional scars and are ashamed to admit what happened due to society's view of sexual abuse of children. This holds especially true in the instances where the child was coherced into sexual 'play', or 'groomed'. Jeff's case represents a small fraction of abuse cases; however, the symptoms described are not as uncommon as one might think.
In a bizarre twist of fate, Chapter 55 (written in about 1987), was mirrored years later in a factual murder case involving a rapist/murderer (William "Junior" Downs) and a child (Keenan O'Mailia). This case turned up in SC in 1999.

The boy's father is based upon a real life 'redneck' who had children, and was often drunk and very violent. However, it is not known if he abused his children. The father's connection to a judge, and the idea that that connection can enable him to get by with murder without going to court is also based upon a factual case not far from the author's location. (The 'hush-hush' good ol' boy syndrome.) This character's traits are exaggerated in the story.

The local law enforcement officers and their attitudes are based upon observation of, and discussion with, several small southern town cops.

The vagrant is a combination of individuals. The mental problems he faces are based upon discussion and experience with several DID (disassociative identity disorder) patients, the PTSD effects of war vets, especially vets from the Vietnam war in which little children were sometimes 'weaponized' and had to be eliminated. In the original storyline, this character was caucasian; however, after seeing the public reactions to Susan Smith's claims that a negro had taken her children, and given the occasional racist attitudes the author has seen amoung members of all races, this character was changed to represent an African-American.

The court systems are represented by themselves, and some bad decisions made regarding the parental custody of abused children.

Of special note, the incidents in this story would evolve much differently today, given the various legislative and social networks (e.g. "Amber Alert") which have been put into place to protect our nation's children. However (and sad to say), the laws and networks to protect and recover missing and abducted children still do not come into play until after a crime has been committed. Atrocities much worse than any listed in this book still do occur with a terrible and devasting frequency. In some senses the boy is a 'lucky boy'. I won't say more on that for fear of spoiling the story for future readers.

Q. What about the author?

The author was trained in survival, evasion, and escape methods, which explains the 'outdoors' settings, and while having traveled extensively both in the US and abroad, has resided for most of his life in the state of Georgia. He has been in and around military settings for 24 years. He has also studied psychology, abnormal psych, and sociology, and has discussed the effects of child abuse with many adult survivors of childhood abuse over the past fifteen years, and in some cases counseling them.

Q. Where did the idea for this story come from?

What I call a 'life dream' I had in 1976 -- one of those dreams where you live a life full of relationships and love -- and then wake, losing all those you cared about. They are rare (fortunately -- or unfortunately), and stick out in my mind like, well -- a life I once lived. Three days later I started a novella, which over the years has evolved into this creation. I won't say who I was in the dream, except to say that there were two major persons, as their are in this story I've been putting together.

Q. What are your goals.

Publishing this as a novel, of course, has long been a goal, but first and foremost has been the writing of the actual story. It has begged to get out -- begging me -- and now is the time.
The other goals are, in order of importance: to touch a reader's heart and soul with this story; and going beyond just identifying with the major characters, having the reader understand their thought processes. Its hard to understand why a father would abuse his son in all the ways Harold Thompson does, just as it can be hard to understand why a boy might seek out certain aspects of an abusive environment -- and yet, according to a few readers, I've managed to do just that. I cannot say how thrilled I am to know that. Being able to put a reader in a person's mind so well that they not only understand, but sympathize with the villian-- maybe even feel for him -- means that I've done my job. And the boy -- well, he's something special to me, really.

I know I have succeeded in some of my goals when I hear that I brought a reader to tears, or upset them so bad that they had to shut the book -- only to find themselves drawn back to it. To touch a reader's heart should always be an author's goal. I sincerely hope I have done this.

Finally, I am hoping that this story offers one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride, taking the reader into freefall, the depths of darkness, and raising them back up for a sweet kiss of sunlight. I tried to offer enough twists and turns to throw the reader for loops, and there is a lot of foreshadowing and symbolism going on, if one knows what to look for.

Q. Speaking of characters, which character do you prefer?

Matt, of course, is one of my favorite characters. Many people have 'voices' in their head -- but for those with disassociative identity disorder, it becomes something more. Alter egos become something real and really have to be dealt with -- and sometimes they can take over a 'system'. Usually in such a person there is a central core or governing 'body' or persona, but that person can be shoved aside and overrun by the general 'majority', should all of the other personality 'fragments' band together and decide to do so. Its a complicated psychological system to say the least, but we all run on it to some degree or another. Its just that in certain cases of trauma and mental abuse, these persona's were or are what have saved the 'whole' by projecting themselves forward to take the abuse that may be raining down on the 'whole'. A survival mechanism, to be sure, but not quite as drastic as schizophrenia.

Jeff is an interesting character in that while having suffered much in the name of 'love', he has so much to learn about love, and what it really is. Not an innocent child, he remains innocent in his behavior and thought patterns -- if you agree that a child's innocence is based in part on a child's need to feel loved.

Harold is perhaps one of the most complex -- and messed up -- characters in this story. Torn between what he knows is right and his own personal need for love, he realizes what he is doing is wrong, but he can't seem to stop himself from doing it. In many ways he is the classic abuser: knowing he is causing harm, he promises to stop -- but can never quite seem to stop himself from doing it. He has a flavor all of his own, and of course in this particular story, he is going insane -- borderlining on a true psychosis, nearing schizophrenia.

I love the way the law officers play out. Derrick, with his desire to be free of a small 'redneck' county and its controlling sheriff; the sheriff, used to doing things his own way, and of course the two FBI agents, Tom and Frank, each who has their own agenda, and each at the extreme points of their careers -- Tom, just beginning, wants to move up, and Frank, bitter and disillusioned, tries to strike out at those above him and anyone he perceives as a 'power-that-is' in an almost personal vendetta. Its funny, in a sad sort of way -- Frank, who touts procedure, has come to hate that very thing, since so often errors in procedure have led to too many people 'getting away with murder' -- hence his hatred of those who make procedure -- those above him. I also like how they (and others) come to wrong assumptions regarding events that have occured. This happens so much in real life it isn't even funny anymore. But people will be people, and like all people, we tend to think what we think based upon the evidence we see -- which may not be the way things really were.

Another interesting point is that none of my characters are 'all good' or 'all evil' -- just as in real life. I didn't plan it that way -- it just turned out that way. Funny thing is that I have often been surprised to find out this or that has happened -- just as shocked as the reader in some cases, I'm sure. Writing stories is like riding a wild horse -- you know where you want to go, but the getting there can be a real adventure. You never know where that old paint is going to lead you before you arrive at the end. I know this one certainly has been giving me a ride! -- despite my 'outline' and carefully laid plans, it has strayed and changed the story greatly through the years.

Q. When do you think you'll be finished?

I always answer this question the same: I'll be finished when I'm done. I know I'm getting closer, but I'm still riding this pony, and it may take me into places I hadn't planned, but for the most part . . . its hard to say. I'm working on it now day in and day out, and while I think the whole might be 600 WP pages or so, I can't really know until I cross the finish line. Personally I'm estimating three more months (its March 3 now), but hopefully sooner. I know I'm looking forward to getting off this ride and putting the old horse to bed -- but then again, I have several more young stallions rarin' and beggin' to go. None like this one, though. This story, "The Boy" is something special to me, for a lot of personal reasons -- and so I'm sticking with it until I do cross that finish line and can finally type "The End". What a relief that's going to be! And yet at the same time, that's when the real work starts as I move towards publishing it, advertising it, and hopefully getting people to pick it up and read the thing. There's a lot of work in that end of the 'business' -- but being disabled, I guess I have the time for that sort of thing nowadays. And its certainly a lot more productive than sitting around watching TV!

April 5ish, 2009
Part One of the boy is 'done'; part two is in progress. Part two is more of an young abuse survivor's story -- along with dealing with the issues that an emerging survivor of mental, physical, and sexual abuse may have. In some ways this promises to be one of the more challenging of the two 'books' that deal with Jeffery Thompson and Matthew Washington, in that it is during this period of time, when Jeffery is beginning to grow up, that the darker aspects of his younger life come into play, challenging both the emerging man and his caregiver.

What I think people will enjoy most about part two is that it involves a love story -- one that threatens the very special relationship that Matt and Jeff have developed over time. In the end -- well, I won't give away the end, but lets just say there are some real heartbreakers in the works, as well as threads of hope and joy. In the end, however, its all about love -- no matter what shape or form it ends up being. I'm hoping people will find it to be as engrossing a read as the first part has been.