Thursday, March 18, 2010

New Novel Outline, Feedback Appreciated

Hi All!

Here is the tentative road map. Very tentative.

Chapter I--The Vampire. An old vampire haunts the Irish countryside, unaware that he too is being haunted.

Chapter 2--The Banshee. A forlorn, beautiful banshee, unable to maintain human love, sets her sights on the aging yet debonair vampire.

Chapter 3--The Woman. A young American inherits a bed and breakfast and moves to Ireland; she reminds the vampire of a long lost love.

Chapter 4--The Leprechaun. The woman discovers a leprechaun living in an old wine cellar behind her B & B--under Ben Bulben.

Chapter 5--The Mountain. Chasing the leprechaun up Ben Bulben, the woman stumbles upon a limestone door--leading to a terrifying Faeryland.

Chapter 6--The Horseman. An unearthly rider finally escapes from his surreal prison with the help of unexpected visitors.

Chapter 7--The Goddess. An ancient deity named Danu suddenly appears from out of the bay with something on her mind.

Chapter 8--The Giant. Upon the goddess' arrival, an old enemy awakes; he goes to slay her, but blind, must first find his eye in the lake.

Chapter 9--The Man. The American's old boyfriend shows up at the B & B; he laughs at her tales of leprechauns & fairies and eats like a pig.

Chapter 10--The King. An old man named Lugh hobbles into Sligo Town Hall, insisting it is time for him to set things right; everyone laughs.

Chapter 11--The Hopeless Romance. The banshee desperately does her utmost to woo the ever-stylish vampire, but his tastes are very different.

Chapter 12--The Bed & Breakfast. The woman and old boyfriend fix up the old place. Their first guest insists on blood sausage for breakfast.

Chapter 13--The Love Quadrangle. As the vampire courts the owner with panache, a beautiful, unearthly guest arrives, flirting, then wailing.

Chapter 14--The Ancient Past. As all hell breaks loose, the leprechaun returns, offering a somber recollection of the old Irish myths, and their revival.

Chapter 15--The Charge. As if on cue, the horseman appears at the end of the leprechaun's story, awakening the old Irish heroes from sleep.

Chapter 16--The Eye. The giant finds his evil eye in the lake. Awakening from a long sleep, he focuses his rage against the goddess.

Chapter 17--The Four Treasures. The ancient magical treasures of Ireland are rediscovered and put to use against the evil giant Balor. 

Chapter 18--The Cycles. The old king and the other ancients find modern Irish and world advancements a confusing game and wish to pursue a different way forward.

Chapter 19--The Ghosts. Three writers from the past, Blake, Yeats, and Joyce, haunt Sligo, carousing and collaborating on one last story.

Chapter 20--The Volcano. The ghosts of Blake, Yeats, & Joyce are forced to cancel their appearances at the London Book Fair.
 
Chapter 21--Postscript. The editor encounters a leprechaun at the couple's B & B in Sligo; he vanishes, leaving behind one shoe and a strange gothic tale told by the ghosts of Blake, Yeats, and Joyce.