I head to Kingstree, SC tomorrow on a fact-finding mission. Michael deems it worthy of emergency rating!
First, I will tell you the basis of my completely fictional romance novel (with a villain, too). It is a completely dramatized and sensationalized and made-up account that comply with the dates and few facts that I do know about Caroline Cox and Charles Gamble (see past blogs). I am completely inspired and passionate about this novel, and I have a trilogy planned, with her daughter Gaynelle being the focal point of book 2, and my Granny book 3. I know that in Caroline's case, the situations are completely false, but it bothers me to have anything too drastically out of place with the few facts that are present.
So, when my Dad called today to relate that Granny was actually adopted (which he found out at her funeral--Grandaddy has adoption papers somewhere), I was almost traumatized by the thought that she may be completely unrelated to Gaynelle and Caroline. I am going to try to ferret out the records tomorrow, if I can, from the courthouse there. If it's Gaynelle that's her mama, then I'll feel as though I truly am channeling a great story. If her parents are completely different, then I don't know how I'll continue with the novel... the story would be fine, but my inspiration will be shot.
I do have a bit of hope, though, as one of Gaynelle's grandchildren spilled the beans, after which grandaddy admitted the truth. However, Dad says he 'didn't know' who the parents were, which is a point on the negative side. My hope, though, lies in the fact that the man was Gaynelle's grandson, and why would he attend the funeral of a great-aunt who was only adopted into the family. He'd be much more likely to attend the funeral of his true aunt, who had been mostly ignored and denied all her life by Gaynelle's relations.
Okay...I'm completely amazed that this is all happening so fast. It wasn't so long ago that I came up with the Gaynelle as great-grandmother theory, was it?
My word count was fabulous until today. 11,800 or so now, but only 400 today. I suspect my word count will continue to suffer this week, with the travel and all--but at least I can excuse the reason as book-related!
Freaky, isn't it? More freaky coincidences...I've only started listening to two new stories since we've gotten back from the funeral. One was simply the new Sophie Kinsella and the other was a random choice for the kids with a cute cover, called something like As the Bird Sings. BOTH begin with funerals and discussions about respect for the dead. Sophie's book has the ghost completely aghast...wait, I told you this already, haven't I? Forgive me!
Oh, and I resumed the Firefly series, a space cowboy Joss Whedon show (Buffy creator), and the next new episode involved the body of a man who requested that they transport him to his home planet for burial. Get this...he comes alive again! I see it as metaphorical for my bringing my ancestors to life in my stories. This show, too, was replete with discussions of various reactions to the dead. Oh...AND I just realize now, he was implanted with someone else's organs (which I'm correlating to the whole misrepresentation of Granny's genealogy). Whew... I'm either becoming extremely intuitive and the universe is speaking to me...or I'm going off the deep end. I've always lived pretty close to it, anyhow, so perhaps I haven't noticed my slide to the bottom! :)
Okay...Michael and Stephenie are doing fairly well with their word counts and plots, too, so all seems to be progressing appropriately for them.
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