School for Evil - exploratory
Toward the end of Fall semester of my sophomore year, I found a small reading room deep within the bowels of my college library. It was called "The Somebody or Other Memorial Hunting and Fishing Library" and was almost always unoccupied. Its walls were lined with glass cases of leather bound editions of Izak Walton on angling and assorted dusty memoirs of African safaris and was furnished with a few oak table and soft-bottomed leather wing chairs It was a hidden treasure, my very own study, and the perfect place to while away the winter evenings. Like much of the school, the Hunting and Fishing library was criminally overheated and, after a day of lectures and an evening of French irregular verbs, I would often nod out against the comfortable soap-oiled embrace of the armchair.
One afternoon I awoke from a sweaty dream to discover that my sanctum sanctorum had been invaded; several other students had crept in while I was dozing. Embarrassed at being discovered in oblivion with my head thrown back and my mouth open and drooling, I pretended to have been lost in thought not the arms of Morpheus, grabbed my notebook and began to write the first thing that came to my pen.
This proved to be a story called "Under the Awning," a funnyish and appropriately surreal tale of a man and a girl sheltering from the rain. Ten or so pages tumbled out of me in a flash and was published, unedited in the school literary magazine. Rereading it now, I am surprised by the unfamiliar voice of my deep unconscious and the carefree turns of phrase and plot it took.
Early this June, while walking up Ninth Avenue in Chelsea, an idea whacked my brain with the same sort of thunder bolt immediacy. It was a title of a novel, The School for Evil" and the essential elements of its plot. The whole thing struck me as from the clear blue — I haven't written much fiction since I was in my twenties and the the idea was so developed already that I decided to pursue it. Over the next nine weeks or so, I wrote a couple of drafts of this 200 page novel, polishing it off by Labor Day.
Part of the idea was to write short chapters — fifty of them in all — and to illustrate each one with an ink painting. I drew the first ten or so and showed them to some friends. At the time, I thought the book was for children, probably ones a little younger than Jack, and wanted it to be a little shocking, a little brutal (think Edward Gorey, Lemony Snickety, Roald Dahl), and as funny and absurd as I could make it. I showed the drawings around to friends and the first ones were judged to be a bit scary — some people thought that was a fine thing, others felt they were too edgy for pre-teens. I took a second pass at the drawings and this time made them cartoony and a bit silly. I went on to make a couple dozen in this style.
While I rather doubt the book will ever be published, the process was very interesting and informative. Working from my imagination rather than just my experience was a refreshing change; writing fiction and then drawing made-up scenes was so far from the documentary journaling and non-fiction work I usually do and it opened new hidden doors in my head.
A record of my exploration into all aspects of drawing, illustrated journaling, creativity, and the inspiring aspects of art. By the author of "Everyday Matters," "The Creative License", and "An Illustrated Life" and other books.
Comments
That's a suitably 'Twilight Zone' introduction to your story - I thought 'The Somebody or Other Memorial Hunting and Fishing Library' WAS the opening scene of your 'School for Evil' tale. I was expecting Mr Clink to be sitting at his desk in the library when you awoke from your sweaty dream. If ever the stories become a television series you should introduce each of them from the library as Rod Serling, Roald Dahl and Alfred Hitchcock introduced their half hours of spooky tales.
Posted by: Richard | September 29, 2007 11:53 AM
Hi
I like the first set best, though occasionally there is something in the second set that I really like :)
The first set are moodier, deeper, more brooding.
I hope you get it published :)
Posted by: vivien | September 29, 2007 12:57 PM
My gut favors the R rated version. They seem distinctly timeless. Like the sort of illustrations I fell into for hours when I was a kid. Grims and Hans Christian Anderson-esque. Memorable. The raw material dreams get remade with. Though I do admire the simpler (PG) style.
Posted by: switchsky | September 29, 2007 01:47 PM
I prefer the PG set of drawings.
I'm curious about the story.
If you decide not to officially publish the book perhaps you could assemble it on some site like:
http://www.lulu.com
so that folks can buy it and read it.
It might be an interesting experiment to see which results in more revenue for the author, self-publishing or going through a publishing house. As a musician, I've found that self-publishing works.
Cheers,
Kevin
Posted by: Kevin | September 29, 2007 02:01 PM
Ahhhhh, I MUCH prefer the dark broody ones. For kids who have to listen to news about MRAV's, Smart Bombs, The Decider and No Child Left Behind, I doubt these are going to scare them. (Have you read R. Dahl's children's books? With R. Searle's insane (like a fox) illustrations? Depending on the gist of your story, I'm thinking agents would LOVE to have a book that 3rd-7-th grade boys would like. Lots of them are reading Manga, and those are certainly not cartoony in the style that you've done in your PG versions. I was a children's librarian for a LONG time and still have abundant opinions. If you want more (!) let me know.
Posted by: PainterWoman | September 29, 2007 02:26 PM
Danny, first off kudos for working not just in one style but two! I actually like them both. I prefer the R-rated ones I think because they seem more atmospheric (especially the one with all the lightpost shadows for example). But I actually think some of the PG-rated ones are more scary because in simplifying the characteristics of the characters they've become more ,I don't know, mean looking?
I think you could go either way. I hope you pursue publishing it.
I also loved your description of the found study and getting your first story and then this one while walking down the street. I hope you have many more such experiences.
Roz
Posted by: Roz | September 29, 2007 02:34 PM
Man I prfer the macabre and dark anyday. Indeed increase the scare-o-meter.
Posted by: Detlef | September 30, 2007 04:16 AM
I love the R rated ones better, hands down. My two favorites are the one with the lady with the long fingernail and the boy on the corner on his bike. How can one get a copy of your book?
Meredith Giddings
Posted by: Meredith Giddings | September 30, 2007 09:46 AM
Definately the R rated versions. Very dark and foreboding.
I like the fact that you just
had these ideas come to you full on without any planning.
Which may mean they have been inside all the time waiting for a chance to come out.
By all means publish! These would be a new and wonderful voice for the children of today to listen to.
Posted by: Mary W | October 1, 2007 09:20 AM
I teach 3rd grade, and I think if you publish this book you should be ready to do a series-they're all the rage. Also, the R rated drawings are great, and really, nothing seems too scary for kids these days.
Posted by: Julie | October 2, 2007 07:28 PM
+1 vote for the R version (even for a children's book).
Posted by: Philip Sharman | October 2, 2007 11:44 PM
Wow. Great illustrations. I love the rated R illos a lot more than the others.
Posted by: ksklein | October 3, 2007 03:18 AM
Another vote for the R ones. They seem to have more...soul?
Posted by: Jane | October 3, 2007 03:22 PM
Consider me a buyer for both stories! You already have me hooked. Hands down, no question, I LOVED the R rated drawings.
Posted by: DINAH | October 3, 2007 04:35 PM
Scare me, scare me. I love the darker ones. Kids would to no? I mean we grew up with all that spooky stuff and we're just fine...aren't we?
Posted by: Andy | October 4, 2007 08:55 AM
There's too much moddlycoddling going on. Kids would love the R rated version.
Posted by: Kristi | October 5, 2007 12:13 PM
Definately the R rated ones. They're not too scary. They're interesting, full of atmosphere, and I suspect convey the story better than the other set because the detail in the pictures gives more information about the scenes and the characters.
Posted by: Candie | October 8, 2007 08:48 AM
I really love the darker images, but I will say the PG version reminds me of one of my favorite kids' books--The Phantom Tollbooth! Great illustrations, and maybe you could actually do a version for younger children with the PG images and slightly more simplistic text.
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October 29, 2007 06:28 PM