This book is in its early stages. The first draft comes in at 45,000 words. I wrote it in a very short period of time as a stream of consciousness. It is based around a house I lived in from 1972 to 1974. It has been fictionalised and the names changed but the events were real.
I am embarking on a substantial rewrite so any comments or suggestions would be useful. The final draft should weight in at around 70,000 words, so you can see that there will be considerable development.
Chapter 16 – Routine
Danny’s new life had soon slipped into a pleasant routine.
A lot of the time he’d hang out with Pete, reading and listening to music. Every now and then he’d visit with Sandy and Jeanie for a riotous threesome. They loved him dropping in and treated him like a young kid. They were only his age but seemed so much more worldly. They thought he was so innocent. It made them giggle. Then at least once a week he’d spend an evening with Diane. It always developed into an all-night affair. They’d smoke a lot of weed, drink some wine and get into the most profound discussions about eternity and the cosmos. Diane believed in destiny and astrology where-as Danny found all that nonsense. But they loved to argue over it and swap views on spirituality. It always concluded with them making love in the slowest most lascivious manner. Afterwards, if Diane did not drop off to sleep, they would often roll a jay and sit on the mattress to watch the sun tint the heavens with its pink and orange glow. It always seemed to fit in with what they had been talking about. The world and consciousness was a mystical realm of magic.
Danny would drop round to Alan and Sally’s, always avoiding Friday and Saturday – the no-go nights when Alan got plastered – and shared a bit of spliff and a glass or two. In the day time he’d occasionally drop in on John. Danny had the impression that he was probably the only person that John ever saw socially. They’d share a spliff or two and discuss books. That was the only thing that got John talking. He was the font of all knowledge when it came to literature. He could dissect plots and character and ramble on endlessly about style. Danny found it fascinating and illuminating. On two occasions he allowed John to talk him into giving James Joyce’s Ulysses another chance. John brought the rhythm of the words and descriptions to life. But still when Danny read them they were lifeless and so dense that they bored him. He’d never got more than fifty pages in before giving up.
When you added in the gigs – the mandatory Roy Harper and the best of whoever was playing in town he hardly had time to breathe. It was full on. He had trouble fitting in a visit home to his parents or a catch up with his old friends from his old haunts. They were all still there, in the same nook in the same pub, cracking the same jokes. Danny felt he’d left them behind. He had a new life now. Cheryl was floating off over the horizon. He’d even called in on her once and they’d had a very civilised, even pleasant, chat punctuated with the odd smile and nostalgic chuckle. Danny was happy. He was sorted.
selected books and novels:
Anecdotes-Weird-Science-Writing-Ramblings – a book of anecdotes mainly from the sixties and other writing.
More Anecdotes – following the immense popularity of the first volume I produced a second
Goofin’ with the cosmic freaks – a kind of On the Road for the sixties
The book of Ginny – a novel
In Britain :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opher-Goodwin/e/B00MSHUX6Y/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1461306850&sr=1-2-ent
In America:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=opher+goodwin
In all other countries around the world check out your regional Amazon site and Opher Goodwin books.
Reblogged this on Opher's World and commented:
Danny’s Story is an interesting look at the sixties.