Introducing Remembrance
I'm finally editing (rewriting, really) my 2013 novel and it's so healing and fun
Now that the 2023 Gibberish Competition is far behind us, I’m excited to share my next project: a long-form serial story called Remembrance: A Re-Writing.
Leah Harvey has suffered migraines for years. Due to a car accident, she misses a session with her neurologist, who has enrolled her in a clinical trial for a potential new treatment. After the missed session, Leah begins to experience increasing paranoia, anxiety, and irritability. At first, she chalks it up to residual effects of the accident, or of missing her treatment, but she’s quickly drawn into a complex network of secrets threatening to burst. Not only is her view of her condition changed forever, but her understanding of her very self.
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I’ve been reading through the “how to serialize a novel” series that
wrote back in 2021-2022 (available here), and I’m working out exactly what I want this process to look like. For the time being, I have hopes of publishing a new chapter every Saturday morning over the next couple of months. (I’ve noticed a sad lack of fiction in my Substack inbox on Saturday mornings, so I’m hoping to remedy that if you’re in the same boat!) The first chapter will drop next weekend, but here is a little teaser to pique your interest:“Hello, thank you for calling the McNeill Institute for Neurological Development; this is Natalie speaking. How may I help you?” asked a friendly voice on the other end of the line.
“Hi, Natalie. I was in a car accident yesterday and missed my appointment, so I need to reschedule.”
“I can definitely help you with that. Can you give me your name and date of birth so I can access your account?”
Leah obliged and was a little confused by the receptionist’s audible intake of breath as she did so. She steeled herself for the lecture.
“Leonora Harvey, you said?”
“Yes ma’am. I was scheduled for a three o’clock session yesterday and due for a medication refill. I’m enrolled in the clinical migraine study.”
“Yes, I see that.” The receptionist paused again. She sounded almost pensive, but Leah decided there must be a distraction in the office. “Okay, Ms. Harvey, I assume you’re hoping to come in as soon as possible to get that medication refill, correct?”
“Yes ma’am. I’m already off next Tuesday for another appointment. Do you have any availability in the afternoon?”
There was a sound of clattering keys on the other end. “Umm… It looks like we’re full on Tuesday… Please hold.” A pause. Leah expected to be transferred to a holding line, but instead heard a muffled conversation, as if the receptionist had simply placed her palm over the handset. She strained to make out what they were saying.
“…Leah Harvey… monitoring her carefully… our chance to assess… Tuesday… cancel the three o’clock… need to prioritize…”
“Ms. Harvey, are you still there?” Leah was startled by the receptionist’s sudden return.
“Yes ma’am.”
“I can make Tuesday work. Would three o’clock still be the best time for you?”
If you know someone who might be interested in following along, I’d love if you would share this post with them:
Finally, I’d like to give a special shout-out to my “alpha readers” for Chapter 1, who gave me some helpful feedback and encouragement to push forward with the writing process:
, , , , and , and of course, . The Substack network never ceases to amaze me with the degree of support, encouragement, and enthusiasm these writers show one another.I’m so excited to share this with you all. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy Remembrance!
My curiosity is piqued, particularly since I have a daughter who suffers from migraines. Her migraines have increased in intensity in the past few months, with vomiting. (Poor gal.) We'll be going to the doctor in the hopes of finding underlying causes.
This is an intriguing "teaser"!