Yes, ECHOES AT EHKOLA is the title of my novel that I am working on, it’s about half written. My writing style and procedure is a little strange. I know authors like Hemmingway or Steinbeck (not to suggest any comparison to me) could sit down at a typewriter and tear right through their storyline, maybe from beginning to end.
Unfortunately, my brain isn’t that disciplined. I write the chapters that are inspired at the time with no real continuance of storyline order. I sometimes write the final chapter before even starting on middle chapters. When chapters are completed and tweaked they are like sections of a quilt that I tie together with threads. In my case threads of fiction that brings the storyline to life. Well, as unorthodox as that may seem, it works for me.
My story is about Kloe Dufresne, a young college girl proud of her Chinook Indian heritage with all of its magic and mysticism while living in present day Seattle. Her parents James and Misty mysteriously vanished when she was eight years old. While attending Western Washington University she stumbled across an old copy of the 1962 Pulitzer Prize winning novel ECHOES AT EHKOLA written by author Johan Dufresne (same last name as hers). It’s about a forbidden love story using the 1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition as a backdrop and how the young lovers try to overcome the ugliness of hate and bigotry. It was his only novel and he never wrote again. Within its pages is a message from the Great Chief Above that leads Kloe and her best friend Hudson to an American Indian artifact exhibit at the SAM (Seattle Art Museum) where they receive the next on many cryptic clues regarding her parents.
But also waiting, unknown to Kloe, is a dark spirit, intent on stopping her search.
To be continued in a future blog.