[FONT="]Hi Y'all,
I'm in the final stages (I think) with an unusual manuscript. Half of it is classical memoir - my delightful childhood escapades. But each alternating chapter features another scene of a suspenseful almost-out-of-body adventure into which I was swept each night when I laid down on my bed, before going to sleep. This mysterious night-time world occurred parallel with my daytime life. Some years later it climaxed in a dramatic spiritual encounter through which its meaning was unveiled. None of it is made up, though I employ "creative nonfiction" to build detail into the characters.
I would like to know in what genre this will work best. When is a memoir better marketed (and written) as a fantasy? If it were offered as a fantasy, isn't that a shame since this was a real experience that happened to me?
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I've appended the synopsis below. THANK YOU SO MUCH for any and all comments!
Leanna
_____________________________________________
[/FONT]"Dying to Conquer" synopsis[FONT="] (title is not final)
[/FONT][FONT="]
Can a true life story also include a slightly romantic fantasy thriller? Yes, if the life is that of Leanna Cinquanta. In Dying to Conquer, a bizarre other-world experience weaves in and out between the unique adventures of a home-schooled daughter of nonconformist pioneer parents. A modern-day Little House on the Prairie, prepare to be delighted by Leanna’s conquesting “no fear” spirit as she learns to fly a plane at age nine, helps build houses, captures a porcupine, plays pranks, traps hawks, and many other escapades.
But Leanna lives two lives. Between the ages of 9 and 13 each night when she lies down on her bed she enters a second life that plays in her subconscious like a movie. The “Dream” as she calls it, is not a dream at all. Though fully awake, she is carried into it, living it as a participant.
In the Dream, Leanna is Tegan. In the companionship of two horse-like creatures and a lovely but mysterious man named Ofodi, she participates in a whirling adventure. Together the “Team” battles hideous enemies, rescuing wretched prisoners from dreadful places in deep space where they have been taken captive. Death is never a concern because they are immortal, but hovering in the back of their minds is the command of King Rosh—that the power of the chief warlord Scarov must be broken.
The time comes to take on the dreadful power of Scarov. After furious and bloody battles a shocking thing happens; instead of accepting what seems to be reasonable terms of truce, Ofodi offers to substitute himself for the prisoners. The Dream becomes a nightmare as the rest of the Team is forced to leave and return home while their gentle, compassionate leader is mercilessly tortured in Scarov's dungeons.
Months, perhaps years pass. One day as Tegan awakes from slumber, someone calls her name. A figure is approaching, wasted and crumpled, covered with scars and wounds. Ofodi has come to visit her. He lays his hand on her shoulder. In his tortured face, there is nevertheless a look of triumph. “I’m breaking his power,” he says, smiling weakly. Then he returns to the dungeon.
Tegan is overwhelmed with grief and confusion. She cannot understand what this means. More time passes. At last King Rosh gives the command, “Bring back my warrior.” The threesome return and plunge straight into the dungeons. There they are shocked to find Ofodi—dead. Now their grief is complete. Scarov’s power has clearly not been broken, on the contrary the ultimate, unthinkable tragedy has happened: An immortal has died.
Carrying the skeletal body back home, Tegan lays it before King Rosh. As he lifts it to his breast weeping, an overwhelming light causes her to cover her face. Suddenly a massive explosion rocks the universe. Fire and meteors streak through the sky as Scarov’s kingdom is obliterated. The ghastly warlord appears on the horizon, roaring with fury. In the next instant he self-destructs.
Then, coming out of the radiance, fully restored, is Ofodi. His face shines with glory and his arms are strong again and his body without blemish. Tegan clings to him weeping with joy. The whole realm assembles, falling prostrate before him.
There the Dream ends.
A sense of mystery and wonder accompanies the Dream. Somehow, Leanna knows—it must be true. But in the years that follow, she forgets the Dream. She at last concludes it was nothing but childhood foolishness. She continues her quest of adventure including getting beat up trying to break a wild horse and making a nearly disastrous blunder in the attempt to conquer a difficult ski mountain.
Then, one dreadful, wonderful, awesome night, the mystery is revealed. The Dream becomes a reality. On the early morning of March 28, 1986 Leanna awakes to find a strange figure lying asleep in the guest bed across from hers. She is terrified. Soon the person sits up on the side of the bed. His body is covered with scars and wounds. His clothes are in rags. Blood trickles down his face from where thorns have pierced his brow. There are nail holes in his hands.
Leanna’s fear is gone and she begins to weep. He lays his hand on her shoulder. “My child, don’t cry,” he says gently. She is overwhelmed by his holy love and compassion.
The Dream was real. Ofodi represented Jesus. Throughout her childhood, in various ways Leanna was always trying to conquer something, whether a horse, a mountain, a wild animal or her own limitations. But the greatest victory was won not through conquest but through death. Jesus, the great conqueror, won the greatest victory by dying on behalf of the world and rising again.
The epilogue deepens the prophetic significance of the Dream, as many years later Leanna embarks for India – a place where people are held captive to poverty and suffering – to rescue them by bringing them education and hope for a brighter future.[/FONT]
I'm in the final stages (I think) with an unusual manuscript. Half of it is classical memoir - my delightful childhood escapades. But each alternating chapter features another scene of a suspenseful almost-out-of-body adventure into which I was swept each night when I laid down on my bed, before going to sleep. This mysterious night-time world occurred parallel with my daytime life. Some years later it climaxed in a dramatic spiritual encounter through which its meaning was unveiled. None of it is made up, though I employ "creative nonfiction" to build detail into the characters.
I would like to know in what genre this will work best. When is a memoir better marketed (and written) as a fantasy? If it were offered as a fantasy, isn't that a shame since this was a real experience that happened to me?
[/FONT][FONT="]
I've appended the synopsis below. THANK YOU SO MUCH for any and all comments!
Leanna
_____________________________________________
[/FONT]"Dying to Conquer" synopsis[FONT="] (title is not final)
[/FONT][FONT="]
Can a true life story also include a slightly romantic fantasy thriller? Yes, if the life is that of Leanna Cinquanta. In Dying to Conquer, a bizarre other-world experience weaves in and out between the unique adventures of a home-schooled daughter of nonconformist pioneer parents. A modern-day Little House on the Prairie, prepare to be delighted by Leanna’s conquesting “no fear” spirit as she learns to fly a plane at age nine, helps build houses, captures a porcupine, plays pranks, traps hawks, and many other escapades.
But Leanna lives two lives. Between the ages of 9 and 13 each night when she lies down on her bed she enters a second life that plays in her subconscious like a movie. The “Dream” as she calls it, is not a dream at all. Though fully awake, she is carried into it, living it as a participant.
In the Dream, Leanna is Tegan. In the companionship of two horse-like creatures and a lovely but mysterious man named Ofodi, she participates in a whirling adventure. Together the “Team” battles hideous enemies, rescuing wretched prisoners from dreadful places in deep space where they have been taken captive. Death is never a concern because they are immortal, but hovering in the back of their minds is the command of King Rosh—that the power of the chief warlord Scarov must be broken.
The time comes to take on the dreadful power of Scarov. After furious and bloody battles a shocking thing happens; instead of accepting what seems to be reasonable terms of truce, Ofodi offers to substitute himself for the prisoners. The Dream becomes a nightmare as the rest of the Team is forced to leave and return home while their gentle, compassionate leader is mercilessly tortured in Scarov's dungeons.
Months, perhaps years pass. One day as Tegan awakes from slumber, someone calls her name. A figure is approaching, wasted and crumpled, covered with scars and wounds. Ofodi has come to visit her. He lays his hand on her shoulder. In his tortured face, there is nevertheless a look of triumph. “I’m breaking his power,” he says, smiling weakly. Then he returns to the dungeon.
Tegan is overwhelmed with grief and confusion. She cannot understand what this means. More time passes. At last King Rosh gives the command, “Bring back my warrior.” The threesome return and plunge straight into the dungeons. There they are shocked to find Ofodi—dead. Now their grief is complete. Scarov’s power has clearly not been broken, on the contrary the ultimate, unthinkable tragedy has happened: An immortal has died.
Carrying the skeletal body back home, Tegan lays it before King Rosh. As he lifts it to his breast weeping, an overwhelming light causes her to cover her face. Suddenly a massive explosion rocks the universe. Fire and meteors streak through the sky as Scarov’s kingdom is obliterated. The ghastly warlord appears on the horizon, roaring with fury. In the next instant he self-destructs.
Then, coming out of the radiance, fully restored, is Ofodi. His face shines with glory and his arms are strong again and his body without blemish. Tegan clings to him weeping with joy. The whole realm assembles, falling prostrate before him.
There the Dream ends.
A sense of mystery and wonder accompanies the Dream. Somehow, Leanna knows—it must be true. But in the years that follow, she forgets the Dream. She at last concludes it was nothing but childhood foolishness. She continues her quest of adventure including getting beat up trying to break a wild horse and making a nearly disastrous blunder in the attempt to conquer a difficult ski mountain.
Then, one dreadful, wonderful, awesome night, the mystery is revealed. The Dream becomes a reality. On the early morning of March 28, 1986 Leanna awakes to find a strange figure lying asleep in the guest bed across from hers. She is terrified. Soon the person sits up on the side of the bed. His body is covered with scars and wounds. His clothes are in rags. Blood trickles down his face from where thorns have pierced his brow. There are nail holes in his hands.
Leanna’s fear is gone and she begins to weep. He lays his hand on her shoulder. “My child, don’t cry,” he says gently. She is overwhelmed by his holy love and compassion.
The Dream was real. Ofodi represented Jesus. Throughout her childhood, in various ways Leanna was always trying to conquer something, whether a horse, a mountain, a wild animal or her own limitations. But the greatest victory was won not through conquest but through death. Jesus, the great conqueror, won the greatest victory by dying on behalf of the world and rising again.
The epilogue deepens the prophetic significance of the Dream, as many years later Leanna embarks for India – a place where people are held captive to poverty and suffering – to rescue them by bringing them education and hope for a brighter future.[/FONT]
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