Same Bed Different Dreams: A Novel by Ed Park

Author:Ed Park [Park, Ed]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Alternate History, Asia, Korea, United States
ISBN: 9780812988314
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2023-11-07T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

—

You’re still on the line with your father, who’s trying to hang up.

“I’ve got a lot to do,” he says. “Finishing touches.”

For years, Parker has toiled on a how-to guide, Wildwording. The book distills the wisdom of history’s great authors, which means his research is endless. It promises a revolutionary set of methods to jump-start anything from one’s novel or autobiography to a poem, or even a diary entry.

You once were keen to read it. You’ve tried scribbling stories yourself on occasion. Not science fiction like your dad, not really fiction at all. More like semi-memoiristic prose blobs that don’t quite come together. But you had trouble following the tenets, which have expanded from five to nine to something like fifty-three. The whole thing throws you into a panic, frankly.

It’s good that he has a project to pour his energy into. What’s not so good is that he wants to send Wildwording to his old publisher at Neutron Books, which he last wrote for thirty-odd years ago.

“Wait—stop,” you say. “This is important. Joseph Christopher is dead!”

“Like the saying goes, never trust a man with two first names. How’d he kick the bucket?”

“It said breast cancer.”

“We sure he was a dude?”

“Pops.”

“Russ!” he shouts to his roommate, whose stated goal is to read every detective novel written between 1925 and 1975. Everyone at Ironheels is some kind of obsessive. “Remember that guy who sliced me? Turns out, I almost got killed by a dame!”

Russ cackles. He’s a bad influence. Parker says, “Well, it’s back to the salt mines for me.”

Every day he burrows into a pile of books and old magazines, to glean more examples for Wildwording. Paper rises around him.

“Please,” you sigh. “Talk to me for five minutes like a normal person.”

Silence. He doesn’t want to think of Joseph Christopher for one more second.

“You’re so far away,” he says, his voice all hazy. “I want to see my granddaughter. Heck, I want to see my daughter-daughter.”

“We’ll visit. I promise we’ll do a big visit soon.”

“Say you will, but never do.”

It’s true. “Labor Day at the latest. Mercy would like that.”

“Bring Wilson, too,” he says. He thinks you two are still married.

“It’s Winston,” you mutter. You shouldn’t be pissed, but you are.

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