Something Different by T. Baggins

Author:T. Baggins [Baggins, T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Gay
ISBN: 9781481151719
Publisher: Lyonnesse Books
Published: 2011-10-01T05:00:00+00:00

Epilogue

Michael's first attempts at writing fiction were unfortunate. His later ones were more technically proficient but uninvolving. With each story he got a little better, gained a little more confidence, but writing fiction was nothing like constructing a textbook. There were no absolutes in fiction, no certain way to deliver what was needed. So it was no surprise most technical writers considered novel writing a gateway to madness.

Michael's most recent effort had been turned down by every publisher, large and small. The only thing left was to self-publish, as many were doing these days, or let the book languish on his hard drive and start something new. Most of his writer friends advised the latter. Only one advised, "Fuck it. Self-publish." And that was Germanotti, best-selling author of The Francis Fish Experience, soon to be a major motion picture.

It turned out that seventeen years of cyber-slacking and phoning it in at the company had given Germanotti sufficient time and material to finish his novel. And a major publishing house had snapped it up, optioning both the TV and cinema rights before the book was a month old. The Francis Fish Experience was a comic stream-of-consciousness story narrated by a middle-aged, suburban Englishman. It detailed his cold wife, scheming kids and soulless workplace in humorous yet heartfelt prose. In the course of the novel, Francis's work mate Betty met a tattooed, pierced lesbian, fell in love with her and upended her stale, dissatisfying life. Many readers found Betty's subplot the most affecting part of the novel. Germanotti didn't deny he derived everything in the book from his own life. He even signed Michael's copy with, "To Michael. You'll always be Betty to me."

"I'll never finish this," James complained from the sofa. He was on his tablet, working through his homework from The Open University. He stood to graduate this term, but the workload made him cranky. Plus, their weekend had been torpedoed by Frannie's wedding. It wasn't that they resented the invitation, far from it, but the rehearsal and ceremony had taken half of Friday and all of Saturday.

"Shouldn't have spent so much time on the PlayStation with Edward." Michael peeked to see if the hint had sunk in. It hadn't. The console and controllers remained strewn across the floor. They would stay there until Michael himself put them away.

Then again, he was probably foolish to begrudge a little untidiness. Edward's fondness for James pleased Michael to no end. Viv might never warm up—as the therapist was wont to say, Michael could ask for forgiveness, but he couldn't set a timeline. Four years hadn't been long enough for Viv; maybe forty wouldn't do it. But in fairness, Viv didn't care much for Frannie's husband either, and Louis was charm himself.

Louis Bourg hailed from a village thirty kilometers from Paris. Sixty-two years old and widowed, he operated a highly successful vineyard, putting Michael's pretensions of financial security in the shade. Frannie only went out with Louis that first time because of his wealth.

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