One word at a time.
Writing went well today. Part 8 of Hitch Hike will be up in a while. Part 2 of The Ballad is still iffy. It’s such a complicated freakin’ story. It takes place in three time frames and what amounts to four versions of reality — and it shuffles back and forth between them all (time frames and realities) continuously throughout its length. And, of course, the hard part is making sure the reader knows where he/she is at each shift. That’s just the technical part! The thematic slight of hand — making a metaphysical love story feel like an action thriller whilst pretending to be a revenge melodrama — is not the easiest job in the world.
Ah well. I love a challenge. All this really means is that it will involve a lot more re-writing than I’m used to. I know what I want and I know what it looks like. I’ll just have to chop and shape until I produce it.
These last three parts of Hitch Hike are rather challenging as well. This is where it all has to come to a point and reveal the meanings that have been hidden until now. And there is a meaning to it: I don’t write artsy ambiguity, at least not on purpose. Everything is not spelled out in logical sequence, of course, but the point of the story, the all important why, should become apparent.
One thing I wanted people who have seen the story’s beginning on other forums to know: I didn’t remove the dedication, I’m just saving it for the end, where I think it will have a bit more impact and make more sense. 
