I have 10 more days of work on the manuscript before I go into final edit mode. And I’m hyping.
This version 2.0 of the story, a novel, has turned into something magical. Based on a “very” true story, working on this book has been a journey into the past like none other. The stories I tell about the corps and the people in the corps have made me laugh out loud, made me cry, and put me in awe more than a few times over the last few months.
And everything in the book really happened.
Which is ridiculous.
Some Background: I self-published and printed softcover copies of the original The Renegade Journal in in the fall of 2002, and sold it at our rehearsals. When they sold out, I didn’t print any more, and put it on Amazon briefly. Very few copies exist.
The’ story is incredible enough, it’s a script, really (Chris and I wrote one) –– but as a writer in 2024, I’m inspired to tell it properly one last time, and I’m in the zone. As a result, the novel is 200 pages longer than the original and counting. It’s a different creative work. I have more to do, but it’s cool, man.
Starting with the 1.0 book was a little tough, because of the flaws. I was just starting to write in ’02. Whether I’m good now or not is not for me to say, but looking back, parts of the original are amateur-hour. I told an incredible story in a way that was not up to par with the actual events.
Don’t get me wrong, I love The Renegade Journal, I’m proud of it. But I was just figuring how to write. The awesome part is I have a chance to tell the Renegades story in a better way. There was enough time (20 plus years), that wasn’t the problem — it was a question of my writing ability and having the motivation to bring the Renegades novel to life for real, which only happened this year.
Anyway … like the original, Part 1 of The Renegades is told in the past tense, and Part 2 is in the present, which breaks a few literary rules, but who cares. I like the way it speeds up the reader’s sense of time as DCA approaches, so that’s what it is. It’s about the “Renegades,” you expect me to follow all of the writer rules? Nope. {Bleep] that. Mi annoia questo approccio, as they say in my happy place.
Cats, I may never write a best-selling writer of anything.
But I can not [bleep] wait to unleash the Renegades tale upon the world, including the drum and bugle corps community, which I’m planning for July 7.
For your halftime amusement, is a small random excerpt from something I was working on today, parts of which may change before publication. I hope it makes you happy and smile, that’s one of the main objectives of the book. It’s not a comedy, but elements of the Renegades were ridiculous and crazy at times, so that’s where the novel goes as well on occasion.
THE RENEGADES – RANDOM EXCEPT
By sunrise, the San Francisco Renegades board of directors had devised four belligerent statements, two pizza combinations, and the beginnings of a business plan for a performing arts organization, most of which was written on a napkin stained with pizza sauce.
SF Renegades Plan 2000 – The Four Belligerent Statements
No. 1. We will grow this drum corps, no matter what.
Note to self – What could possibly go wrong?
Sarcasm: off
No. 2. We will add a colorguard and drill, no matter what.
Note to self – We have no one to teach this colorguard. Is this colorguard even teachable? Will they listen to anybody who is not heavily armed and demonstrably angry? It is not clear.
No. 3. The Renegades will perform at more DCI Pacific shows in the 2000 season, no matter what.
Note to Self – We have no idea how to do this without causing a global war. Just getting into the Stockton show put the United States of America and portions of Nova Scotia on Def Con 2.
No. 4. We will not add a pit percussion section until 2001 because the musical instruments are expensive and large. And we have no truck.
Note – Technically, this is a statement of reason followed by a fact, not a belligerent statement.
SEVEN THOUGHTS 