WIP it. WIP it good.

Sorry Devo fans, this isn't a post about new wave punk rock early 80's bands so you may now remove the potted plant from your head.

WIP - aka Work In Progress - refers to my current passion, a story with present day characters and mysteries which digs into the past by focusing on battles from the American Civil War.

We Bury Our Dead follows Trent Patterson who has a weekend obsession for researching and blogging about the names engraved into Civil War headstones. While many war historians dive into battle strategies and pick apart decisions made by Generals during the heat of combat, Trent looks for the anonymous individuals who stood on the lines, rifle in hand.

Were they farmers or bankers? Husbands or sons? Did they eagerly join to defend their flag or find themselves in the middle of flying bullets wondering why they came?

As Work In Progress implies, We Bury Our Dead is still in 1st draft form and about 25% complete. I decided to share my steps during the writing process for a few reasons.

We're rapidly approaching the ultimate Civil War 150th anniversary event, the Confederate surrender at Appomattox which will occur next year. Leading up to that moment have been the various campaigns led by dozens of great and sometimes questionable commanders. This May represents the anniversary of the beginning of Grant's Overland Campaign and a major push to capture Richmond, the Confederate capital.

Personal Note: I grew up in South Georgia with an assumption that my side lost the war.

Similar to Trent, I am not a Civil War historian, instead I'm dipping my toes into the world of reenactments and historical sites while entering the picture with a focus on the individuals involved.

I've spent the past few months researching and plotting. Every new stone I uncover leads to a richer, deeper story of which I know I'll only be able to scratch the surface.

I'm traveling to Richmond on May 31st to walk the fields of battle during some of the 150th anniversary celebrations. I want to share pictures and thoughts with you, both from the places Trent will visit and from a land steeped with history and passion. This story is fiction but I strive to have it conform to historical record.

While researching a group of mounds which could be the unmarked graves of Confederate soldiers, Trent uncovers a century old family secret of deceit, murder, and betrayal.

Please join Trent and I on this journey to uncover a truth others would rather remained buried.

"We bury our dead for a reason, so their secrets rest with their bodies."

C.L. Blanton

 

 

 

Something Old, Something New

No, this isn't a post about weddings.

It's been a while since I posted anything so I thought I'd start off May with an update on the past few months and give a little info on a current Work In Progress.

Absolution's Curse was released a little over a year ago, telling the story of Frank, a somewhat shifty character who wants to leave his con-man days in the past but bad decisions and worse luck combine to throw him into a spiral of soul testing circumstances. In the end he's offered a chance at absolution but does he take it? Can he really change his life? What about those who he's hurt along the way?

A follow-up story, Always Remember Me, picks up Frank's tale and adds new characters whose lives are also ruled, and possibly ruined, by time. Decisions made in youth separate two children who were destined to be one. Can they right a wrong? Will the same choices that split them onto separate ends of the country break them again? Can Frank use his second chance at absolution to fix what time has broken?

Always Remember Me will be released soon (I hope). I'm in the post production stage: cover art, formatting, proofs, etc. There is no date for release right now but I hope to have news to share soon.

Now on to the new Work In Progress.

Before starting Absolution's Curse, I really didn't know much about the mid 1800's. I knew only what most school children learn - Civil War, Cowboys and Indians, Gold Rush, Lincoln, maybe a few random facts - but not a lot of details. Researching Frank's roll in 1849 St. Louis opened my eyes to incredible stories of bravery and courage. I decided I wanted to revisit that era but this time from a different prospective.

The past few years have marked the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of the battles of the Civil War. I want to highlight some of those battles and the brave men on both sides who fought for what they believed.

In the coming weeks I'll give more details on my new story, its characters, and a glimpse into the mysteries they uncover. The story takes place during the week of May 31st, 2014 in Richmond, Virginia. If all goes well I plan to be there, visiting Civil War landmarks and enjoying the activities along with my fictional characters, and will share pictures and posts with you as I follow their paths.

I'm excited.

More to come. I don't think I've enjoyed writing this much in a few years. I really hope you find the same pleasure in the story as it unfolds.

Now, back to research. #CivilWar #cw150 #amwriting #WeBuryOurDead

C.L. Blanton