Demosthenes: Blog

In the fifth chapter of Substitute, posted today, we learn a little more of the television show Violet stars in. I've roughly based the dialogue shared between Violet and Adam on that of SF shows filmed in Vancouver like Dark Matter and Killjoys: good television entertainment done on a thin budget, using scripts of varying quality.

While updating Chapter 5 very slightly this evening, I've also made a few small edits to Chapter 1, clarifying some sentences and paragraphs, and reposted both. Chapter 6 will be posted sometime tomorrow morning (local time).

(As an aside, I was very pleased to see Substitute crack the top 20 of weekly downloaded stories on SOL earlier today. It will be a serious challenge to enter the top 10, but we'll see.)

Chapter 4 of Substitute was published earlier this morning (local time). The eight remaining chapters should be posted on the same schedule, one chapter per day.

In terms of vote averages, Substitute is currently hovering somewhere between my best-received work on SOL so far (Resonance) and worst-received (World Cup), which is slightly surprising to me. Of course, it is early days yet, and everyone should always vote to their conscience and personal taste.

It behooves me to remind readers that they can change their vote if they feel that a work has improved: the site remembers the previous score for a story, and will allow you to alter it later. (Conversely, votes can also be lowered in reaction to a perceived drop in quality). I suspect that some readers may be holding off their input until the story is complete, an entirely reasonable approach. To all those that have voted and commented thus far, my sincere thanks.

Otherwise, there very few notes for this chapter, but I thought some might enjoy Sleep Now In The Fire, referenced in the story. Also, everyone should read the Meditations, a short, practical and insightful handbook on Stoic philosophy.

The third chapter of Substitute was posted earlier today. Editing has reorganized the story into twelve chapters, rather than than the original ten, so readers can expect it to continue well into next week, assuming I'm able to keep to my current chapter-a-day posting rate.

(As a BTW, The Handmaiden, mentioned in chapter three, is a truly excellent film. Strongly recommended).

The second chapter of Substitute was released earlier today. I thought that readers might appreciate a little more information on the real-life places, events, food, wine and artists referenced in the story so far.

Chapter 1

- "Our custody arrangements had been Solomonic"

- After high school I'd attended Ryerson for English and Journalism so I could be near her; after I graduated, she'd studied performance at Vancouver Film School to remain on my side of the country."

Chapter 2

- "I drove north, passing out of Shaughnessy Heights."

- "I exited right, circling under the bridge to park outside the Granville market."

- "My wonderful brother's making a yummy #seafood dinner even better with Sabatino White Truffle Oil!"

- "The 2009 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape made a delicious symphony with the scallops."

- "I could give you the Sherald to sell on commission"

Substitute is a short story of love between half-siblings caught in tragedy. As is my usual habit, I released the first chapter earlier today to provide interested readers with a taste of the story. It's my intention to release the remaining nine chapters on consecutive days, starting tomorrow. I would like to have the complete story posted before the holiday season, although as it stands the later chapters need a little more work before they are ready to be published.

Because the story is set in a large North American city, I don't intend to provide a glossary or maps, unlike Resonance. In their stead, here's a little trivia: did you know that The Who's song Substitute was provided alternative lyrics for its US release? The original line:

I look all white but my Dad was black

Was changed to:

I try walking forward but my feet walk back

In 1966!

As always, your votes, feedback and support of my writing efforts is deeply appreciated.