This week I have begun the long and ardious process of querying my finished novel Helix 2029. This piece of work which I began in 2018 and for a the past few years have whittled it down from a monsterous over one hundred and seventy thousand words to around one hundred thousand words now. I know for first time novels it should be around eighty thousand and I am suppose I could cut down further, but I think that would diminish the novel to some of the most important parts.
Today I submitted two queries to begin this process knowning that not every agent will want to see my writing or even present me but thats ok, I will work take this process as far as I can most likely querying 80-100 agents and at that point if not bites I will take the next steps possibly self publish who knows.
In addition to quering I have begun my next book which will be story the revolves around the circus. I found the circus to be a great comfort to me although I have not been to one in years and they really dont exist anymore in the traditional sense. P.T. Barnum and Bailey and Circus Vargas were both circuses I grew up with including Lions , Tigers and Bears and Elephants oh My! Until the animal activist decided to do everything in their power to eliminate the circus.
I get that many of you may say that the circus should be obsolete due to how animals are treated and no animal should be made to do tricks. For the most part I agree but I also believe that many if not all the animals were cared for.
What really sparked me writing this next novel is great books and films I have read and seen especially “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen which I am reading now.
The other main reason I choose this as my next book is because the circus and its history tends to get forgotton especially with the so call freaks which will be a big part of my book.
I am hopeful to finish the first draft in a few months, but that depends on my time, but I have started this weekend writing three pages setting the stage. I hope to turn this book into some sort of fictional orgins book detailing each character which there will be many. If you’ve read my circus series you will know I have alot to go off of.
I honestly can not forget the other incredible movie example about the circus is “The Greatest Showman”.
The circus may be alive and well at times but not enough today. I truly miss the circus and it hurts my daughter will not be able to experience it like I did.
I will keep everyone up to date on my writing journey. Despite the fact there are tons of novels already about the circus I can not get the deter me from writing this as its deep in my soul to get out on paper.
Thank you for being on this journey with me!
Just for reference here are all of stories I have written on the circus read up!
Charlotte Vogel (Susi the Elephant Skin Girl)
Felix Wehrle (The Elastic Man)
The Human Caterpillar
T.A. Valenzulea (The World’s Biggest Man) (B. 1886, D.1925)
Jennie Quigley (August 20, 1850- March 11th, 1936)
Issaac W. Spraque and Peter Robinson (The Original Thin Man)
The Muse Brothers
Edouard Beaurpre (Worlds Tallest Man)
Joseph Merrick (The Elephant Man)
Stephan Bibrowski (Lionel the Lion-faced Man)
General Tom Thumb and Admiral Dot
Ohio Bigfoot Lady
Grady Stiles (Lobster Boy)
The Pinheads Pip/Flip and Schlitizie-
Myrtle Corbin (The Four Legged Girl)
Koo-Koo the Bird Girl
Bearded Women
https://josephmeyercreatives.com/2020/08/09/life-in-the-circus-bearded-woman/
Camel Girl
The Siamese Twins –
Joseph’s Adventures in Writing 