The Last Post (click)
The author of WFJ thanks you immensely for reading the book to its conclusion. Having got this far please leave your thoughts in a comment or mail me directly at mr.shanelevene@gmail.com. More importantly pass on the word... Let others know of Tristram Spencer and the strange and tragic and beautiful days of his life.
This has been Waiting for John... à Dieu! X
The author of WFJ thanks you immensely for reading the book to its conclusion. Having got this far please leave your thoughts in a comment or mail me directly at mr.shanelevene@gmail.com. More importantly pass on the word... Let others know of Tristram Spencer and the strange and tragic and beautiful days of his life.
This has been Waiting for John... à Dieu! X
It all seems so inevitable now.
ReplyDeleteSome people just seem to seek out unhappiness.
Unlike the Catholics I don't believe that suicide is a Mortal Sin that condemns you to Hell for all Eternity.
So Tristram is in Heaven now.
As is Jaws.
RIP.
I'm not though! Because I actually received two emails today from people who had seen Tristy's post on DC's blog and were worried that it was one of these bizarre episodes where I wasn't really speaking about Tristy but myself. So they were worried I was gonna off myself as the new year came in! haha
ReplyDeleteThe suicide notes will be taken out of the book, but that is what they were going to lead up to. There was also going to be a fake suicide note from John which would have been used as part of Tristy's alibi, but I abandoned that idea also.
The pigeon/s were there to shit on Tristy as you found out. Just about everything has and that was kindda the last straw and again fate/coincidence playing a nasty hand.
It's supposed to look obvious in retrospect. It was based on that idea and why I put clues up. because when shocking events happen in life they always come as a surprise, but looking back we can always see a clear pattern but just couldn't see the equation until we'd the result. Everything makes sense once we know what happens. So it can sometimes look like there is fate or destiny, but actually (for me) it's just chance and coincidence. X
From start to finish WFJ is:
267 pages long
word count: 120096
Happy New Year ... I am sad to see the end of the saga but like Take That better to go out on top.. I have loved "Waiting for John"
ReplyDeletexx
Ruby: Thank you and I'm so tired wwith writing today that I wish I never started. An extra day would have been perfect and actually the last two posts were not as I had quite wanted them. But I had to make a decisoon to post and I did. So they will certainly be changed for the book. thank you for reading... 270 pages!!! that's my reward. XXX
ReplyDeleteWell i thought they were fucking brilliant ..xx
ReplyDelete(This is actually RealJoem but that blog isn't working for some reason)
ReplyDeleteI wondered how much of the whole thing you knew about before you started - like John's murder,which was the most unexpected thing to me. I remember you telling me ages ago that Verity would be the last voice so I did suspect that poor Tristy would not get out if this tale alive.
Should be really easy now to go over it and make it into a book - no more pressure!
It's fitting also that we won't be hearing any more from Abigail (until and IF she turns up in a book).
Her last words to me:
Now they're ALL jumping!
And
The fires have started again!
Sorry I'm late for the after party. I started having chest pain from the last post and had to take one of the pink pills.
ReplyDeleteI'm exhausted. You must be too.
Well done, child.
Ole Jim
Hi Joe,
ReplyDeleteI really didn't plan anything at all. The first posts were made with the idea that there is a man in a room and his lover has gone missing and while he waits for news he makes weird little observations on life and counts and does things out of boredom. That was it. After a few posts of that I started getting bored and it can only get more ridiculous as you struggle to find things for him to do. I also promised myself that if I would write another blog I would structure it properly so as it could be almost taken straight of the screen and published. So after a few posts I started thing: oh, maybe John can be here... this could have happened... he can have a best friend.. this can happen to her. And each day I just added more to the story until something emerged. In the second hald I did sketch out a few vague plans and lmade a diary. But not of plot, of things that had happened previous so I wouldn't forget. And then i had a few bigger ideas that I wanted to squeeze in and each day I just played around w<ith what wad there, what I'd like to add and wrote things from earlier posts into newer ones so as it looked more organised. For example I never knew the chair would end up on the church twice. I never planned the window box thing until I started thinking "what can tristy do with the body?" So it was veruy organic and free. Yes, I did know Tristram would commit suicide when I told you verity would make the last post, but that was the only real idea I had. how he got there I had no idea. You'll see tyhat most the charactersin the first half disappeared. thats because it wasn't planned in anyway and when the real story emerged there was no place for them. So in the book, the street characters will be introduced from the start. Abnother inconsistency where you can tell it wasn't really planned is Tristys apartment. he layout of the hallway changed throughout and is it a flat? a maisonette? And with the layou i settled with its almost impossible that there can be a back window and a silver birch out there.
Grouchy: I actually ended in tears writing the final lines of that Suicide note. I really cried because I've almost lived and felt tristram for all these months and even if i went shopping he came with me and I was thinking what could happen? and how would tristram look at this? and what would he say about that, etc. So he was a huge part of me for this times and it was sasd to kill him. If you don't it's too easy to bring back and I think there wasn't much more we could learn about him. By the time he died I think his full character was out and then he would have become predictable or he would have had to become so bizarre to be original that it would have descended into complete comedy... anf I never wanted that. X
ReplyDeleteshane, you literally gave me chills...and my poor little heart is broken in a million pieces. the only thing of consolation is i know i will meet up with tristy again when the book comes out (of course my heart will be broken again at the end of the book). you should be so proud of yourself...this is really amazing. i wish i had better words to give you!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, I thought you had mentioned the story would be over the 3rd or 4th. So I thought the suicide not was another "Jamaica" story, or shaggy dog.
ReplyDeleteIn reality, I was numb after reading "And we all have a guilt. ...." and took a few minutes to absorb MY loss.
fabulous
Hiya Stacy, thank you and it's nice my words had that effect on you. Tristram will alway kinda be alive because he'll find his way into other characters. I'm sure one day you'll read some dialogue of mine and think "That's Tristy!!!" because Tristy was also a large part of me and I think that goes into most characyers you make. So as long as I'm here, Tristram still has a mouth... just no face, poor fella! X
ReplyDeleteJim: the eviction was that date but he was never gonna be around for it anyhow.
ReplyDeleteyeah the suicide, well little references started creeping in a while back and Tristram was dejected and fifn't know... didn"t care. And then he started mentioning that he wasn't enjoying life, etc... so it was gradually (or I tried) building up over many weeks. UI wanted it to be a shock but something we could have all seen coming. X
Brilliant, Shane... really good.
ReplyDeleteAnd very sad too. Fell asleep last night even before Tristy had thought to leave this world (eh eh) but I read this this morning and I'm really surprised. I understand your reaction after finishing that blog. It took so much time to you to create and make these characters alive, day after day, that it's necessarily something hard to have to 'kill' them... It's always parts of ourselves we create.
Still, happy new year to you, Shane, and take much care...
Yours,
Marylin x
I haven't read this yet. I just got home from New Years, and it caught my eye, just the first line. In a way I feel wrecked. Out of everything lately 'Waiting for John' and the news have been the only things I can really focus on reading anymore and now it's done.
ReplyDeleteI hope that what you have done for art is recognized because you are a true trailblazer. Thanks,
Dusty
Marie: It's been nine months and there was nothing more I could give Tristram. If he didn't die like that he would have become boring, no-one would have read him and he would have died that way. X
ReplyDeleteDusty: You read the news? That's bizarre. I use newspaper to keep my legs warm... I thought thats what it was for. Oh, but you're in Texas and it's always warm there. If you've not read it yet then you've a nice little treat fpr later. It'll always be here, so you can take your time now. X
Oh, just as a kind of conclusion to what I said earlier and that I find quite funny in a way : I was just consulting on the internet a site which gives you most of the English names existing (was doing a research for my comic strip) and guess what I found out (but maybe you already know and have chosen this name on purpose) : Shane comes from Seàn, which is the Irish form for... John! ;)
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to tell you this. So... Has John been chosen on purpose?! :))) x
I am so pleased that dear Jaws is finally at rest.
ReplyDeletePaul Klee did a wonderful picture - you might want a copy to remind you of Tristy's companion:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/37ofh3a
You must be exhausted - I always am after completing something creative.
Listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pSyYhRYeIM&feature=related
I am sure you will need to have a bit of a rest before completing the book project. Thank you SO much for sharing this treasure with us. It has been a blast. I am looking forward to the Verity prequel, Tristy merchandise, and the 7 movie franchise =]
Gurney: Thanks for the links. I was exhausted yesterday because I was writing all day and it wasn't the best stuff becauqse the clock was ticking and I had to post story more than poetry. Normally O take much more care how the story is told and am not satisfied with just getting it out. But it was exceptional circulstances.
ReplyDeletebut tofay, for the first half I was relieved I had no posts to do and could watch a film, etc... but then I started twiddling my thumbs and wishing Ihad something to write and felt a little lost. It'll pass, and I'll actuaklly start on the book immediately. I don't want two proper projects running at once as I know myself and neither will end up finished. Also while its all still fresh in my mind I'd like to do that.
Anyway, thanks so much for reading and for your mails and comments and time. i'll be sure to keep in touch and I'll always get messages from here or WFJ amail address. All Ly Thoughts, Shane. X
Have a nice death, Mr. Spencer. Hope it works out better.
ReplyDeleteA book, another blog, whatever, you do keep us posted, Tristram.
Or, uh, Shane.
Simon: Thank you & Thank you for reading and sticking with us and putting in your tuppenceworth.
ReplyDeleteOf course I'll let you know the next project.
If you have an email addy sned me a mail at:
waitingforjohn@gmail.com
All My Best Thoughts, Shane. X
Hi Tristram,
ReplyDeleteI just got around to reading the last few posts. They were brilliant! I hope you have a great new year and happy new year to all the followers here. I will miss you all!
I have now finished it, and I am pretty well blown away. This was a true romance.
ReplyDeleteAll the beast for the new year,
dustyrose.
made me cry -i loved and lost the father of my son,death by hanging,the pain is still raw softened only by heroin so imagine the hurt this f****n' drought has caused
ReplyDeleteL x
Lena: Thank you so much for sticking with it and for all the time you gave my way. I wasn't too happy with the posts at the time but reading them back now after a couple of weeks away they're not so bad. I'll miss you too but will be in touch soon regarding another project.
ReplyDeleteLove & Thoughts, Shane.X
Hiya Dusty, yeah a romance with no love!!! that's me I suppose. It's hard not to open this blog and post something... some days I think of doing it just to write, but I'll restrain.
ReplyDeleteAll My Love and respect, Shane. X
That was exceptional - I only found this a few days ago, but have read the lot.
ReplyDeleteIt really dragged me into it; I like the clues, the furthering of the story in the comments; the whole thing was superb.
I found myself fascinated by, sorry for and caring about Tristram. Brilliant piece of work.
Hiya John B,
ReplyDeleteRead it all in a few days!! That's something.
Yeah, Tristram I don't think had an evil bone in his body, he just got carried away on a series of spiralling events that were bizarre and became worse and worse. I suppose he's kind of sad in many, but also beautiful to take such simple pleasures from such a complex world. Finally that world took him, and he's probbaly better off out of it.
All My Thoughts & thanks, Shane. X
He seems almost entirely passive. Although he kills, even that is weakness. There's a brief moment of defence but the killing seems to stem from his not having the strength to see John suffer.
ReplyDeleteEven the pleasure he takes from the world, despite being simple, seems tainted by his passivity - his appreciation of beauty sems accentuated bby the fact that he cannot,in his opinion, enjoy it as others do.
I'm rereading to see what I missed first time round.
Well it started off as a man so disinterested in life that he took pleasures from other things while waiting for something to happen. he kinda counted time until it ticked out and took a pleasure in doing that. He is also a desperately lonely man who cannot find comfort in the world... even brief sexual activity leaves him longing, wanting more than a man in bushes can ever give.
ReplyDeleteBut nature seems a kind of loyal friend, but nature is a strange beast and only comes to us for certain reasons and it's not to love us... and of course eventually every force of nature Tristram comes into contact with ends up either rejecting him or betraying him. Of course there was no betrayal, but it felt like that and the most beautiful pigeon in the world crapping on him was the final straw.
The killing was more a spontaneous reaction to months of abuse. he kinda wanted John to stop and return to his old self and tower over him with passion not fear. So it was something which happened, went to far, and for a flash reaction, out of character, would have severe repurcussions. So yeah, in a way even that was a passive act as he was not in control of it.
X
The suicide is entirely consistent with that too - normally deliberate suicide is a pretty firm decision; the person has to be pretty fucking determined (granted, many suicides are, at the time of the act, mentally ill which I suppose leads to the question of whether or not any decision make is made deliberately).
ReplyDeleteTristram though, while seemingly welcoming death, and skewing the odds in the favour of his suicide succeeding, seems unable to come to a firm decision to die. By calling three emergency services (inc Verity!) even his passing is not completely controlled by him.
I think this is a great piece of work - it's a while since I was this gripped by anything, and months since I spent much time caring for the protagonist and speculating as to their nature and motivation. Last time I found a character this fascinating was Teardrop, from Winter's Bone.
TipTop Shane.
J
Is that it then? I've just found this and like it
ReplyDeleteHiya Johnson...
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading... yes that's the end. It went for for eight months and was only planned to last that time.
But there's a lot to read from the start (270 pages).. so you can enjoy it like that.
I'll be starting a new project soon...and will let all people who enjoy what I do know.
Thank once again... and hopefully we'll speak more soon... X
been reading for the past week now and have just finished. I must say an amazing creation, i've not been so caught up in anything for a long long time.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P Mr Spencer
Thank you!
Thank You Bill, and especially for the time you've take and given over to my words. That's very kind.
ReplyDeleteYep, Mr Spencer is dead... but I live on and will be back online writing something soon. In that way a little part of him will always live on... as many things Tristram would think, I would think too (and write). Send me your email addy and I'll let you know when I'm starting a new work.
All My Thoughts and Wishes, Shane. X