There is nothing quite like that moment when you realize the end of something is in sight. When running the Houston half marathon earlier this year, there comes a point when you round Allen Parkway and you’ve got only about 2 miles left until you cross the finish line and promptly die. I remember hitting that point and getting so singularly focused that it was surreal, especially as I entered beneath the canopy of skyscrapers of Houston’s downtown that rose on each side of me. And when I rounded the last bend, I got a bit emotional, simply because it was a goal that took so long to achieve.
Now, with writing my book, I doubt I’m going to get emotional, but I’m coming around that bend now where the end doesn’t seem like some mythical idea but a tangible goal. Last night I came over the 87,000 word mark, and I’m looking to hit somewhere around 120,000 when all is said and done. That means I probably am only about 6 weeks away from finishing. After the rough draft is done, I will take 4 weeks away to start something new and get in a different mindset.
In that time, I need to do some key reading and movie watching. And I need some help.
Basically, if I could describe Seven Sons, it would include an amalgamation of genres. That isn’t me trying to sound hip, it’s just the way the story has turned out. In a lot of ways, it’s a post apocalyptic medieval western fantasy heist. Yes, that is a ridiculous string of words. When I first started the project, I only envisioned it as a steampunk kind of fantasy, but it’s grown into a lot more. Because of this genre shift, I want to take in some more stuff that will stoke those creative fires. Namely, westerns and caper movies.
Regrettably, these are two genres where I’m sorely lacking in the material I’ve consumed. Here are some things on my upcoming list:
- Unforgiven
- The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
- Seven Samurai
- Yojimbo
- Hidden Fortress
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
- Midnight Run
You’ll notice that Akira Kurosawa films have made my “must watch” list as well. This is partly because I’ve never seen any of them (gasp away), and partly because they are epics that inspired the likes of both George Lucas and Clint Eastwood. Inception could have easily been added to the list as well, because that’s maybe one of the cooler caper/heist movies I’ve ever seen, and I’m trying to bring that flavor to a fantasy setting with Seven Sons. I plan on doing a more in-depth write-up of that movie later this week.
So, do you guys have any suggestions for movies/books I should read that tie into these genres that I’m looking to explore a little bit more before I start my rewrite in a couple of months? Feel free to share, I’m all ears.
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