When I began the revision of my novel for its third and, I hoped, final draft, I knew I had to find a different, more unusual approach. While working on a lecture, I had recently reread Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, which has a most unusual and unexpected narrator, “Death.” Though my book, That Smudge of Smoke, is very different, and I wouldn’t begin to compare my work to his amazing and complex novel, I wondered if I could try something similar—create an unexpected narrator to add another dimension to the telling of my story.
But what voice would I use as a plausible narrator? After some thought, I realized, the diary, of course! My POV character, Piper Sinclair, had already named her diary Dorie and established it as her closest friend—the only one she could talk to with absolute honesty—and talk to her, Piper does, as she describes her life, including her very personal thoughts, hopes and fears, aboard a Chesapeake Bay steamboat throughout the 1929 portion of the story. Dorie is also the vital link and tangible object that connects the two characters (Piper and Garrett) and their two time periods (1929 and 2015).
Lest you think this turns my very realistic, historical novel into a fantasy, I assure you it does not. Dorie does not come alive as a magical character who interacts with Piper or, later, Garrett. She communicates only with the reader through her thoughts and memories. However, I do realize this unusual narrator will require readers to suspend their disbelief, and I think I have been successful in establishing a sympathetic and believable narrative voice for Dorie. In fact, this was the voice I most enjoyed creating.
Friend and fellow writer, Kathleen Thompson, has this to say after her recent reading of That Smudge of Smoke:
“This novel may be a perfect example of the way British writer, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, felt about the transformative power of the imagination. Coleridge suggested that ‘if an author could infuse a human interest and a semblance of truth’ into a story with implausible elements, the reader would willingly suspend judgment concerning the plausibility of the narrative. Hemingway’s skillful hand has accomplished plausibility for the diary and its point of view by the addition of many basic truths: the setting, historical knowledge of the steamboats, scientific knowledge of the moon and its phases, and facts regarding various waterfowl observed from the steamboat. We, as readers, must indeed suspend our disbelief for this story to work. The concrete details provided in the book help us do just that.”
And so, dear reader, please keep an open mind and be prepared to suspend your disbelief as you pick up That Smudge of Smoke, meet an intelligent and caring diary narrator, and immerse yourself in the lives of both Piper and Garrett, as well as an important and significant part of American history—that of the steamboat era on the Chesapeake Bay and its many tributaries.
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I love Dorie’s voice :). And how interesting to think as you took on the final draft of doing something different with the narration. I am hoping to be nearing the end of my novel drafting, and I too am playing with possible radical approaches. Congrats on your new novel!
Thank you, Jody! Good luck with the final draft of your novel. I’ll be interested to know if you’ve decided on a radical new approach just as I did!
I’m so looking forward to reading your book. This is a unknown but extremely fascinating part of history to me. Can’t wait to explore it with such wonderful companions.
Thank you, Terri! It’s definitely a fascinating part of our history.
I can’t wait to meet Piper and Dorie and journey into their world. Congratulations, Edie on the publication of That Smudge of Smoke!
Thank you, Cynthia! So good to hear from you!
A beautiful story, beautifully told, Edie. Congratulations, Edie!
Thank you, Kathleen! And thank you also for your close read and review of “Smudge!”
Well done, Edie! I’m so glad you included the first page of Dorie’s narration in this post. It is so compelling. Wishing you great success with this beautifully told story.
Thank you, Deb! Your encouragement was a huge boost when I decided to add Dorie’s narration.
Edie, I agree. It was a clever way to narrate the story! I really enjoyed the history lesson. We’ve lived in Maryland for more than 54 years and have ties to Baltimore the last 26 years so I could really relate to the story. Plus, I can relate to Garrett’s home as well, as your former neighbor. 🙂 I remember writing “Dear Diary” in my childhood diaries but never thought to give them a name. That’s probably why it took me a few pages to embrace Dorie as a character. But once I did I looked forward to her filling in the missing piece of Piper’s story.
Thank you, Cathy! Piper was very much in need of a friend, so I figured Dorie needed a name as her closest confidante. And I know you’re very familiar with Garrett’s home. :>)