ash

Author's Note

It's been quite a journey. And five verse-changes, more than fifteen different tries and false starts, one and a half years and approximately fifty thousand words (most of which never appeared in Ash) later, I'm finished.

Ash has been tough, exhausting, and a complete joy to write. I fell in love with the present tense, all my characters, as well as Neil Gaiman during this period of writing. Ash is for Kangya. Happy Birthday. I'm sorry I wrote you such a sad story.

The strangest thing about Ash is that I didn't mean for it to end this way. At the beginning of the story I thought of the last scene, and I knew I needed to give Jun back his wings, and that was when I decided Jun had to die. That was the only part of the end that I knew for certain. I certainly didn't know what Damien was going to do, or that Banquo was an incubus. It kind of just went with the flow, and I think that's the only way this story would have worked out.

To ask me who my favourite character was is to ask me what kind of chocolate I like best. I love all of them equally. Jun, because he's Jun and I've never understood him. Damien, because he's just so beautiful and he's stuck with me for so long. Banquo, because I wrote the first chapter because of him and it all carried on from there. He really is the starting point of everything. Julio, because he is the surferdude that I always wanted in a story. Gabbro, because he came to me during a Geography lesson and has never left since. Dominic, because he's a tradition but every time I write the character he comes out completely different. Pabla, because she's as insecure as I am. Angelica, because I've always admired beautiful women.

Some people have told me that they don't understand some parts of Ash. I don't, either. What's with Damien and Gabbro? Why is Pabla so screwed? Julio is weird. Where did Banquo go? What does Banquo want? Is Jun gay? I have my interpretation. Go get your own. (:

Ash has been a completely intensive pain in the ass, and I've loved every minute of writing it.

Love,
Sine
November 14th, 2004
11.46pm