MECHELE DILLARD

You know, I really don’t care for mysteries. I love those murder/crime shows, like “Cold Case Files” and “American Justice,” but those involve real cases, real people. Mystery novels, on the other hand, well, I just cannot get into them. They deal with a bunch of made-up people, places and situations — hence, the moniker, “novel.” But, when my friend, Bob, had his novel, The Margaret Ellen published, I had to read it, of course, whatever the genre.
You know what?
I loved it.
I’m not just saying that because Bob is a friend, either. It’s really a great book — I started it one Sunday morning, and read it straight through, into Sunday night.
The characters really come to life when you begin to read, and you start to care about what happens to them. That is, in my opinion, the mark of a great novel. It’s what makes you continue to turn the pages, what makes you come back to it after lunch, and it is what makes you sigh after the last page and say, “I wonder what happened the next day?”

I actually fell head-over-heels for Angus, the title character’s love interest. He was so vivid, so well-written, I could actually see him in my mind, and feel him throughout my being as I read ... mmmmm, that Angus.
By the same token, I found myself repeatedly annoyed with Karen, the central character. She was pretty, capable and flawed just enough to be perfect — hrmph.

Actually, if you want to know the truth, I think I was a bit jealous of Angus’s devotion to her. I would say that’s pathetic, but, actually, it’s not; the characters are just that well-written.

There are so many talented people in this community. Somehow, we tend to overlook their gifts, simply because it is hard to believe someone who is truly talented could be local. I, for one, am guilty of such oversights of Gilmer County artists.

It doesn’t make sense, really, to think that talent has to come from some land far, far away, does it? But, for whatever reason, that is what human nature leads us to believe, isn’t it?

Painters, writers, sculptors, actors, musicians and all other artists combined, we have enough talent in Gilmer County to keep us entertained for a lifetime. So, why don’t we support their efforts a bit more?

I don’t believe I could ever write like Bob does. I just don’t think I have the imagination to become my characters and write from their points of view. We all have our talents, and, alas, novel writing just is not one of mine.

So, I’ll eagerly await Bob’s next novel, and fantasize about Angus, and how perfect I believe he is for me. Yes, yes, I know he is a character in a book; yes, I realize that he cannot be brought off of the pages and into my reality; and, yes, yes, yes, yes, I do realize he is all a creation of my own mind, and resides only within my dreams ....

Now, what exactly would be your point?

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I remember when I first read Bob Burdick’s novel, The Margaret Ellen. We were friends by that time and my initial reaction, both privately and to the author himself, was something along the lines of, “Hey, this reads just like a real novel!” I never claimed to possess fluency with the spoken word. Tread Not On Me, the lead novel in his Johnny Cypress series, is out and poised to mystify, and I am looking forward to settling in on the couch and devouring my signed copy -- I’ll bet it reads just like a real novel, too. Unfortunately, schoolwork dominates my life these days, and I simply have not had time to get started on my great friend’s latest literary offering. Shame on me. Sigh. You know, I gotta tell you guys, Bob is a great guy. He won’t tell you this himself, of course; he’s too modest (unlike myself … I’ll tell you all I’m a great gal in a heartbeat … :D). So, since he won’t tell you what a cool guy he is, I am going to do it right now: He is not just a fantastic writer, smiling out at readers from the back cover of his latest novel. No, Bob Burdick is a kind, generous soul who truly wants to see struggling writers’ careers blossom, and will go far out of his way to help others succeed. He has helped me unreal with my writing, and I’m not sure if he even realizes how much his commentary means to me. I would love to write for a living from now until forever, and, with any luck, I will. But, I have a tendency to jump from project to project, not quite finishing one before going headlong into the next, and Bob is always there, reminding me that “luck” has nothing to do with making a living as a writer. Consistency, hard work, a bit of organization and a lot of actual final drafts finding their way onto editors’ desks, these are the things that take writing from hobby to profession. And, you know, no matter how frustrating my constant dawdling and infuriating lack of follow-thru (yes, Bob, I do know that’s my main stumbling block at this point) might be for him from time to time, Bob never lets me forget that I have to do the work to reap the rewards. Thank you. Argue all you want that “fate” will provide your lucky break, but, in reality, writers create that moment of fate for themselves. Hard work gets our name out there; the kindness of others who enjoy our work and tell their friends about us certainly doesn’t hurt; and, as Bob always reminds me, the writing itself will stand on its own and make or break the longevity of a writer. Ultimately, the writing will carry itself, whether to the mountaintop or to the landfill. But, first, we must write. And, with any luck, our work will read just like a real novel.

Mechele R. Dillard
"Moving Beyond the Box"
www.mechelerdillard.com