A belated Eid shomo mobarak to any Iranians reading and Happy Spring to the rest of you! I know I said I was going to do these posts infrequently, but I hadn’t planned to make them quite as infrequent as this- so it's about time for an update.
While most of the past six weeks were spent fitting a new kitchen in my house, I have also been working on a new draft of my novel entitled Obeah Bloodlines based on my TV Pilot Obeah Woman that you can read now on my site.
Last November I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), a worldwide writing event where the goal is to write 50,000 words of a first draft in 30 days. Doing NaNoWriMo allowed me to explore a different style of writing than I had been used to, but as the process was so intense and led directly into the festive period, I’d not even looked at what I’d written since completing it, so sitting down to read through it this month was somewhat of a mixed experience.
My initial feeling was to throw my laptop out the window and save my children the embarrassment of having known me by giving up on life entirely- perhaps join a monastery or the foreign legion (can you still do that?) or fake my death and disappear to a hut in the wilderness.
But I thought, to be on the safe side, I should probably read the rest of the draft before doing anything too rash.
Luckily, things weren’t as bad as I’d initially thought- despite my initial cringing and toe-curling, there were some pretty decent sections which could be punched up with a little bit of attention. And so, my dreams of feral solitude began to fade and I decided to make a solid attempt at finishing the novel.
So this is where I find myself as we head into April: three chapters into the second draft, with a detailed outline which has got me very excited. Pedal to the metal, map in my hand and a gleam in my eye.
So what’s it all about?
Obeah Bloodlines is a story of historical fiction in the African diaspora involving magic, spirits, monsters and the struggle against oppression. It centres around the family legacy of a Jamaican man called Marcus Townsend, who was prophesied to defeat an evil sorcerer known as the Grand Master Bokor. As a young man, grappling with the burden of great responsibility, he renounced his destiny and fled his home to build a new life in London. But no matter how hard he tried, he could never fully escape his destiny… Even in death.
The story spans several decades, weaving in a selection of stories from Black History, with the broader narrative and in the second half, follows Marcus’s daughter Chantelle as she investigates his life, death and legacy.
All of this is set against a backdrop of the evolution of black music genres associated with these eras- from Reggae to UK Drill.
Yeah, but what’s it REALLY about?
Obeah Bloodlines is a novel about family secrets and legacy, about how we form our personal identity in a multicultural society and how our perception of the world is formed by those who control the narrative of our history.
There are various topics wrapped up within the theme of the story that I feel are of incredible relevance today, topics such as the Windrush Scandal, culture wars, critical race theory and the right-wing misappropriation of ‘woke’ - a word which originated in the African American community to describe those who were “self-aware, questioning the dominant paradigm and striving for something better.” But in recent years the term has been reappropriated by the right-wing press and politicians to mean “butt-hurt libtard snowflakes”. We now find ourselves in a situation where many people see it as a label with negative connotations, even though they can rarely actually explain its definition.
I’m looking forward to sharing some excerpts from the book, so watch out for future posts if you like the sound of what I’ve described above, or check out the screenplay for Obeah Woman here.
LUCID RECOMMENDS
A selection of things I’ve been watching, reading and listening to recently…
TV
The Last of Us (Season 1, HBO - Sky/NowTV) - This horror/thriller series based on the award-winning video game of the same name follows a man and a young girl as they try to survive in a zombie-infested post-apocalyptic dystopia. It is an emotional rollercoaster and an incredibly intense show to watch, with some nail-biting and stomach-turning scenes that are not for the faint-hearted. Showrunner Craig Maizin is best known for the acclaimed Chernobyl series. The show is expertly crafted, truly a masterclass in storytelling and the capabilities of modern television.
The White Lotus (Season 2, HBO - Sky/NowTV) - this black comedy set on a luxury hotel resort is another example of expertly crafted modern-era TV. It follows the stories of wealthy guests and the hotel staff working tirelessly to be at their beck and call. It is a brilliant critique of classism, imperialism and privilege, while at the same time being a gripping and surprising murder mystery story with various twists and turns. If you’ve seen Season 1, this article is a brilliant breakdown of the nuances of the surprising ending.
Succession (Season 4, HBO - Sky/NowTV) - Another satirical black comedy-drama, this is a show I have been absolutely obsessed with since I saw the first season a couple of years ago. Its created by Jesse Armstrong, known for creating Peep Show. Succession follows the owners of a multi-billion dollar media conglomerate loosely based on Rupert Murdoch and his offspring. In the first season, the ageing patriarch suffered a serious health scare that kicked off a battle between his children for who will take over (hence the title). They are all equally pathetic and disgusting duplicitous backstabbers that are wonderful to watch. The dialogue is machine gun fast and razor-sharp it will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering where the story will go next.
Turn Up Charlie (Season 1, Netflix) - I know I’m late to the party on this one, but I completely fell in love with this charming British sitcom and ended up binge-watching all of season 1 last week. It stars Idris Elba as a struggling DJ who reluctantly becomes a ‘Manny’ (male nanny) for his successful friend’s absolute nightmare child. What nailed it for me was the wonderful chemistry between Idris and his co-stars Guz Khan and Jocelyn Jee Esien. They had me crying with laughter at times and I loved how their dynamic reflected London’s multicultural community. I also love the fact it’s set in Camden, North London where I grew up and feels like it was written by someone who knows the area well.
BOOKS
The Black Monday Murders (Image Comics) by Jonathan Hickman is a graphic novel series by one of my favourite writers. I often refer to Hickman as the Christopher Nolan of comics, because his stories throw you in at the deep end of strange and unfamiliar worlds and keeps you guessing as to what is going on. While some people may find this too confusing, I personally love the challenge of piecing together the clues like a good crime novel. TBMM presents a story where the various banking cartels in the world are run by schools of occult magic who are battling for global dominance and secretly keeping all of us regular folk in submission.
The Body Keeps the Score (Penguin) by Bessel van der Kolk is a fascinating book about how trauma affects us mentally and physically. The author has spent decades working as a physician in the field of emotional trauma and in the process has made some groundbreaking discoveries that have changed the way modern doctors treat trauma. Understanding some of the concepts in this book have been fundamental to my personal development journey and taught me the importance of the relationship between physical and mental health.
AUDIO
Scriptnotes is by far the best podcast out there for anyone with an interest in screenwriting. Hosts John August and Craig Maizin discuss the latest news related to the industry, interview fascinating industry guests and provide deep dives, advice and guidance on screenwriting. I’ve learned more from this podcast than anywhere else on my screenwriting journey.
Sacred Sons is a podcast about being a man in the modern world. The Sacred Sons organisation host international workshops and retreats for men to come together and develop themselves mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Their website describes their work as: “Co-stewarding the return of the father archetype to this planet through men's relational and physical training.” If you’re new to this work, don’t be put off by the hippy-dippy language, that’s just your ego protecting you from stepping out of your comfort zone. If you identify as a man and are interested in your personal development then I highly recommend checking this show out. I’m booked to go on one of their retreats in June and will write a full report afterwards.
Thanks for reading, if you found anything in this post interesting or useful, feel free to share using the button below.
If you haven’t already done so, please check out my online portfolio on my website www.lucidmover.com. I’m always interested to hear feedback on my work so messages and comments are enthusiastically encouraged!