Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Sylvan Three Times Over (FF)

© Dee Lovering

Farnum wasn't much of a writer but he loved to write stories about a young man named Sylvan and the Christmases Sylvan enjoyed from years gone by.

Farnum himself was a rather minor character in a book written by a novelist named Giorgio.  Giorgio for his sake had been created by Cinnamon Klein, a New York City pulp fiction writer and amateur detective.

"And so ends another Cinnamon Klein Mystery,” I typed, closing
the laptop.

The phone rang.  "Yes, who is it?"

"Merry Christmas, Perry!  This is Sylvan."

“Sylvan?  But you're fictional!  You're fictional three times over!" 

"Well, I guess Farnum is a lot better writer than you, Cinnamon, or Giorgio ever gave him credit for, isn't he?” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be honest, I really can't figure out this goofy post came out of a Christmas prompt. I think the circular nature of the building got me thinking about layers of stories and how many "levels" away from the author a character in a story within a story might be.

To review:  Farnum created Sylvan, Giorgio created Farnum, Cinnamon Klein created Giorgio, I created Cinnamon Klein, and Russell created me.  There you have it.  And if you click here, you'll also have the takes of the other Friday Fictioneers on the picture prompt above, created just for you.

And should any of you happen to see Cinnamon Klein, please tell I created her, it's not fair she won't return my calls!

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perry, there is an Inception-meets-Stranger Than Fiction feel about this. It'd be strange enough to meet one of my creations, let alone one created by a creation of a creation. What a mind bender. :)

Perry Block said...

Don't wanna brag but I taught Christopher Nolan everything he knows. And I gave him that voice for Batman too!

Dawn said...

Oh my...to be inside that head of yours! lol

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields said...

Dear Perry,

Like David, I immediately thought of Stranger than Fiction. I often wonder what my characters would say to me if they were suddenly to materialize. I don't think it would be nice.

Shalom,

Rochelle

P.S. Joshi said...

This is like a Twilight Zone story, Perry. I don't know if I want to get involved with this as I might be pulled in and find out some writer in LA or NYC created me. I'm sure you understand. Well done as usual, though confusing. :D --- Suzanne

Anonymous said...

Came to read here after the Circular Reference error in my Excel sheet bugged me for the entire day! Guess its hell bent to follow me everywhere I run! :)

Perry Block said...

Sorry, there isn't enough room in here for me.

Perry Block said...

Yes, but I'll bet very few of them would sue you.

Perry Block said...

You think YOU'RE confused ...

Perry Block said...

Guess what I have in store for you when you go to sleep tonight!

Alicia said...

Whoa! This one made me dizzy! Good job.

Russell said...

Not to brag, but I think this is the best piece one of my creations ever wrote. If it circled any tighter readers would be sucked through a vortex and into a black hole somewhere in the Humor Dimension.

Loved the names Cinnamon Klein and Farnum. Sylvan and Giorgio sound like a couple of perfume makers.

Anonymous said...

I think this one deserves a long story, Perry. It's funny, as always, but also multi-layered and fascinating. Plus, you got all those great names. They're all just begging for attention from you. I like this a lot.

Anonymous said...

There a terrible logic to this Perry. Some writers deserve to be visited by their characters.
Clever idea, well executed.

Sandra Crook said...

Funny and spooky at the same time. Well done.

Anonymous said...

Did seem like watching Inception again :)

Deepa said...

a tad bit spooky

Gah Learner said...

I love it, it's brilliant. I'm afraid most of our fictional characters would run with torches and pitchforks after us if we ever met them.

Anonymous said...

My brain was getting twisted in a knot re-reading this, until I went below the story and discovered I wasn't crazy after all! Nice story!! :)

Anonymous said...

Perry, I actually understood better before your explanation! ;) Well, maybe I didn't. Anyway, my brain is freezing up and maybe that's the connection to the photo! ;)

Perry Block said...

I'm not sure it was a good job if it made you dizzy. Hopefully dizzy is as bad as it got!

Perry Block said...

Well, if you had done a better job in creating me I would have been able to make up all four names that you'd like!

Perry Block said...

Thanks, Amy. I would like to write more about this story later on, but for now I think I'm just going to focus on Cinnamon Klein and getting her to return my calls.

Perry Block said...

Thanks. Unfortunately I don't think these characters deserve to have to be stuck visiting me.

Perry Block said...

Thanks, Sandra. Yes, I have been called spooky at times. Funny, not so much.

Perry Block said...

Thank you for comparing me to Leonardo diCaprio. Everybody does.

Perry Block said...

Yes, I have always enjoyed tad bit spooky over the plain spooky, but the tad bit spooky is much more expensive.

Perry Block said...

Perhaps. Most of mine refuse to even acknowledge me, let alone chase me.

Perry Block said...

I'm pretty sure just the fact that you stopped to read the story indicates you probably are crazy after all.

Perry Block said...

That's exactly the connection, Lorna, you brain is fine. Now how do I unfreeze my own?

Dale said...

Fun stuff! I was getting Dizzy there!

liz young said...

Did you just wake up the day of The Photo Prompt and think, 'Today I shall write a Chinese Puzzle," or is this the way our mind always works?

Whispering Thoughts said...

Outstanding concept

Perry Block said...

You were getting dizzy? Nothing delectable you ate, I hope.

Perry Block said...

Kind of depends who I was created by that day. Not sure it was Russell's day.

Perry Block said...

Thank you. Now explain it to me please!

Anonymous said...

What an excellent story, The Twilight Zone meets Steven King, with the twist of Pery.

Perry Block said...

That's exactly what's on the book jacket!