© 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!
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. :)
ReplyDeleteDon't wanna brag but I taught Christopher Nolan everything he knows. And I gave him that voice for Batman too!
DeleteOh my...to be inside that head of yours! lol
ReplyDeleteSorry, there isn't enough room in here for me.
DeleteDear Perry,
ReplyDeleteLike 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
Yes, but I'll bet very few of them would sue you.
DeleteThis 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
ReplyDeleteYou think YOU'RE confused ...
DeleteCame 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! :)
ReplyDeleteGuess what I have in store for you when you go to sleep tonight!
DeleteWhoa! This one made me dizzy! Good job.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure it was a good job if it made you dizzy. Hopefully dizzy is as bad as it got!
DeleteNot 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.
ReplyDeleteLoved the names Cinnamon Klein and Farnum. Sylvan and Giorgio sound like a couple of perfume makers.
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!
DeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteThanks, 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.
DeleteThere a terrible logic to this Perry. Some writers deserve to be visited by their characters.
ReplyDeleteClever idea, well executed.
Thanks. Unfortunately I don't think these characters deserve to have to be stuck visiting me.
DeleteFunny and spooky at the same time. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra. Yes, I have been called spooky at times. Funny, not so much.
DeleteDid seem like watching Inception again :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for comparing me to Leonardo diCaprio. Everybody does.
Deletea tad bit spooky
ReplyDeleteYes, I have always enjoyed tad bit spooky over the plain spooky, but the tad bit spooky is much more expensive.
DeleteI 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.
ReplyDeletePerhaps. Most of mine refuse to even acknowledge me, let alone chase me.
DeleteMy 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!! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure just the fact that you stopped to read the story indicates you probably are crazy after all.
DeletePerry, 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! ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly the connection, Lorna, you brain is fine. Now how do I unfreeze my own?
DeleteFun stuff! I was getting Dizzy there!
ReplyDeleteYou were getting dizzy? Nothing delectable you ate, I hope.
DeleteDid 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?
ReplyDeleteKind of depends who I was created by that day. Not sure it was Russell's day.
DeleteOutstanding concept
ReplyDeleteThank you. Now explain it to me please!
DeleteWhat an excellent story, The Twilight Zone meets Steven King, with the twist of Pery.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what's on the book jacket!
Delete