More shameless plugging of my novel “Impossible Monsters”

So, while I toil away trying to get the attention of some literary agent (as they, in turn, sift through what I imagine are stacks and stacks of manuscripts devoted to vampires, eventually getting to my tome), I figured I might as well keep posting chapters from my book here and there, lest anyone cares to read them.

Now, since my book doesn’t actually have traditional chapters, per se, but rather sections arranged by narrator, I don’t feel as bad making posts that are seemingly out of order. The point of the book is really to dissect these main characters and their interactions and relationships with fellow students over the course of a few months at the fictional Wellington Ayers University. I mean, ultimately, this is what college is about, in my opinion—for the first time in your life, typically, you are in total control of what you do and who you spend your time with, and this unfurling of adultness creates many unique situations as you progress throughout your years of study.

This section is narrated by Vikram, a graduate student at Ayers born and raised in Goa, India (a very touristy, artsy resort city on the West Coast of India). He is a Sikh, devout for most of his life, then, suddenly, is thrust in a world that excites and tempts him, a world he has only seen from a distance so far–a world of carnal sins. In this specific instance, Vikram is attending a party being thrown by his flatmates for his birthday, and, being that it’s first time drinking alcohol, I decided to write this section in stream-of-consciousness, trying to invoke what it’s like to be drunk the first time, experiencing a wave of conflicting emotions and feelings. I think, at times, this section sounds almost melodic. Hope you enjoy.

VIKRAM

girls oh the girls girls they are everywhere in our flat in the kitchen in hallway in the rooms like pockets of Americans and British and Others Our transgressions are past counting they drink drink and my head feels a way I cannot describe but I feel good drunk drink so I walk up behind a girl Japan she is from named Aiko she is very beautiful when she finally smiles her breasts are small but she is very thin There is no end to our sins her neck is very beautiful and her hair is black and long and her eyes like mine wander now I am at her side Be merciful forgive us O Lord my arms around her small body and I am saying “I hope you are having fun tonight Aiko” she replies with a giggle We are great sinners and wrongdoers then leaves with her friend another Japanese girl who I do not know and they follow Jermaine to his room and he has arms on both of them shoulders so I see this girl from Canada called Emily who is dark hair and large breasts so I must go to her There is no hope of our redemption I am on my bed now I am back in the kitchen now I am on the floor and my hair long and braided now I am back in the kitchen with my arm around Emily now and Aiko or Aiko is looking at me but standing with Toby then Richard then Toby I am smoking in Polish room Sylwester’s room there is one two three four five six seven of us sitting on bed and talking by window passing little thing around O Lord dear Lord our deeds weighed in the balance makes my chest tight when I cough couch the smell like herbs like food like deep food memories now I am in the kitchen playing beer pong with Richard drinking a beer in a green can a green in a beer can Aiko is at me looking at me at Emily but I have my head on the shoulder of an American Polish girl named Emily no Amanda who is now talking to Richard flash and Anthony comes in and people talk to him and he drinks leaves he is back but I am gone in my room on the bed there is a poster over my bed of Gobind Singh against blackness tenth Guru nothing behind him nothing behind his eyes looking over me Would get us no place in Thy court now I am outside where the Spanish the Beatriz and the Mora and the Other they are talking one is crying sit next to them now I am alone now I am back inside with no Spanish I see a girl’s underwear Irish in Richard’s room she looks out the window in a skirt I see it her underwear and I feel myself myself get feel myself now I am in my room Forgive us and make us one with Thyself now I am in stairwell security guard coming Black man English big strong flashlight raincoat yelling screaming party to stop he says party to stop now I am in kitchen where it does not stop eyes close but am awake in state of daydream maybe Aiko by window very nice Through the grace of the Guru picture of Ajeet in my computer with her family in Bombay outside of a theatre rich clothes smiles and flowers Aiko touching me hair together looking like one her smile that smile Ajeet dancing at club with man not touching me touching him Ajeet Yes Ajeet blackness coming Gobind with no eyes black behind him I come from nowhere in hallway now Richard is drunk on floor Spanish Beatriz touching his hand his hair smiling drunk they talk I am in kitchen I am in Goa I am in Mere saath aaeeyé Mere saath aaeeyé Mere saath aaeeyé Ajeet Mere saath aaeeyé Aiko eyes close so late beerredwineRichardToby I am in the stairs I am in the kitchen walking nowhere walking to go If the Lord God can be attained to in the room the room on the left where Frenchie lives his room smells like herbs like deep cooking herbs Sylwester with Martha kissing hugging I see American boy now girl touch her arm walk behind touch her walk up behind and touch her smells like tea like hot tea I am in my room Gobind looking blackness behind him Richard and Beatriz in room DawadMaria hands together Gobind and me I am in the kitchen Aiko is kissing him Him not me Him I am in French room “Kya aap meri madad kar saktey hain” I say laugh smile I am outside where the rain my arms touching Gobind touching Ajeet touching everyone touch Then all evil is destroyed gone it is gone gone beer gone Ajeet gone bed gone existence gone they are in twos they are in twos all gone all I am in my bed Gobind can you help me can you Gobind number ten can I help myself sunrise Gobind in my room at home under the sheets Then all evil is destroyed connected topological manifold is locally homeomorphic destroyed destroyed where is she she stops with me is gone with me it is just me Our transgressions past counting no more girls

2 thoughts on “More shameless plugging of my novel “Impossible Monsters”

  1. Aw, thanks, Leah! Yeah, I mean, I wanted to make it seem as “real” as I could, so people could readily compare it to their own lives, you know?

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