Some years ago in the pages of Dream Network Journal, I described a “conversation” between two women painters. The conversation was not in words, but in paintings. A painting would be sent, and the recipient would respond with a painting and this alternation would continue for some time. Finally, the whole set was exhibited in a gallery. It was stunning.

Years later, Paco Mitchell and I began to do something of the same thing, only in words. He would send me an email on a certain topic we’d taken up and I’d return one—back and forth, alternating. This ultimately became a full-fledged dialogue, and was published this year as a book (Dreams, Bones & the Future: A Dialogue. For information on this book see http://dreamsbonesfuture.com).

During the course of our dialogue, something else began to occur. This began one day from an email I sent to Paco describing my experience at Tully’s Coffee Shop in downtown Seattle. I had been mulling over Goethe’s admonition to really look at what one sees and to find the story there. In doing so, I looked out the windows of Tully’s and saw FedEx and Costco delivery trucks. But in looking at what I saw actually it was “Fex” and “Coo.” The pillars and window casings blocked some of the letters. In looking further Sterling Bank became ling Bank, Key Bank became Key. A Sale became Sal and the UPS truck became UP. I did not make these up in anyway. They were just “there” if I looked instead of experiencing what I was seeing that is so readily filled in by the mind.

So I went into fictive space and waited for storymind to come forward with some “continuation.” This is what “formed itself” and “presented itself” to me: Sal is a teller at Ling Bank. He does not yet know that Fex and Coo have decided that ending it is the key. They have been held up by matters that do not concern us. You may not agree. That’s fine, it is not a requirement. You will see. I sent this to Paco to tell him about my experience.

What I got back was a continuation of the story of Fex & Coo. This began a long series of alternating fictive pieces which now has grown to several hundred pages. This approach to writing a novel is not altogether new, but the experience of doing it holds many surprises. First, one must let go of any ego investment in how the story is going to go. Second, each received new piece is an occasion for a cascade of unexpected and unintended narrative development. It is all so surprising! We now have two other novels in process written in this form of alternating authorial narrative: Deathling Crown Lottery and The Museum of Indifference. These two projects began in dreams I had that I sent to Paco and his response was his own storymind continuation: not interpretations, not analyzing, not explaining. This is an astonishing way to relate to dreams.

It was not surprising then when I posted “Goiling” that Paco sent along his continuation. That I will post next time.