Will it work? Do I need to change my characters? I have a lot of ideas and some great responses to the character of my soldier. So far, no responses from those who chose not to fight in Vietnam. So many reasons to go, so many reasons to not go. So many lives lost.

Song by Peter, Paul, and Mary running through my head… “The cruel war is raging, Johnny has to fight… I want to be with him from morning to night.”  So many things in my life have been influenced by music, and in turn the music influences who I am as a writer. Songs that I haven’t thought of in years come to the surface when I am writing about a particular topic. This song reflects my thoughts about this newly birthed idea of writing an introspective novel about the Vietnam War.

I have a beginning in mind, so I think I’ll scratch it out and see where it leads…

High school… football game… two brothers, 11 months apart in age… working side by side in the game. senior/junior… one dominating, a leader, popular, brave… younger brother is a follower, always does what’s right, popular in his own right..

It might work.  Set it as the prologue so it doesn’t drag on or get too involved. Move to main theme… older brother is drafted after high school and joins the Navy (maybe). All the men in my life have been Navy…  months later, younger brother receives his draft notice… panic sets in and he is conflicted about his beliefs, his support of the war, his fears.

That’s it for now… I’ll have to ponder on this and formulate how it’s going to come together. It may change… I don’t know, I’ll have to follow where the spirit leads me!