In Memoriam (Brian Katcher)

 

I'm addicted to subplots. I love to introduce a thousand unnecessary scenes, complications, and most of all, characters. Fortunately, I have an editor to reign me in, and help me cut the chaff from the main story.

Unfortunately, that means I do lose characters I have come to know and love, children of my mind, my flesh gollums, my homunculi, my creations. 

Murdered with the strike a key. Stabbed with a slash of red ink. Existing nowhere but in my memory.

One of my favorites was Belzar North, a character cut from Deacon Locke. He was a skeezy attorney, an ambulance chaser, a shyster. In the book, he was attempting to get Deacon's grandmother, Jean, to sell her house. I loved writing the scene where Deacon punched out Belzar's car window, and how he'd secretely communicate with his secretary by using phrases from 80s sitcoms. And of course, the way he redeemed himself by the end of the novel.

Gone forever.

I have a difficult time reusing characters, and he likely will never resurface in another work. But I remember Belzar, and all the others.

Tom Roper

Dirk Slater

The Redneck Gourmet

Philip Tokugowa

And all the rest. You are not forgotten.