John Dee Cooper's Blog

It seems ages since I last posted. That's because it is! My only excuse is that I am still labouring over the final chapters of the new story, which is the first volume (I hope) of Adam's Journey. Provisional title "Robbie and Me" (or possibly "Me and Robbie" - it's difficult decisions like that that hold me up!). The thing is, I'd got to Chapter 12 and it was going to be the last and then these new characters suddenly turned up and I had to add a new chapter to tell their story (think Native Americans!). But I've dealt with them now, and am speeding towards the conclusion.

If I haven't mentioned it yet on this blog, Adam's Journey is going to follow the adventures and experiences of a young English boy who (in my post-apocalyptic world where the Reich Masters rule Europe and slavery is their main pastime) is captured and sold into slavery. It focus's mainly on the people he meets, mostly other slaves, and their stories, but it also follows his own thoughts and feelings about what is going on around him. 

As a taster, here's the short prologue.

PREFACE TO BOOK ONE

I am kneeling beside my Master as he reads me this first volume of His Book. It is my story, or rather it is the story of my journey from childhood into slavery, but it His Book. Just as I am His slave.

I was taught a little how to read and write when I was a child, before they took me, but that is so long ago now that I have forgotten most of it, which makes me very slow. But my Master, who is very fond of me and is very kind, has listened to me recounting it all and has written it down. And now it sounds so beautiful with words that I would never have been able to find that I am proud to be kneeling here listening to him read it.

A lot of what is described in the book happened many years ago. I am about thirty-eight years old now, according to my Master’s calculations, which is quite old for a slave, but I am fortunate that he wishes to keep me as a companion. And he has a young grandson, who is about the age I was when this story begins, and I have to take care of him and serve him as well as my Master. For my Master is not well. He may not live many years longer. That is why he has made me the joint property of himself and his grandson. That way I can go on serving him even after his death.

Here then is the story of my journey into slavery and the stories of the people I have encountered and the adventures I have had along the way.

JDC