All Comments on 'Life Less Lived Ch. 01'

I'm not sure this one should be episodic: I'm already having trouble keeping track of who's who and that will only get worse as you dribble it out chapter by chapter.

Good job I didn’t write a 120,000 word story in 14 chapters about a football team or rugby union side, as I guess that would be a complete non-starter for ag2507, although I could restrict the tale to preseason training so they don’t play any opponents, unless oppos are referred to by squad numbers.

All bar 3 peripheral characters and I key character appear in Chapter 1 of Life Less Lived.

Cast in order of appearance

Chapter 1

Jessica Lovage-Martin, 28 outside broadcast news correspondent. Ernest, popular and confident with Southampton studio who are fair, staid and use a subtle light touch with interviews and reports. Struggles with trusting boyfriends. But then her fortune changes,she is in love and scoops fall into her lap.

Dave 48 and Producer/Director Pat 55 from Brighton are rough, belligerent, pushy, sarcastic and edgy in their news coverage, they initially think popular Jessica is a talentless lightweight. As the story develops over a series of scoops, the 3 broadcasters evolve into a team that works well and respects each other.

Main character Daniel Medcalf 55 is a career politician who is a champion of the people he represents, he has served as a councillor at parish, district and county, often concurrently and a four-year spell as an MEP, he has stood for Parliament at 4 elections in seats he had no hope of winning. He is a magistrate and JP and a likely candidate in the future as Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex. Was married to Jennifer Joseph, descendant of a wealthy banking family who was an internationally renown cancer surgeon, who tragically died of cancer 2 years earlier. Daniel put together a passionate and deeply personal book about Jenny and her cancer unit, using her patient notes of patients who lost their battles (with permission), all proceeds to the unit. He is also a farmer. He met Marina Shaw when he was 21 and has always been attracted to her and completely unaware of the baby she conceived age 16. They meet again 33 years later. For the whole period of this story, we only sense Daniel's feelings and thoughts from his conversations and our interpretations of his actions, as a literary device to keep him mysterious (in the same way Darcy in P&P is depicted).

Primary main character Marina Shaw 49 is a shop girl recently unemployed. Her mother died in childbirth of twins, leaving Marina age 12 as surrogate mother holding the family together, including her father whose grief drove him to the bottle. Selflessly she devoted her life to her siblings and their offspring sacrificing her own needs and desires. She is the one whose "Life" has been "Less Lived" that if she had been given choices of a normal childhood and adulthood. At 16 she has a crush on Daniel, but after seeing him as the last person in her memory, she is drugged and raped, conceives a child, "Daniel Shaw" who is stillborn. Now 33 years later she sees Daniel on the TV and swears revenge but when they need a wary, uneasy and uncertain relationship builds between them, which is the driving thread through the story.

Tracey Baker 20 lives with her Aunt Marina, is pregnant and her Aunt is to break the news to sibling Alexandra ”Sandie” Shaw and her partner Dave Baker to support her niece. Her parents, brother and sister only appear in one scene. The rest of the siblings are mentioned but do not feature.

WWAG are a student led anarchic environmental group protesting against the M27 extension and resent Medcalf stealing their thunder. Three main members are Lauren Taylor, 19, goth, insecure environment student who is disquiet about WWAG's objectives; Mark Clerk, 23, her gormless boyfriend, Andy Robertson, 26, non-student sponger/wastrel, self-appointed environment protest leader, plus various peripheral members, Tina, Timbo, Jimbo, Mikey and Leon.

Sir Philip Sands 60, self made man who owns SandRock Construction who designed and won the contract to extend the South Coast Motorway to Brighton (M27 extension). His son Philip Junior 29 is a Senior SandRock executive, daughter Natalie 23 a student of medicine at St Andrews (inspired by her "Aunt" Jenny's life work)

Patience Page-Turner, 28, Sir Philip's PA, classy, posh, bright, intelligent, resourceful, controlling, possibly has her own agenda.

Lady Barbara Sands 54 was Jenny Joseph's best friend from boarding school days. Once an air hostess and model, the stunning Barbara fell for the drive and ambition of road builder Sir Philip Sands before his career took off. She cared for Jenny Medcalf during her terminal illness and toyed with the idea of divorcing Sir Philip in favour of Daniel Medcalf.

Sophie Medcalf 19 is Daniel's youngest daughter, a top Cambridge student, who has a secret that she is unable to share with her grieving father. Still a freshman she wants to work in the environment, farming, estate management areas but is too preoccupied to decide on her options.

Ginny Medcalf 25 is Sophie's sister, a student surgeon at St Mary's Imperial College Hospital Paddington, hoping to follow her mother's footsteps in cancer treatment. Her boyfriend Giles of over 3 years is also a med student and leaning towards general and trauma surgery, he prevaricates legalising his relationship with Ginny because he is penniless and the Medcalfs are wealthy through their Joseph connection.

Chapter 4

Peripheral character Paul Hammond manages Medcalf's farm, wife Helen and two young children are peripheral characters.

Chapter 5

Peripheral character Matt Jamieson 60 is a blunt SandRock depot manager, worked with Sir Phil since they filled potholes together based from a white van. His family adore Lady Babs and would do anything for her.

Chapter 9

Chief Superintendent (retired) Kathryn Stewart 55, worked for many years with Daniel Medcalf on county parole board

Chapter 10

Jimmy Johnson 51, is a key character but first mentioned inChapter 9 and puts in an appearance from Chapter 10 on

All bar 3 peripheral characters and I key character appear in Chapter 1 of Life Less Lived.

Cast in order of appearance

Chapter 1

Jessica Lovage-Martin, 28 outside broadcast news correspondent. Ernest, popular and confident with Southampton studio who are fair, staid and use a subtle light touch with interviews and reports. Struggles with trusting boyfriends. But then her fortune changes,she is in love and scoops fall into her lap.

Dave 48 and Producer/Director Pat 55 from Brighton are rough, belligerent, pushy, sarcastic and edgy in their news coverage, they initially think popular Jessica is a talentless lightweight. As the story develops over a series of scoops, the 3 broadcasters evolve into a team that works well and respects each other.

Main character Daniel Medcalf 55 is a career politician who is a champion of the people he represents, he has served as a councillor at parish, district and county, often concurrently and a four-year spell as an MEP, he has stood for Parliament at 4 elections in seats he had no hope of winning. He is a magistrate and JP and a likely candidate in the future as Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex. Was married to Jennifer Joseph, descendant of a wealthy banking family who was an internationally renown cancer surgeon, who tragically died of cancer 2 years earlier. Daniel put together a passionate and deeply personal book about Jenny and her cancer unit, using her patient notes of patients who lost their battles (with permission), all proceeds to the unit. He is also a farmer. He met Marina Shaw when he was 21 and has always been attracted to her and completely unaware of the baby she conceived age 16. They meet again 33 years later. For the whole period of this story, we only sense Daniel's feelings and thoughts from his conversations and our interpretations of his actions, as a literary device to keep him mysterious (in the same way Darcy in P&P is depicted).

Primary main character Marina Shaw 49 is a shop girl recently unemployed. Her mother died in childbirth of twins, leaving Marina age 12 as surrogate mother holding the family together, including her father whose grief drove him to the bottle. Selflessly she devoted her life to her siblings and their offspring sacrificing her own needs and desires. She is the one whose "Life" has been "Less Lived" that if she had been given choices of a normal childhood and adulthood. At 16 she has a crush on Daniel, but after seeing him as the last person in her memory, she is drugged and raped, conceives a child, "Daniel Shaw" who is stillborn. Now 33 years later she sees Daniel on the TV and swears revenge but when they need a wary, uneasy and uncertain relationship builds between them, which is the driving thread through the story.

Tracey Baker 20 lives with her Aunt Marina, is pregnant and her Aunt is to break the news to sibling Alexandra ”Sandie” Shaw and her partner Dave Baker to support her niece. Her parents, brother and sister only appear in one scene. The rest of the siblings are mentioned but do not feature.

WWAG are a student led anarchic environmental group protesting against the M27 extension and resent Medcalf stealing their thunder. Three main members are Lauren Taylor, 19, goth, insecure environment student who is disquiet about WWAG's objectives; Mark Clerk, 23, her gormless boyfriend, Andy Robertson, 26, non-student sponger/wastrel, self-appointed environment protest leader, plus various peripheral members, Tina, Timbo, Jimbo, Mikey and Leon.

Sir Philip Sands 60, self made man who owns SandRock Construction who designed and won the contract to extend the South Coast Motorway to Brighton (M27 extension). His son Philip Junior 29 is a Senior SandRock executive, daughter Natalie 23 a student of medicine at St Andrews (inspired by her "Aunt" Jenny's life work)

Patience Page-Turner, 28, Sir Philip's PA, classy, posh, bright, intelligent, resourceful, controlling, possibly has her own agenda.

Lady Barbara Sands 54 was Jenny Joseph's best friend from boarding school days. Once an air hostess and model, the stunning Barbara fell for the drive and ambition of road builder Sir Philip Sands before his career took off. She cared for Jenny Medcalf during her terminal illness and toyed with the idea of divorcing Sir Philip in favour of Daniel Medcalf.

Sophie Medcalf 19 is Daniel's youngest daughter, a top Cambridge student, who has a secret that she is unable to share with her grieving father. Still a freshman she wants to work in the environment, farming, estate management areas but is too preoccupied to decide on her options.

Ginny Medcalf 25 is Sophie's sister, a student surgeon at St Mary's Imperial College Hospital Paddington, hoping to follow her mother's footsteps in cancer treatment. Her boyfriend Giles of over 3 years is also a med student and leaning towards general and trauma surgery, he prevaricates legalising his relationship with Ginny because he is penniless and the Medcalfs are wealthy through their Joseph connection.

Chapter 4

Peripheral character Paul Hammond manages Medcalf's farm, wife Helen and two young children are peripheral characters.

Chapter 5

Peripheral character Matt Jamieson 60 is a blunt SandRock depot manager, worked with Sir Phil since they filled potholes together based from a white van. His family adore Lady Babs and would do anything for her.

Chapter 9

Chief Superintendent (retired) Kathryn Stewart 55, worked for many years with Daniel Medcalf on county parole board

Chapter 10

Jimmy Johnson 51, is a key character but first mentioned inChapter 9 and puts in an appearance from Chapter 10 on

There are 6 threads running through, all female, Marina, Jessica, Patience, Sophie, Lauren and Lady Babs, all are refreshed through most chapters. There are twists and turns and dramatic events which I don’t think a reader will be too lost, events that seem coincidental will be resolved in the denouement.