Basically, the story is about a fifteen-year-old son of a wealthy plantation owner who took an axe to his hated step-mother and younger step-sister during the night. When he realizes what he's done, he flees and joins with the Army of Northern Virginia under an assumed name. The story explores his guilt, his motivation for committing the crime, and how he deals with all that while trying to keep below the radar and living the lie he's told his fellow soldiers. I want to say a war novel, as it's set in the American Civil War, but the focus is on the kid, not the war. Drama/Thriller? I mean, surely the police would be after him, no? And what if the other soldiers realized who he was and what he'd done? I doubt the kid would want to find that out... Horror? Well, it's not dealing with the paranormal, but the fact that his two victims were 48 and 7 respectively is pretty horrifying. We do see the flashbacks of the murder, etc. Thoughts?
Are you planning on following the investigation with the police for the murders? It could be classified a drama/crime thriller if you did that - you could focus on that side as well as what is happening with the MC. Are you planning on having him confess/get caught in the end?
Sounds like one of those German words that translates to coming-of-age and similar genres. *Looks it up.* So it would be of the bildungsroman genre; a youth's growth into adulthood. With, of course, horror and drama elements. EDIT: Bonus points if the little liar is friends with Bill Compton. =D
I guess drama sounds all right. If the murders (or anything) elicit an emotional reaction that includes some aspect of fear or dread(internets), you could use horror as a genre.
I think that is exactly what I should do. Odd numbered chapters focuses on the kid on the lam. Even numbered chapters focuses on the police hunting him down. I think to spicen things up, maybe he runs away after a battle? I mean, I don't want to do the boring "Oh, after heartfelt discussions with my fellow soldiers and ol' Robert E. Lee and staff, I seek redemption, so let me die valiantly or just stand there while the Union line rolls over me." Too boring, predictable and cliched. He fights the war for a bit, maybe the army passes a town and he overhears a conversation that talks about the murders and he wonders if one of the conversators noticed/recognized him. He books it. That would make things more interesting, don't ya think?? Hmmm...what should I call the book?
