Opinions and Comments Sought

              I have a question about flashbacks. Some time back I read a thread on Twitter that discussed the topic and up until then, I hadn't really thought about it. Some had no problem with it, some weren't fans. I read Spark by Posy Roberts last year and thought the use of flashbacks was quite effective.

             When I originally wrote Headphones I used flashbacks rather liberally since each day of the story was meant to represent that day and it felt like a way to stay within that format and yet give the readers enough background to understand the characters. Now that I'm doing the rewrite (finally!) I'm wondering how to fit them in. I'm inclined to leave them; otherwise, I'm afraid there will be too much narrative and quite often, the information is for the reader, not for the other characters. 

              For example, when Headphones asks Mick if he and Joey had been lovers, his answer is short. Basically, he tells her no, that they had been more like brothers. It's not completely true, and he thinks about it but doesn't say it to her. Instead of doing an 'inner monologue' I did a flashback. 

            The party had gotten out of hand, but that had become normal whenever Joey was involved. It was 1999 and if you could believe the tabloids, the world was going to end soon, and that was a good enough excuse for Joey, as if he ever really needed one. “This is it, mate! Going out with a bang!” he had laughed as he rubbed his whizz-covered finger over his gums, and then smiled like a maniac, his eyes lighting up as the drugs hit his system.

            Micky had shaken his head sideways at Joey’s antics, but took the offered bag of powder and stuck his finger in. He wasn’t as big a fan of speed as his best friend was; he usually preferred the giggly lightness that he got from pot, but it was Joey’s birthday, after all. The night had swirled out of control after that. The party grew as the night slid by, countless old and new-found friends somehow crowded into their suite, churning to the music, pressing their bodies together and making silent promises for the early morning hours.

           At some point during the night, a cake had appeared. Micky didn’t remember eating any of it, but parts of his body were sticky with crumbs and what he suspicioned was more than just icing. He should have felt bad that he couldn’t put a face with the activity, but he sincerely hoped it had been one of the females draped across the bed as he chose to ignore the icing spread across Joey’s face, simply because by the shambles of the room, it appeared that very little had made it onto plates. It was bad enough that his face felt tight and he wiped crumbs from around his mouth, sweetness flooding across his tongue as he licked his lips. Joey had awakened then and stretched like a cat, unaware of his nakedness and morning wood, or simply uncaring. 

            “Gore, my head!” he'd said but smiled at the same time. “Cheers, mate. That was genius!”

            Micky had found a pair of pants by then and pulled them on, not caring who they belonged to. He hoped no one was bunked out in the bathroom. He really needed a slash and a shower. Hopefully, hot steam would clear his sinuses. He'd been afraid if he snuffled he’d get a kick from any residual powder still lurking in his nostrils. It had happened before and he didn’t really feel up to it right at the moment, although it might have cured his headache. “Surprised we’re both still alive.”

            Joey had laughed as he turned over on his side and reached for the nearest body, running his hand over her ass and between her thighs, which had elicited a small moan and giggle from her. She rolled off her stomach, pressing her full butt against his erection. “Micky, love, don’t ‘cha know we’re going to live forever?” 

         Hmm, maybe I just answered my own question. I think I should leave them in, italics and all, even though I read one Publisher's specs and they specified no italics. Considered I'll probably self-publish if this is actually going to ever see the light of day, I guess I need not worry!

          Opinions and comments, please!