Character PerspectiveA beta who is helping me with my editing- Cherra- brought this to my attention. I thought I’d give some insight into the way I write. Writing a series when it is the same lead character is easier on the reader and the writer. I, however, love the twisted world of writing each book as a new character. This leads to some confusion for the reader. I want readers to reread my work. I want them to get their money’s worth out of me. I pepper my writing with clues and Easter eggs. Those who know my voice can pick some of it up clearly. Other times it’s so subtle that on the reread you will yell, “AH-HA!” That is what I want from my readers. I want to surprise them and shock them. I want to leave them hungry for more. I want them to reread my story.
This is an issue for the reader though, especially in the beginning of a series. I started this series thinking I would write a fun, flirty novella. It turned into a dark and twisted novel with a punch of humor to lighten the premise. As I wrote Unleashed an opportunity presented its self for me to write each additional book from a different character’s perspective. I chose Dexter as the nexus to all the characters. We knew him and his book helps us stay connected to all the characters we fell in love with during Katya’s books. I follow Dexter up with Dalton. I chose him because he is the nexus to the rest of the cast of characters. I feel that Dexter didn’t get a full length book because I used him to keep us in connection with the side characters and introduce a few more. He is perfect for this though since we know him so well from Book 1&2. This is where Cherra’s statements come into play. Dexter seems stronger in 1&2 than he did in his own book. Perspective. This was Katya’s view on Dexter before she knew him. Also, we don’t walk around and think internal thoughts about ourselves- “I’m a badass sadist- run!” Her next statement was that Ezra also seems weaker in his Masterdom. When Katya met Ezra she didn’t know him. She was slightly afraid of him. As she fell hard for him we heard her thoughts on him. Now we are on Dexter and Dalton- obviously they do not LOVE Ezra so their thoughts are different. It’s all about the perspective of the characters. This presents another challenge. The Point of View Character can only know what he knows. He only sees things as he sees them. He can only interact with the characters in his circle. Dexter has strong ties to the “gang” from the Katya Waters books, so expect a lot of face time with these characters. Dalton doesn’t know them. He brings forth a different view with different characters. Another issue is that people lie to each other and lie to themselves. Cherra questioned a few of the character’s motives. My only response to this is simply: we can’t know what we don’t see. My character’s aren’t one dimensional nor are they omnificent. But this does offer an opportunity to see things from everyone’s point of view. This is why a reread is important. I want my readers to know that I did not jump the shark. Your characters’ personalities are set in stone. I know them better than anyone else- I created them. They live in my imagination. So from say, Dexter’s prospective he hears or sees something you have to have faith in me. Know your characters. Know that I wrote them the way they should be. & when you finally delve into their thoughts it will become clear. A story is about mystery, suspense, love and lust. I want surprises. I want to be shocked. I do not want to be predictable. Have faith in me and reread when it’s complete. I am their puppet master and it’s a heady feeling. I thank Cherra for asking me questions and making statements. It allows me to explore my reasoning and express it. I want readers to know a bit about my characters. Here is some of their core personality traits and they NEVER will deviate from these. Katya: Strong willed, fun, and compassionate. Ezra: Controlled and never controlled by others. Have faith. Cortez: Jealous, snarky, and loyal. Marcus: Needs to control. Domineering. Family comes first. A glimpse into our new Masters: Dexter: Sees his sadism as a gift for a true masochist. Romantic and longs for a family. Dalton: Dark, tortured, emo who is coming to terms with his true self. |
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October 2023
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