“Without a Master, there is no
love for me.”
Those words belong to one Cassidy
“Cas” Dawn Hope, one of the many supporting characters in Juliet. This week I wanted to give you a more personal glimpse into
them and why I feel they are so integral to the story.
I know it may seem odd to talk
about the main characters, Iris and Sal first as I have in the previous two weeks. Why
not wait and build up suspense to them? Because the simple truth for me is the heart of
Juliet is just as much about the supporting roles as the mains.
When
I began drafting Juliet, I knew that
there would be supporting characters as well as those even lesser known extras
sprinkled in, what surprised me so was not only the quantity of them that
showed up to the party but also the stories they had to tell. Before I knew it,
they were all vying for a coveted spot on the page.
Because
of that driving need I have to watch those supporting characters stories come
alive, I decided about half way through Juliet that it would be a collection, a
series of books all with the same characters. The books would all relate back
to Iris and Sal but with the additional tales of the supporting cast thrown in.
Of course, in some ways this graduates them to also holding somewhat of a main
character role.
It
is my hope that I have chosen to focus on those supporting characters which you
Dear Reader, also have found most intriguing. However, I am always open to
hearing your pleas for whose story you want to hear.
In
addition to Iris and Sal in Juliet, I also focus quite a bit on Anna, Mierne,
Serene, and Jack. I adore the scenes with Anna and Sal, they have truly warmed
my heart. In part, because it goes against the norm and it is a point of
controversy. But I think the relationship is worth examining, and I am brazen
enough to do it. People are people, love is love. And never has that been truer
than in the story of Sal and Anna. I love going against the grain, questioning
what is possible, and you can come to expect that from me. There is no
relationship dynamic I won’t examine. In that department, I am fearless because
I do this for you. If I can make someone think or feel something in my art of
writing, then my dream is complete. To examine diverse relationships, to
understand that not everything is black, white, or even gray. Thinking outside
of the box of what is comfortable. And it just so happens that my platform in
doing this is in writing erotic fiction with themes of BDSM.
That
said though, I hate being pidgeon-holed into a “genre”. Yes, it’s erotica. Yes,
it’s BDSM. But there is also some mystery, suspense, thrill, and romance. So while
I do have to tag it a certain way, I do not like it because it’s more than
smut. And while I am on my soapbox, I’ll also say I do not have a set word
count. I can promise you, I will give you your money’s worth to entertain you
for X-amount of hours. My books – even the short story “Scenes” are over 30k.
And I could almost guarantee every book will come in over 100k words.
Long-winded? Maybe. But the one thing I hate as a reader, is not feeling like I
had enough time with the characters. I personally enjoy settling into a long
book, getting to know those I’m reading about. If you don’t like it long, don’t
buy my book. But please, don’t ask me to shorten them because I can’t.
Being
self-published has also given me the freedom to publish when I want without
deadlines looming. I am not going to paint a picture for you in X-amount of
time just to get it out to you to make a buck. It’s done when it’s done in my
mind. And I will hit the publish button when I feel I am done crafting a tale
that I think you will enjoy. I am working on the second book (it’s about a
third complete) - which in my mind will always be the first book as Juliet is
the precursor to the series, essentially making it book zero – being done by
the fall 2015. But real life happens, shit falls apart, and delays do occur.
But sometimes, things go right. And it may came in a flood and be out early.
And for that reason alone, I cannot give you a set release date. The story
comes in a series of flashes, and many times I do not even know what’s going to
happen. So I apologize for my lack of release dates, but I assure you, unless I
go on a far-off journey aka, “death”, there will be more books with these
characters because I simply love them.
Some
of my favorite parts of Juliet are all of the “girl crew” scenes with Iris, Cas,
Nina, Zoe, and Jessica. There is such strife between women, even in the closest
of friendships and I wanted to take a look at that. I think the women’s
bathroom is quite literally one of the most dangerous places in the world. We
are not bro’s or homies or even sisters, most times we are arch rivals and
bitter enemies, and I think the lack of support amongst women is a serious
problem. We do not generally bond together the same way in which males do and
to put that undercurrent of tension between them was an important facet of Iris’
story. She had never experienced having “girlfriends” before as Peyton was her
only friend. And yes, Peyton is gay. And before you ask, I am working on the Peyton and Kyle short
story. Mostly because I want to challenge myself to write their story and pray I do it justice.
Sal
is an ass at times, I know. He’s supposed to be. It’s part of his growth arch
which is fundamental to making him who he is. And as we delve further into his
personal story, I think much of his behavior will be explained. Iris on the other
hand is chaotic. Sometimes she has a fragility about her and then when you
least expect it she has the biggest balls in the room. I hope you enjoy reading
them as much as I have loved writing them.
So
when will it be out? I am putting finishing touches on The Initiation, Scenes from Juliet now and they could release any
day now. And then you can find both Juliet
and The Initiation at various online
markets.
I
realize this post was a bit scatterbrained, but I wanted to provide you with
some insight into the supporting roles as well as some of my thoughts on
writing. Thank you for taking the time to read me.
With
love & light.
Enjoy
the ride,
k
