I
killed someone today... someone I loved.
It was harder than I thought it would be. I cried every time I revisited the
scene. Lost sleep thinking about
it. I can’t tell you who he was because
that would ruin the story. Oh, did I
mention the victim is a character in my novel?
You didn’t think…? Sorry, but I
am not a psychopathic murderer, just a writer.
So, why did it feel like a punch in the
gut to kill off one of my beloved characters?
I suppose it’s because I created all of my characters with painstaking
precision, each of them embodying a part of me, my psyche, even my spirit
perhaps. Creating my characters was like
giving birth, minus the torture of physical labor of course. Every character is me. To kill one, even a
villain, is like severing a limb. (Too much? Sorry, occupational hazard!)
I truly feel that each character has their own spirit who whispers their name to me. As I am writing, I can feel their spirits emerging
from the pages as I pound the keyboard to construct their appearance,
traits, thoughts, the words they speak, and every move they
make.
In my novel, “Apocalypse of Eden” the death of this spirit from my
imagination occurs, and it is a tragedy that still haunts me six months after
writing it. I didn't even see it coming. It was as much a shock to me as it will be to the readers! In fact, I had to orchestrate the deaths of a few characters in this thrilling Fantasy/SciFi series. The Apocalypse of Eden is an
action packed tale of courage and faith in the face of evil. The Garden of
Eden is reopened to humans as a safe haven when the battle for Earth might be
lost and humanity enslaved. It is a retelling of Creation and the
expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. This is the first in what will become an epic
series of novels. Experience, through the eyes of
heroine Kara Grey, a modernized paradise of Eden with its Utopian society
inhabited by fascinating species, immortals, demigods, angels, and filled with magical
wonders. Kara reflects on her life in a
video diary six years after being suddenly thrown into a quest for the
salvation of Earth against a legion of demons. These may be her last words as she prepares
to enter Hell to rescue the man she loves.
Spoiler alert! In my second novel, “The Love Makers”, I found it less traumatic to kill one character
in particular. The Love Makers spins the romantic tale of Love Makers Agency, the
brain child of Vivionne Wayne, inspired from her stalled career in Psychology. LMA is an underground organization that
operates under a theory based on the psychological condition called the
Stockholm Syndrome. This theory explains
why people, no matter how mismatched, fall in love after going through a
traumatic ordeal together. LMA simulates
dangerous and exciting adventures for their lovelorn clients, sparking many sizzling
hot romantic encounters. Their company
motto is: “Romance + Danger = Explosive
Passion! We make love happen for you!” But, the agents of LMA become entangled in
their own adventure when a dangerous predator turns the tables on them, forcing
Vivionne and Boris, best friends and business partners, to face their true
feelings for each other. The Love Makers is a fun romantic romp!
The psychology behind this phenomenon of a
writer grieving for a killed-off character as if experiencing an actual death is…
just kidding! Who cares! Maybe I’ll write a book about that someday. For now, let’s just say that it is just as heartbreaking and thrilling to
write dramatic death scenes, as it is to read them, end of story.
“The
Love Makers” will be available next month on Amazon and various outlets
under the name, Y.L. Cantrell.
Update (as of 5-7-2014):
I entered "The Love Makers" into the 2014 Amazon Novel Breakthrough Contest, but did not make it past the 2nd round. :( Booooooooo!!!!!
"The Love Makers" eBook and paperback is available for purchase online everywhere, including right here on my blog (look for the PayPal button in the right column above the book trailer video).
