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Ep 82 - Author Chat
🕑 Added 2021-10-24 05:51:38 +0000 UTCI thought this whooper of a plot twist calls for a separate author-chat/discussion post.
First off, thank you guys for your thoughtful insights and comments. I appreciate them all - both the nuanced perspectives, and the resounding "HELL NAH"s lol 🖤 Here are some of my thoughts.
This was definitely was one of the harder episodes I've had to write, knowing full well that I run the risk of alienating a long-beloved character from readers (maybe forever, lol), especially if executed wrongly. This has been the ticking time bomb in the story that I've been dreading for the entire season now, and it's been a long time coming, y'all.
And this has been a story-writing decision I've had to think through, repeatedly, this entire time.
Although I have the option to exercise my creative license as a writer and to bank on my audience's willingness for some suspension of disbelief (because (unironically) it's fiction afterall), ultimately, I feel a sense of duty and obligation to present the other side of the coin to readers. The cold hard truth is ugly - and even then, I'm already presenting a very sanitised version of it (because I still need a job, lol).
For people like Tora who've had a traumatic past and upbringing, we have some serious inner demons to contend with. And it's completely understandable for many romantic partners that this is where the line is drawn; and yes, you should ABSOLUTELY head for the hills if you meet someone like Tora in real life, at the first sign of a red flag. It was never my intention for this to be "educational" material (other more experienced and seasoned authors would undoubtedly handle these themes and topics with more finesse and expertise, and honestly all I wanna do is just draw a stupid romance comic, lol). But, for better or worse, this is also a good chance to clue the readers in - that if you meet someone like Tora, this could potentially happen. So no ragrets whatsoever.
However, I also strongly believe from personal experience that changes for the better can, and do happen. Even when faced with some very serious relationship issues, there is a still chance of success and of making the relationship work with the right understanding, action, open communication, love, determination, willingness to change for the better, and the couple working together as a team to overcome obstacles - and THIS is the premise of this story.
If you've read up till this episode and are feeling majorly letdown and disappointed, I hope it gives you some encouragement. This is a 100% intentionally written character and relationship arc, and is in fact one of the major obstacles in the story that our protagonists need to overcome.
Whether or not I can successfully see it through to the end in a way that's satisfactory and believable is a whole other matter, so we shall see, lol.
Thanks for reading and as always, your thoughts are always welcome and appreciate and are like food to my brain. In fact, let's open a discussion! Leave them in the comments below 🖤
Comments
Honestly, Tora and Poppy are a more extreme version of me and my guy. He's got temper issues and just didn't really have any support or guidance growing up. I shut down when stressed then cry later, had support as a kid, but not stability. We were both teased relentlessly in school and are both very stubborn and sensitive with trust issues and fierce independent streaks. It's taken alot of patience, time, and talking, but 9 years later we're still growing together, and we just get better every year. There's been a ton of growth on both sides and at this point we've learned to trust in and rely on eachother. It's been very very hard at times, but under all the crap, we balance eachother out. The funny thing, too is that, on our first date, I saw him and in that moment it felt like I had already known him forever, then was pretty much silent the whole time. He couldn't stop talking and was having problems looking me in the eyes.🤣 For those that believe in astrology, he's an Aquarius/Virgo, and I'm an Aquarius/Capricorn. 🤪🤣😅 I have faith that Tora and Poppy will work it out. It won't be a smooth road by any means, but they have the potential. She knows he's in the mafia, and enough hints have been dropped that she's picked up on him not having a the best past, but doesn't know the full extent of the trauma. He knows she's been through shit with her ass of an ex, and possibly something more complex. They can relate to eachother in how they both shut down to cope, the difference is how they express it. He gets very cold and she gets almost apathetic. They're both terrified in their attraction and we've already seen a willingness to work on their problems willingly. Boundaries will need to be created, talks to be had, and patience and empathy will be sorely needed, but together I think they can survive whatever shitshow is coming, then come out stronger on the other side. It will be amazing if they stay together, but very understandable if they decide it's all too much. I can't wait to see how it all turns out!
Not everything in life can be roses and butterflies…. It makes more sense for things like this to happen at some point as they get closer and let their guard down. No one like Tora can have absolutely charming, loving days everyday… this episode actually made things more realistic (believable 🧐 maybe) than an abused, killer that is totally even and ‘normal’ when he’s off of ‘work’. Thank you for being brilliant and so creative to make this story!
