Dear Jeannie,
Dahlia has spent her young life focused on escaping the mining outpost where her family lives so she can get an education and spend more time with fewer aliens (sci-fi alert). She was taken over by a parasite who hijacks her body and dominates her words and actions, even to the point of forcing her to commit crimes. She is eventually rescued from her attacker/parasite, but she spends the next several books coping with the rape-like trauma. I'm concerned about her relationships post-rescue. She formed some friendships while the entity had her, and I'm not sure how she's going to interact with them in the aftermath. Distancing herself? Codependency? Promiscuity and/or social marathons (this would be extremely out of character for the old Dahlia)?
Whiplashed in Space
Dear Whiplashed,
This makes me think of The Host somewhat. Having your body taken over by something else would probably have some traumatic symptomology not unlike PTSD, yet Stephenie Meyer doesn't address this at all. Her heroine is just peachy when the alien is taken out. But for your book, the biggest question is should she be fully aware or not when she's "not herself." If she's not fully aware (i.e., dissociated), then she wouldn't even know who the friends are she made while the parasite had her. I think there's more tension if she is aware, because then she'll have to deal with more angst afterward, having been privy to everything she was "forced" to do. I think she'd stay away from these friends, given that the Dahlia they knew isn't who she is. Even more so, they would remind her of this traumatic period in her life that she's trying to move on from. Not sure how to answer your promiscuity question...was she promiscuous with the friends? At any rate, people who have experienced trauma generally try to avoid anything that could connect them with that trauma. Hope this helps!
Dear Jeannie,
Conner and Sierra are from the same world. Conner was sent to Earth as a baby by his father in an effort to save his life. He grew up as an orphan and has always felt like an outcast, especially when he develops powers he can't control. Sierra is developing her skills as a Light Mage in Conner's old world. She's told she needs
to summon a Guardian Spirit to help protect and defend her.
Inexperienced, she inadvertently summons Conner from Earth. Since Conner is used to being on his own and not growing close to others (mainly from fear of abandonment and being used by those he came to
trust), how would Conner react to suddenly being thrust into this new
world where he is magically bound to protect this girl he doesn’t know?
And would it make sense that Conner grows close to Sierra and comes to
realize he loves her, or would he be distant to her for fear of her
abandoning or using him?
Muddled in Missouri
I like this plot line...reminiscent of Emma's story in Once Upon A Time. Conner has grown up extremely distrustful of others. Most system kids are, whether orphaned or fostered. Adults are synonymous with unsafe and untrustworthy. The only thing Sierra would have going for her is that she's his age. You didn't mention whether Sierra's father was in the picture, but it's also in her favor (and by that, I mean Conner won't be turned off by her) that she's somewhat orphaned as well. This will make them kindred spirits underneath all the awkwardness and confusion about mages summoning mages and being bound to protect her, something no one did for Conner (that he can remember). He's going to be resistant, resentful, and fearful, though he'd never admit it to anyone. But yes, love can develop amidst the most extreme circumstances, so that shouldn't be a problem. But let them get to it slowly. Thanks for writing in!
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Anonymous · 598 weeks ago
That does help. Part of the trouble with her post-heist recovery is how aware she was during the trauma. Decisions made out of spite, having to confirm or deny every word or action over a six-month period--multiple times, depending on various interested parties. The promiscuity problem is that, when she first arrived at her new school, she distanced herself from her only fellow colonist and befriended a weird outcast. (She's a little antisocial to begin with...) She had romantic hopes for the weird guy, but the parasite did a lot of sabotage there, and in the aftermath this outcast is one of the few people willing to fight for Dahlia's innocence. Not sure how she'd respond to that... :/
jeanniecampbell 76p · 598 weeks ago
Anonymous · 598 weeks ago
I think I've raised a bully! Rian is a stubborn girl with an outlandish goal (of becoming a warrior among her people). When her parents sensibly downplayed this--or ignored it--she dug in her heels and lashed out against other children. Especially children who "got" the training she wanted. Even as she grows older and learns to curb some of her temper, she doesn't seem to care about others. Some consistent core adjectives are selfish, angry, argumentative, and violent. She's the oldest of several girls, and I have one sister and one friend willing fight against her, though her influence on the rest of her siblings is disruptive. But she resists change in herself as much as in her circumstances. Just because she has been mean during most of her childhood, that doesn't mean she has to stay this mean, does it? As a writer (using parents, teachers, friends, enemies, etc.), what can I do to end her bullying ways?
Frustrated in Finley
Anonymous · 598 weeks ago
Fiona is an organized, disciplined ENTJ who has been governing her family and managing politics behind her allies and enemies' backs for years. Her story starts when she is forced to marry the leader of the family responsible for her brother's death. This leader, Liam, is a loud, messy ESFP whose open-handed laissez-faire approach to his rule depends on the affection and good intentions of his people. Liam and Fiona don't hit it off, to say the least. There's a lot of room for conflict here, it seems, but where are they going to find common ground or mutual respect??
Anonymous · 597 weeks ago
How close is too close? I have twin sisters with...issues. I'd like them to be realistic, and I think they're more fictional than factual. Mona is a pyromaniac with an unreasonable fear of pain. Very emotional, very attached to her sister, has trouble forming relationships without her (including romantic ones). Anna, in contrast, is a closet sociopath. She loves controlling people and circumstances around her, and doesn't generally care about consequences. Her favored puppet is her sister, for whom she will sometimes consider the outcome of an action. Because one is emotional and the other is logical, the sisters have a tacit belief that they are a split soul. Is this too much dysfunction in one relationship?
Overanalyzed in Orlando
Anonymous · 597 weeks ago
Postscript for Overanalyzed, in case it's necessary. These twins live in a pre-industrial culture where they've never been treated for any disorders. They spent most of their childhood dodging responsibility and traveling with entertainers in order to vent some of their idiosyncrasies. Now adults, they are expected to fulfill betrothal contracts and manage their people and lands. But there always seems to be one more bridge to burn...
PS from Orlando
Anonymous · 597 weeks ago
Gerald, the boy who would be king, is a young man who has always believed in the power of belief. A sensible outlook, given that he lives in a fantasy world where words spoken aloud alter the fabric of reality, but this perspective doesn't help when he becomes convinced that he is a dragon. He spends several years in the wilderness, hoarding shiny "treasure", trying to burn people/things with his breath, and lashing out with his imaginary tail when provoked. During this time, if friends or family stay with him 24/7, he will settle down some and even mimic human behavior, but he relapses without the constant contact. I know there's a word for this sort of disorder (related to lycanthropy, kind of like what King Nebuchadnezzar went through), but my research keeps getting swallowed by werewolf fiction. Also, how will he remember this time when he recovers? Is it realistic (?!?!) for him to be restored to his former beliefs and philosophical stances, or is his lunacy in the wilderness going to stain his thought processes?
Stir-crazy in Carolina