Explaining My Difficulty with Explaining
I’ve been stewing on this blog post for quite some time. I’ve now decided to rip off the bandaid, throw it against the wall, and see what sticks. These questions are providing the fuel for this thoughtful and most likely, chaotic blog post:
Are you afraid of losing readers because your novel has a gay character? Are you worried of being banished or at least shunned by your fellow Catholics? Let me set the stage for those who have not yet read Redwood (and well, as the author, you know my position on this). Redwood is a gothic horror novel–pure and simple. It is the story of the MacKenna’s, an Irish-Catholic family that finds itself haunted and punished after the patriarch commits the most heinous of all mortal sins–murder. Historically set in northern California's wine country, Redwood brings you into the secrets of two generations of the MacKenna’s as a son returns home to carve out his legacy and finally come to terms with the unimaginable truth behind Redwood’s decay. The son, as referenced is Dara, he’s my hero. His lover Sean plays a supporting role, but he will figure more prominently in part two. As I wrote about in a previous blog post “Why is Dara Gay?” I needed to juxtapose Dara’s father’s mortal sin against a lesser perceived sin committed by his son in order to thread the theme of forgiveness throughout the novel. Keeping a secret is a sin to many, no matter what the secret is. As the author, I needed Dara to realize that the secret he holds so closely, his sexuality, is no where near the level of secrets his mother and father keep to themselves.
Again, I realize everyone holds differing opinions on the subject of sin. I chose to make the family’s faith an issue, therefore, Dara’s sexuality was the perfect puzzle piece. I needed Dara to struggle with his faith and the teachings of the Church. He needed to endure this struggle because he has no choice, but to turn to the Church to help him find a resolution to Autumn’s wrath.
So, to get back to question one:
Are you afraid of losing readers because your novel has a gay character?
Answer: No. I realize there will be some readers who will not be able to get past a gay character no matter what the character’s story is and that’s their choice. I naturally write about darker topics and so by writing horror-related stories I am already limiting myself to a certain readership. My main goal is to write an entertaining book with interesting characters that will make readers cheer, cringe, cry, and hopefully, fear the dark once in a while. I also naturally intertwine my faith into my stories, which leads me to the second question.
Are you worried about being banished or at least shunned by your fellow Catholics? Answer: No. I converted to the Catholic faith and that instantly places me along the edges of faith experiences. I’ve been to confession for a multitude of sins and I have a clear conscience. God has given me the gift of writing and I am humbled and honored. If I am to be judged by my writing, then I will seek His judgment, not that of my fellow human-beings.
Writing about the dark side of humanity weighs on my heart at times. I was physically ill after writing Autumn’s murder scene. I suppose I ease my conscience by including a faith aspect in my stories such as, God’s patience and willingness to step in if one has an open heart. Now, will I irritate some of my faithful brothers and sisters with Redwood? It’s quite possible. Will I be shunned by some of my fellow Catholics? It’s quite possible. Will I stop writing a certain way to please the opinions of others? No, I will not. As I reach the end of this blog post, I am not sure if it makes any sense. Maybe it is just an author’s attempt to explore thoughts, stories, and marketing. But, I needed to resolve these two questions, and if it helps others, provokes a discussion, or simply provides an interesting read, then I can rest soundly that I made the attempt to clarify a muddied topic.
