Friday, February 12, 2016

The Sky's the Limit

Dragonfly, my YA urban fantasy romance - or paranormal romance, I guess - is finally on Amazon. It's been a long journey - from first draft to final novel - but at last, here it is! And it's something I'm proud of. What's it about?

Eighteen-year-old Joshua Miller is great at being invisible, despite the four, large, insect-like wings protruding from his back and his knack for high-rise robberies. He can remember almost nothing of his life before Nik found him and taught him his trade. Now he’s alone, and he likes it that way.

When Joshua unexpectedly meets Lexi on a job, his simple, uncomplicated existence shifts. Although he intends to remain uninvolved, something about her captivates him and he begins to let her in. As he navigates the strange nuances of a relationship with a girl as desperate to be different as he is to be ordinary, he becomes increasingly aware that he is not who he wants to be for her. 

Confronted by the past he’d forgotten and a family he didn’t know existed, Joshua must decide for himself where he belongs and who holds the key to his future.

What I like about this story is that I don't think it's your typical romance story, although for me, the romance of it was the essential catalyst in moving our character from being someone who exists to someone who is looking for meaning in life.

When I originally wrote this piece, I intended for the romance to be the the main focus. It was going to be about Joshua and Lexi; about how love has the power to overcome all obstacles. But as I wrote, I realized it wasn't really about love overcoming obstacles so much as it was about love having the power to change the way we look at the world and the way we look at ourselves. 

There's this verse in the Bible, that says "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." (1 Pet. 1:8 NIV). Or, as the Doctor says, "Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?" (Doctor Who, Dark Water). And for me, that's what is at the heart of the story. The idea that love - and not just romantic love - can make us see the world, and ourselves, differently. The idea that love can change us. 


And I believe it can. It's changed me, anyway.