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.
