It’s strange when I remember that Valerie wasn’t supposed to be the first in a series. The way the initial draft of that novel went, there was no way I could take it forward. If you ever want to know exactly how it first ended in my mind, buy me a flat white and pull up a chair sometime. However, it’s safe to say there wouldn’t have been any room for a second novel, especially one called Amy.
Without spoiling Valerie for anyone who hasn’t read it yet, it’s a novel about a flawed character. Even though she’s the focal point, she doesn’t share her point of view with the reader, and we see her actions through those she affects most. For me, that was one of the joys of writing the book, because it leaves Max and Amy waiting, just like the reader is, to see which way Valerie’s going to swing next. That’s the beauty of unpredictable characters, although I’m still not sure I’d like to encounter someone like her in person!
Every draft of every novel teaches you something as a writer. I think what Valerie taught me is that the layers of relationships insist on being revealed at their own pace, and that process increases in complexity when you have several main characters and various smaller ones.
The main relationships in Valerie are:
- Valerie and Max
- Valerie and Amy
- Max and Amy
Beyond that, though, there are some pivotal relationships which impact the novel’s events:
- Max and Drew (her friend and business partner)
- Amy and Clarice (her grandmother)
- Amy and Ed (her love interest)
- Valerie and John (her colleague)
Once you throw all those into the mix, the complexity tips up a notch. Managing those relationships as a writer can just be a case of facilitation. Forget being the puppet master, I was more the weary aide with a laptop running alongside them and trying not to fall over.
I have vivid memories of writing and editing Valerie. I also have vivid memories of the period just prior to its release when I was driving my wife around the twist and wondering whether readers would find Valerie as fascinating as I do.
Now, here I am two years later about to release Amy and, yes, I have the same butterflies. But doesn’t every author?
