The World I’d Like to Live In

A reader asked a question in a Facebook thread this morning, and it made me think I should explain myself on a few subjects.  

If you’re a fan of my writing, then you might have noticed that the Knights, Kings, and Conners are set in the early 2000s.  When I started writing Home Forever, I wrote it in the past timeframe because I was the same age as my characters at the time.  

In 2000, I turned 27.  I lived in a world without social media, where cell phones flipped open, and 80s music wasn’t considered the oldies yet. Looking back, life just seemed simpler.  

It’s become more complicated than ever 21 years later.  Everything a person says can be held against them - not just in the court of law but in the court of public opinion.  Because of that, I made a vow to myself that I’d try to keep all the things that give us stress out of my writing and social media presence.  

It’s a welcome respite from what’s going on in the real world.  

In my books, I don’t instantly reference a character’s skin color, and I’ve had readers ask about a character’s race after the fact. It wasn’t important enough for me to explain at length in the book because it’s not important to me in real life.  A good person is a good person, no matter what color they are, which religion they practice, or political party they support.  

When I develop my characters, I don’t always know for sure what they might look like in real life.  I know about their allergies, their preference for dogs or cats, their choice in footwear, and their favorite music before I know what color their skin might be.  

When I wrote Forever Family and then started Kale, I had no idea what race Terra was, and it didn’t matter.  She was locked away with only letters to connect her to the outside world and getting to know a man she’d never even considered dreaming about.  Lisa had insisted neither of them share what they look like because she knew the core of the people she loved was what mattered.  

I chose Terra’s description because of a picture I saw online.  I had plans to do my friend’s hair the coming weekend and was on Pinterest looking at hairstyles.  I wanted to try yarn braids rather than using regular hair because I thought they would weigh less and give her some wild color options.  (They did weigh less, and I gave her neon purple strands in each braid. She loved it!)  While I was looking at hair tutorials, I came across a picture of a beautiful African American woman with long, natural curls that my friend would absolutely envy.  

That nameless woman in a random photo became my Terra.  And race wasn’t a factor - it only mattered to me that she was a good person in a bad situation, searching for her soulmate.  

I firmly believe a good person may have done questionable things in their past, but they’re not defined by that.  The Time Served series shows that people who were incarcerated for whatever reason aren’t completely defined by the crime they committed and their time behind bars.  Some of them are just like me and you, trying to muddle through life and love and make their way in the world after they’ve paid the price for their poor choices.  

With the political and civil unrest swirling around us, it’s so nice to fall into a good book and lose myself in another world.  When I write my books, I’m not going to mention politics, religion, or any of the other stressors of the real world.  

I’m going to write about a world where the men are muscular, thoughtful, funny, and strong.  I’ll make the women sarcastic, hilarious, driven, and tough with a relatable feminine side.  They’re not going to stress about paying bills or dealing with a job that sucks the joy from their life.  

My characters live in a world where all the worries that hover over my head are non-existent.  I’ll bring their children into a world where they love their blood and chosen family and that includes almost every skin tone on the spectrum. They are loyal to each other regardless of their political beliefs or what they post on social media.  

I’m flawed just like everyone else, and so are my characters.  I wouldn’t be human if I was perfect, and I can’t write about people who are flawless either.  However, I can write about happily ever afters and kisses that curl a woman’s toes.  I can write about the house of my dreams and a group of friends who are more than family.  

I can write about what I’d like the world to be rather than what it is, and that brings me joy., I hope it does the same for you when you read my stories.  

As always, happy reading!  

Cee