Thursday, August 8, 2013

Dealing W Discipline on Smashwords & Characters

For you smashwords readers, you can now find Dealing with Discipline on there =)

So...

I won't lie... I like some of my characters better than others.  Who wouldn't?  Of course I like all of my heroes and heroines at least a little bit, but I have my favorites.

The Domestic Discipline series has been really interesting for me to write because I'm getting to work with such different characters, all coming from really different places.  

There's Eleanor, who is spoiled but with an underlying sweetness, she rebellious, smart, and willing to take a lot of risks even if she goes about it in odd ways.  I have to admit, I admire her spirit even when I want to shake her for not being able to see things the way I do.  From the very beginning I liked Edwin for her... she needs a strong male who will love her for who she is but be willing to take her hand when she needs it - without trying to break her.  He can be just as frustrating as she can, in his own way.

Irene is based off of me when I was younger, which means I feel like shaking her a lot of the time.  She's so innocent and naive, especially when it comes to her ideals of love and how much she lets people push her around.  Of course, with Hugh around she's starting to come into her own, but she's still got a lot of growing up to do.  I do love Hugh, although I felt a little bad for saddling him with Irene... she's got a lot of baggage that he wasn't aware of but he does really love her... and, well, that's what comes with arranged marriages!  Granted, I don't find Hugh as sexy as I do Edwin - even after he realizes how much fun spankings can be he's never going to do it just FOR fun the way Edwin does - but he's got his own place in my heart.

Alex... oh Alex.  He just keeps pushing everyone away - even me!  I'm still not entirely sure what his true feelings for Grace are.  Admittedly, I went into this series prepared to dislike Grace but she's getting under my skin and her back story is much more complex than I originally intended.  She's a creature of extremes - romantic and cynical, loving and vindictive; she can be cruel and competitive or loyal and kind as a friend.  I'm really looking forward to their book because both of them absolutely fascinate me and I think out of all of the characters they're going to have the most difficult struggle.

But my favorites, by far, are Cynthia and Wes.  I am so excited to finally be working on the third book, even though I'm not going to be focusing on it until I finish Stronghold.  I'm just excited to finally get there.  Cynthia has been, hands down, my favorite character as soon as I conceived this series and Wesley has moved to be right up there with her.  He needs a woman who is going to push him and keep him on his toes... and if you've read the teaser for Seduction by Spanking then you know that Cynthia is Trouble with a capital T (right here in River City! lol). I just adore her and I hated that she couldn't really be a part of the first two books other than the letters from the Countess of Spencer to her son, but I am so looking forward to bringing her out now!

Anyway, I posted the same teaser that's at the end of Dealing With Discipline on the Domestic Discipline Quartet's page... so you can check that out if you haven't read it yet =)  Otherwise... I'm now going to be turning my focus to Stronghold for a bit!  And for all you Stronghold fans I should have a blog coming out on that in a couple of days =)

Also... Chapter 12 of Marriage Training has been submitted.  Going by the comments on Ch. 11 it's probably going to disappoint some people.  Oh well.  I can't help it.  Things in the story have already been changed due to influence by reader comments, but I'm not going to change everything so I've just gotta go with the way that I want the story to go.

2 comments :

  1. Ahhhh!!! Noo!! I shouldn't have read the teaser for seduction by spanking until closer to when it will be released. Now I can't wait to get more of Cynthia's antics. I am only in the middle of dealing with discipline but I feel like i like each couple introduced more with each book. Honestly as hot as edwin and eleanor are, they drive me crazy because eleanor is so bratty and edwin is a bit too overbearing. But thats probably the feminist in me talking. It just made me so aggravated with edwin and the way he punished eleanor for being rude to alex when I dont think she was that out of line considering the way he is literally tormenting her best friend. It also seems contradictory how edwin seems to love eleanors fiery spirit but then tries to suppress that side of her too. I also probably reacted to that part of the story more since it seems like edwin judges grace's character because of her many exploits but doesnt seem to fault and even becomes fast friends with alex and so quickly at that. But im just stating my reaction and not saying that I dont enjoy the story or think the characters are flawed in anyway, afterall people in real life can be contradictory and all portray the characteristics mentioned above.

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    1. LOL well I'm glad you enjoyed the teaser =) And, as I said, Cynthia was always my favorite, in part because of some of the things you just said.

      Although, remember that back then it was perfectly acceptable to have mistresses but women weren't supposed to have lovers without the consent of their husbands and they definitely weren't supposed to before bearing the heir and a spare... which definitely colors how Edwin sees Grace. She's probably the most unrealistic character I've come up with since she's not completely shunned by the ton for her behavior... but I've got a few reasons for that as well =) Looking forward to playing more with her and Alex in the next book as well!

      Hope you enjoy the rest of Dealing With Discipline =)

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