Showing posts with label Vampire Kiss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vampire Kiss. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Trigger Warnings, i.e. DIscussing 'That' Scene from Jovienne, again

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HALLOWEEN is coming (squee!!!!!) so I thought I'd offer a fun drink suggestion in this week's post.

http://www.momnoms.net/blog/vampires-kiss

VAMPIRE KISS

8 oz. blackberries
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
Ice
4 shots of rum
Splash of Sprite



DIRECTIONS
1. In a small sauce pan simmer blackberries, lemons, brown sugar, and water over medium high heat for 10-15 minutes.
2. Use a colander to strain out the blackberries
3. Put juice into a metal cocktail shaker, add ice, and rum.
4. Shake for about 20 seconds
5. Pour glasses 3/4 full and then add a splash of Sprite to each drink

I know what you're thinking, "...sounds good but that's too much work for a drink." But I'll be trying it before the holiday.


On to the topic...
Trigger Warnings: When Subject Matter is Controversial

I've struggled with whether or not my latest novel, Jovienne (Immanence Series, #1) should have a trigger warning.

On one hand, there is a rape scene. Flat out, it's easy to say, yes it needs a trigger warning. I've tried to put the word out there by blogging about it, posting and tweeting.
On the other hand, before that scene arises, I established these four things in the text: 
1.) all demons needed to feed on energy soon after they arrived in this world
2.) they fed two ways:
       a.) by killing and partaking of the death energy
or 
       b.) by a sexual exchange 

3.) if a specific type of demon physically touched a human for an extended time, they could pull images and thoughts from that person's mind
4.) those specific demons could shape shift

When I wrote the scenes for Jovienne's test, I didn't originally have a plan for getting her out of it alive. It wasn't a planned novel, but more of a short story exercise for me so I wasn't invested in making her live through it, as I was exploring what would happen if I tried to kill that character. How hard would she fight to finish her story?


I'd also established that her family was dead and that her father had been a hostile, brooding, bullying, belittling, tantrum of a man. She hated him. He gave her no kindness and allowed her no happiness. 
As an author, having her face him --or rather one of those specific shifting demon's wearing his face-- was the worst thing I could do to her. But that demon gained a position of power over her. Having the demon attempt what evil was already established as it's prerogative and do that horrific deed as her father... it certainly seemed a demonic act to me.
So yes, I pushed hard and I did so on purpose. It was not ever my intention to trigger anyone, so I have put the word out as best I know how.

I can hear you asking, "Why not cut the scene, then?"

Because her reaction and subsequent actions establish her character so strongly, so unrepentantly, that I could not do her the disservice of removing it. I accept that hers is not a journey everyone will want to read, but I must say that, for me, it has been an inspiration to write.