December 12, 1962 - December 12, 2012

In the fictional world of Divergent Lives, RJ and Adina were born on December 12, 1962 in the middle of a snowstorm.

Today is December 12, 2012. It would have been their 50th birthday. People often have big galas to celebrate this milestone. They never will.

So in their honor, I decided to officially launch my story on this nite and celebrate in their stead.

I hold in my hand a glass of Chardonnay -- Adina's favorite wine.

I say "Hear! Hear! Happy birthday Adina!! Happy birthday RJ!! May you both live long lives in our imaginations!"

A toast!

I took a survey where I asked readers what they felt while reading the first chapter. Respondents mostly felt sorry for Adina and blamed Tommy.

Let's see how tomorrow goes!

~~ML

Divergent Lives and 12/12/12

Well, folks, we're just a few hours away from the OFFICIAL release of Divergent Lives and I'm feeling all sorts of feelings.

Anxiety.  

Yea, I'm anxious. I'm anxious to share my baby with you. It was a lot of work; I even got stuck for a bit when all the characters began to speak to me at the same time. The noise was relentless!

Then, over the summer, I had surgery and I thought that would be a good time to get things done since I would be immobile. Hah!  The first six weeks after my surgery were spent either at the hospital or at the rehab center and then when I was released and went home, I spent 95% of the time on percocet. Unlike some writers, my imagination hibernates when I am not clear headed. I don't know what that says about me ... I'll let you be the judge.

Once I was able to get around with a walker, I only took medication right before physical therapy but then I developed insomnia and that's when my characters really took over. There are sections of the story I don't fully recall writing and in discussions over the phone and via email/text with my editor, Andi Reis, I could tell she was surprised when I told her that.

In any case, Divergent Lives is out and I am so pleased. I know this is a dark story with some pretty shocking turns, but, trust me, I toed the line. I learned so much during this process and I'm so very proud of this story that was borne of an exchange during a conversation I overheard as a child about a twin dying in utero.

I thought about that conversation for many years. It's amazing how a young child can be affected by it's environment. That is the running theme in my story and I hope you see that.

Now Divergent Lives will soon be out in the universe. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you share your thoughts on the story.

Happy reading!!

~~ML

Supporting Characters Mason and Claudia Jones and "God"

I've been writing about the psychological make ups of my characters in my upcoming novel "Divergent Lives."

We've analyzed the two main characters' profiles: Adina's as well as RJ's. You can see how the events they have no control over have occurred in their lives shaping who they are.

The same goes for both sets of parents. We've looked at Adina's parents Cruzita and Jesus Rosario here as well as RJ's adoptive parents here.

Today I want to talk a little bit about the supporting characters: Mason and Claudia Jones and "God."

First let's talk about Mason and Claudia Jones. Mason is Tommy's boyhood friend. He is, in effect, Tommy's brother. They grew up together in East Harlem with Tommy being taken in by Mason's family after his parents died tragically in a car accident. Mason is now a New York City homicide detective who feels a deep and abiding love for his "brother" and a sense of responsibility for him. When Tommy arrives at Adina's apartment and finds that she has been murdered, Mason is the first person he calls. Later, Mason arrives at the scene of the crime and is devastated by what he sees. He ultimately puts the pieces together to figure out what happened but not before another tragedy takes place.

His wife Claudia is brash and controlling. Though her role in the story is much smaller, she is somewhat of a diva who can't keep her nose out of Tommy's business under the ruse of the love she has for him. She constantly teases him about his love life. When Tommy finally brings Adina around to meet the Joneses, she has no problem letting Adina know how she feels about her. Adina, being the sociopath that she is, could care less and dismisses Claudia's concerns by moving on to something else during their conversation.

All of the above notwithstanding, both Mason and Claudia have a deep affection for Tommy and only want to see that he is happy. The problem is that Claudia thinks only she can judge who can make Tommy happy; who he should love. 

Now, "God" is another story. "God" is a creature that RJ encounters when he leaves home (Lebanon, Pennsylvania) for New York City and takes up residence there with his new companion. This is where he becomes the proprietor of a popular Riverdale neighborhood restaurant he quickly renames "Rhys' Pieces."

When Rhys/RJ isn't working or finding victims, "God" is his trusted companion. On occasion, Rhys/RJ will bring someone home and when that person makes a negative comment about "God", it raises Rhys/RJ's ire. This is one of the things that sets him off because "God" is his most prized companion; one he rewards after almost every kill.

Everyone in this story has an issue, including the two protagonists, that shapes the lives of everyone around them.

Above all, this story is nothing but a tangled mess of lies (by omission) and deceit where innocents pay with their lives.

Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832)

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!" Sir Walter Scott, Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17; Scottish author & novelist

~~ML

Author Minnie Lahongrais on Conversations LIVE 10/19 by middayconversations | Blog Talk Radio

Last Friday, I was a guest on Cyrus Webb's Blogtalk Radio show Midday Conversations Live to launch promotion for my sophomore novel "Divergent Lives."  We talked about my journey as a writer and announced a contest.

If you missed the live broadcast there is still a chance to win. Click here ---> Author Minnie Lahongrais on Conversations LIVE 10/19 by middayconversations | Blog Talk Radio and take a listen. The contest ends on Halloween so there is still time to enter for a chance to win a $25 American Express Gift check.

All you have to do is listen for the secret phrase. When you hear it send me a direct message at my author page with the phrase and you will be automatically entered. On Halloween, one name will be chosen as the winner and an announcement will be made on my page.

Good luck and thank you all for your support!

~~ML

Parent Profiles: James Ezekiel and Margaret Preston

In my last post on parent profiles, I talked about the people who raised Adina, Jesus and Cruzita Rosario. Today, I want to focus on James Ezekiel (James from here on in) and Margaret Preston, the people who raised Rhys John or RJ.

The Prestons live in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. James Ezekiel Preston is the third generation pastor of a Baptist church in this small town. His father before him, Pastor Adam Preston, was a promiscuous man who died as the result of a sexually transmitted disease. Some some would say he died of shame as well. The disease went untreated because he believed that it was his penance for having offended God. He believed he had been smited by the Almighty for having committed a mortal sin.

Margaret Preston nee Brown is a former prostitute who has been rescued by a young Pastor James when he was alerted about her being held captive by an unknown man. The former prostitute and Pastor later married.

To the outside world, Pastor James was a benevolent, god-fearing man, but behind closed doors, it was a different matter altogether. He was verbally, physically and emotionally abusive to his wife, and as his son got older he began to do the same to him.

In the beginning of their marriage, Margaret was blindly in love with her husband. She saw him as her guardian angel. In her mind, he offered her a seemingly more stable lifestyle as well as prominence in her new community. But he maintained an attitude of superiority and belittled her throughout their marriage. Because she had nowhere to go, Margaret tolerated his tirades and tried to make the best of a bad situation mostly because of the love she had for the son they adopted together. Besides, this was still better than the life she left behind.

As you know, RJ was born with a physical deformity and as he grew older, the pastor became more and more abusive toward him. He called his son names and messed with his emotional stability. Seeing this, Margaret made it her business to step in and try to deflect the negative attention the pastor paid his son. The older RJ got, the worse it got and he had to find a way to release his rage. He couldn't strike back at his father because he knew that if he did, the consequences would be unbearable for not only him, but for his mother as well if he wasn't successful and he couldn't have that.

Margaret soon became aware of the power of her son's rage when it erupted and she tried to help him deal with it in unconventional ways. They would take camping trips together and she would teach him how to be patient and cover his tracks when hunting. She also tried in vain to teach him how to tamp down his feelings.

The problem is that RJ learned some of his hunting lessons all too well. One day, he went too far and she finally knew what her son really was, but she did nothing but accept it. Eventually, the power of her son's rage hit home and it was up to Margaret to support him. We all know there isn't anything a mother wouldn't do to protect her child.

Both sets of parents in this story have their own unique issues to contend with. What I tried to show here with these sets of parents is how those issues can influence and affect children they are raising.

My question is this: Was there ever any hope for either one of these children? Did they stand a chance at normalcy?

You be the judge.

Up next: Supporting Characters: Mason and Claudia Jones and "God"

~~ML

Parent Profiles: Jesus and Cruzita Rosario

As long as I could remember, I've always had this fascination with the mind of a serial killer or more aptly, the mind of a sociopath. Is it (human) nature or is it the environment (nurture) in which the killer was raised? I actually remember learning about nature v. nurture theory in a biology class in school and being captivated. I recall wondering at the time if this was the explanation for why Charles Manson had done what he had done.

I close my eyes and I can see myself begging my father to get me a copy of "Helter Skelter." Is it weird that the memory brings a smile to my face?

In this story, Jesus and Cruzita Rosario, are immigrants from Puerto Rico in New York City in the early 1960's. Dreaming of the American dream, they left their homeland because they wanted to have a family where anything was possible. They wholeheartedly believed any child of theirs raised in the mainland would have the same opportunities as any native born child in the US of A. But their conflict remained in trying to integrate their "old world" culture with the one they found themselves in. And this is what plants the seed for Adina's sociopathic behavior.

Jesus Rosario is a mild mannered man who simply just wanted to provide a nice life for his wife and daughter. He loved them both deeply and because of his love for them, he is somewhat of a milquetoast to his passive/aggressive wife. He would do anything for either one but it is his wife who would win out if he had to make a choice.

In the beginning, his wife Cruzita is meek and subservient, due in part to her old world upbringing and her belief in the old wives tales she heard while growing up. Specifically, she believed that a man was not truly a man unless he had a son who would carry on his name.

In her twisted thinking, Cruzita also feared ending up alone. Because she is a bit older, she has a difficult pregnancy, and there is a risk she will not be able to carry a child to term. She thinks that if she can't carry a child to term, Jesus would leave her. In addition, when to her surprise she got past the first two trimesters, she worried constantly that Jesus could still leave her if she did not bear him a son. What she can't grasp is that Jesus doesn't care one way or the other. All he wants is a healthy baby. However, no matter how many times he says this to Cruzita, she still worries and when she gives birth to a girl they name Adina, she worries even more.

Once Cruzita is home with her husband and newborn daughter, she becomes more confident in her position in the marriage thanks to Jesus constantly reassuring her. Ultimately, she becomes more and more assertive over the years.

Obsessed with appearances, she is a watchdog over Adina's life and the more domineering and controlling she becomes when it comes to her daughter, the more spineless Jesus appears to be. He never once objects to his wife's machinations, unless he thinks his beloved Cruzita is being disrespected or attacked. This becomes clear when Adina is in her mid-teens and they have to deal with a crisis as a family.

When you look at the the behavior of these characters, you can see the parallels of their respective psychologies.

Let's take a look at Adina's parents, Cruzita and Jesus.

Cruzita is driven by her sense of pride. She feels she has failed in her duty to provide Jesus with a son, and considers herself "not a real woman" because a "real woman" would present her man with a son thereby making him a "real man." For this reason she must then direct her energies elsewhere and show the world she is a real woman and she does this by making sure that everyone knows she can have a perfect life. Everything at home appears perfect to the outside world giving her a feel of superiority over those in her environment (friends/neighbors). This means guarding her daughter's virtue in particular ... like a hawk, for Adina must remain a virgin until her wedding night. As far as Cruzita is concerned, the only way to do that is to make sure she is raised with old world values.

The one thing that Cruzita overlooks is the sexual revolution. Sex is a big taboo in her mind and she must prevent anything untoward from happening at all costs.

Jesus, on the other hand just doesn't have the ability to take a stand. However, on the night of the confrontation, Cruzita turns on the waterworks in order to manipulate the situation and turn it all around to benefit her as she must keep up appearances to the world. It is then, and only then, when Adina is a teenager, that Jesus finds the strength to stand in unity with his wife who later takes matters into her own hands.

As a result of this confrontation, something happens that causes Adina's psychosis. Her sociopathic tendencies flare and the reader is a witness to this evolution.

Adina becomes concerned only with situations she can manipulate. Doing this gives her a sense of control in her life, until such time that she begins to yearn for a lifestyle that is more conventional. When she decides that she will take steps to be more like normal people, tragedy strikes.

So, my question is this:

Does Adina become sociopathic because there is something innate within her that makes her who she is? If so, can she be blamed for it? Or, does she become a sociopath because of this major event which occurred in her teen years and causes a switch in her?

Next up: Parent Profiles II: Margaret Brown Preston and Pastor James Ezekiel Preston.

~~ML

RJ's Mental Health

In my last post, I talked a little bit about Adina's psychological make up. Today I'd like to talk about RJ's mental health. Again, I stress, I am not a psychologist nor do I pretend to have all the answers. This is just the way I see the characters in my fictional tale.

Rhys John "RJ" Preston is Adina Rosario Cruz's fraternal twin. They never learn of one another but their paths do cross.

RJ was born with a physical abnormality. It is because of this condition that the physician attending his birth decided that rather than tell the birth mother she had twins, he would instead remain silent and sell this baby on the black market for profit. No one would be the wiser, right?

Right....for a little while anyway.

RJ is sold to a couple in rural Lebanon, Pennsylvania. His adoptive father is James Ezekiel Preston, the current Pastor of this small town's Baptist Church. He is the third in his family to hold this prestigious position. To the outside world, the Pastor is a pious man, dedicated to his congregation and his family. Or is he?

Married to Margaret Preston nee Brown for over a decade, the story behind his facade was an ugly one, and the adoption of RJ was just another piece to the stained glass window that barely hid the truth.

Margaret regularly suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of the Pastor as did RJ. Pastor James Ezekiel is unrelenting with his punishment. This, in part, is due to his own dark past. He taunts, viciously teases and physically abuses RJ. He shoots him down every chance he gets. But RJ holds on to his love for his mother knowing he had to be there to protect her. RJ holds on to that love for her the way the Pastor holds up his bible during his sermons to cover up the lie that he is.

One day, while struggling with his own identity (as teenagers are wont to do while going through puberty), RJ snapped. He would no longer allow the tyranny of his father to continue; the tyranny that had now become so familiar that it caused him nightmares he preferred to his own reality.

"With his mother out of the room – he couldn’t let her witness what he was about to do – R.J. turned toward his father, the fury evident in his eyes. He seemed possessed by some otherworldly creature, just like the ones in his dreams and he could see nothing else in the room but his mother’s offender; his object of fury. All he knew was that he had a need to retaliate for what was done to him, to her."

The above excerpt gives you an idea as to what happens when RJ can no longer take the abuse. And just so you know, this is not the first time that he takes matters into his own hands in this manner. However, it is the first time that he did so under these circumstances.

Not only was he abused by his father, but RJ was also mercilessly teased by his classmates. He was always made to feel "less than" the people around him. But not Margaret. Margaret loved her son, warts and all and he knew it. But that could never be enough for him because RJ's demons could only be assuaged when he took control. At first he retaliated with animals. He had to learn how to cover his tracks and he did so -- very well -- during that stage of his psychological development. 

Throughout RJ's life, he was on a journey to find satisfaction in the one area that mattered most to him. When he found himself in one-on-one situations where he felt ridiculed or disregarded, he retaliated the only way he knew how.

In order to fully understand what RJ is struggling with would take a reading of the story. I will stop here so as not to give away any spoilers :) 

Suffice it to say, RJ's physical abnormality should not have been a reason for this mental development to occur.

Question:

Everyone is born helpless and defenseless -- dependent upon others to care for us. When something happens that changes that dynamic, and there is still one person who can make a difference, is it possible for that one person to see signs that a major negative change is going on in an adolescent's world? If so, is there anything that can be done to change the course of that negativity?

Next up: An analysis of the two sets of parents:  biological parents Cruzita and Jesus Rosario and adoptive parents Margaret and James Ezekiel Preston

~~ML