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(I fully admit to being uncomfortable writing about this topic, but I think it’s something I should mention as part of Hype Week. Also, I’ve been told that the scene that is on my mind while writing this isn’t as bad as I think it is. Maybe I’m too close to the characters, so I’m taking it worse than readers will.)
One aspect of Legends of Windemere: The Compass Key is that things get darker at this point. The humor, magic, and some of the softness is still there, but the addition of Stephen brings some nastiness to the forefront. Early on in the book, one of the heroes is being tortured. It isn’t graphic, but it’s enough to know how much the character is suffering. This was a difficult scene to get through and took me an entire day because of constant breaks. I wanted to drive home the fact that Stephen is a monster even though I get twitchy and squeamish on these kinds of scene. For anyone who finished Family of the Tri-Rune, you probably know who the victim is and that might be why this scene makes me twitchy. I feel like I should broach this subject before people step right into it even though most readers don’t follow my blog.
The decision to add this scene wasn’t easy and I did try it out in other ways. Sadly, it didn’t drive home the danger, pain, and anguish that Stephen was inflicting when I skipped it entirely. This is a villain that the heroes will come to despise and fear because he is like nothing they have ever faced before. All of them will grow and lose some of their innocence because of what he does during his time in the series. In fact, every other character will have a solid reason for wanting him dead and this includes his ‘allies’. Heck, I’d put myself in the book to kill him off if it made sense.
I’m not really sure how to explain this torture scene because of how it works, so it will be up to the reader to decide on how graphic it really is. That aside, the pain for me was putting this hero through such torment even though I already knew there would be some comeuppance. That’s something that I think is important when writing and reading a book that involves such a harsh scene. Now this isn’t every time because it depends on the world you’re creating. Here are the two simple breakdowns that came to my mind:
- The world is dark and the character is going to be broken. You have to be ready for some backlash because not every reader can separate the actions of a villain from the author’s mindset. Tread carefully and clearly when taking this path because it is a sensitive subject and most people want to see a person who tortures another get punished.
- You’re solidifying the villain as evil and morally bankrupt while toughening the heroes. It isn’t only the victim getting hurt, but his/her allies and loved ones who have to pick up the pieces. You can use this scene to strengthen bonds or transform a cheerful hero into one out for vengeance. The most important part of this path is that you have the villain pay at some point. It might not be in this book, but there will come a point where they are punished.
No matter what you do, it isn’t an easy scene to decide on, much less write. You really need to treat it carefully and make sure that it is for the story or character evolution instead of pure shock value. You’re going to rile people up with a scene like this and having it be for ‘kicks and giggles’ won’t go over well. I hate to say it this way, but there has to be a pay-off. Think of it this way: the more sensitive the subject, the more delicate the delivery.
