The author commentary of Pathways in the Dark continues with more insight into the Blackmail tale! SPOILER WARNING is in place!

The truth and nothing but…

I set rules when I write. I create a standard by which all stories set within a specific universe or series should adhere. This is meant to increase reader enjoyment, to play to their expectations, and offer them exactly what they’re looking for when it comes to my stories.

Greystone is very simple. Myths and legends create mayhem and murder in the city of Portents. Soriya and Loren have to stop them. Easy peasy. It is the impetus of every story breakdown, every script, every note I take when it comes to world of Greystone.

And then Blackmail came along.

Losing the supernatural.

It was never my intention. When I settled on a Myers story, my first instinct was to come up with a supernatural angle for her to confront. In terms of scope the Eyes in the Storm story from Tales from Portents sprang to mind. A way to build a world around this supporting character while also digging into who she was as a character.

Nothing worked.

Nothing felt true to Myers.

Because her story doesn’t come from the same place as Soriya and Loren. When it comes to Samantha Myers, her story is built around the mystery introduced in The Medusa Coin. Who is controlling her? Are they actually controlling her or is she a willing participant? And what do they have on her in the first place?

It was from these questions that Blackmail was forged. When I finally settled on delving into her past, I realized where the threat had to come from. Tying the two threads together made perfect sense from a narrative standpoint and kept the focus on Myers as a character instead of a plot heavy tale with no stakes.

Losing the supernatural, however, came with consequences…

Is this truly a Greystone tale?

If the supernatural is lost, if I break the rule that centers the universe of the series does it no longer belong? More importantly, will the reader enjoy it, having come to expect something completely different?

I struggled with this for a long time. Every revision, every readthrough, brought these doubts to the forefront and I had to justify Blackmail’s inclusion in the collection each and every time.

How did it make it through my inane questioning?

By the strength on which it stood as a character story. Myers needed more depth, she needed that extra element to proceed to Founder’s Day and A Circle of Shadows. Her mystery clouded her motivations and clarity on that front afforded her the chance at redemption or condemnation by the audience. I wanted to have that moment and continue to have those moments where you aren’t sure about her.

She represents a true threat to Loren. The unseen threat, on his end anyway.

What did you think about the change of pace for the series? A worthy exploration or did you miss the supernatural element in this tale?

I’d love to hear from you.

Feels like it has been awhile since we’ve chatted about Pathways in the Dark, so welcome back to the author commentary on book four of the Greystone series! SPOILER WARNING is in place, though by now I’m sure you’ve read and enjoyed the collection.

Right?

Blackmail and the journey of Samantha Myers

When putting together each piece of the collection, I realized the opportunities available. This included glimpses into the lives of some of the supporting cast. With Trustfall, Ruiz was given the spotlight. For Blackmail, it was time to dig into Samantha Myers and her story.

Keeping readers in the dark about a mysterious character is a double edge sword. You want to keep them interesting but also want to hold back on all the answers. It’s a fine line and can work against a narrative if utilized incorrectly.

I didn’t want that to be the case with Samantha Myers.

Having a working outline for A Circle of Shadows helped in this regard. Knowing where her journey was heading allowed me some wiggle room to showcase a case personal to her, while allowing the reader a glimpse at her life.

As in the case of most of the collection, the driving force of Blackmail stemmed from The Medusa Coin. At the end of the novel, Myers calls a mysterious benefactor and we learn her motivations aren’t exactly as pure as we hoped.

But what did that mean for her? Why was she working against Loren and Soriya?

Those were questions I wanted to explore without giving away the whole mystery.

Who is Samantha Myers?

I love writing the character. Her comments, her snark, comes from a place near and dear to my heart. I love her attitude in The Medusa Coin and the down to earth nature of bringing her into the fold in this crazy series. Yet for every interaction in the novel there was little time to really delve into her story. A narrative choice and one that worked for the book but also one I wanted to rectify slightly through Pathways in the Dark.

For Blackmail, I wanted to provide an outlet for her to explore Portents without being confined to the role of a supporting player in Loren’s drama. I needed Myers to break away from the world and come into her own. In order to do that I needed a reason for her to fly solo.

Two cases of blackmail…

It wasn’t just a clever title. It was always meant to explain her situation without explicitly laying it out for the reader. Being pulled into the case, having to steal from her colleagues to pay off a blackmailer was always meant to bring to light the truth of her situation.

Her mysterious benefactor, the figure in the shadows that has placed her as Loren’s partner, is also manipulating her against her will.

Putting that personal spin on events raised the stakes in my eyes and forced Myers to come to grips with her situation.

I loved writing this story. It was definitely a challenge, something outside the norm for Greystone, but I thought it was a breath of fresh air in terms of a character piece. I’ll be discussing those challenges more next time.

Thanks for reading.