LIVE FREE
This is the last book in the series. It was painful to write the last few words I would write about the Mapplethorpes and good old Tyler. They're all I would think about every day for the last few months.
I will miss them so much.
Stay out of the comments until you've read the book (unless you like spoilers)! I will try and answer everybody's questions...
First off, just wanted to thank you for the story. I always enjoy the cuckold stories that really attempt to get into the emotions and consequences of what can happen. I think you succeeded here, and definitely had me rooting for Pete (and yes even Jess) to find a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteI'll get my one quibble out of the way: I think Tyler's exit was a little too forced. I get that he's an immature kid really, but it seemed too easy that a guy who showed such devotion to Jess, and even her kids, would just up and leave (and never come back) because of one unverified threat. I just found that part of it a little too convenient. But personally I wanted to see him gone and out of their lives, so I was glad to see that happen at least.
As I end a story with characters I've emotionally bonded with, I often like to speculate what the future might hold for them (like you I often have a hard time letting go right away as a reader). For me, I kind of hope Jess and Pete don't reconcile completely and get back together, as the ending seems to show they will.
I just think too much has happened between them, and Jess is still hung up on Tyler, at least in my opinion. She chose him, and I think she still loves him, despite what he did. If he did come back at this moment, I sense she would choose him again over Pete. So I wouldn't want to see Pete be with her again knowing he's probably her second choice. It wouldn't be fair to anyone.
I have no doubt that Pete would raise the baby as his own and love it, but it just feels to me too much has happened between them now to stay married. I think they're better off apart; staying in each other's lives as friends and parents to their kids, but not together as a couple.
But that's just my opinion. Maybe if Tyler did come back, Jess would realize he's not emotionally fit for a relationship and would choose Pete. But I don't know how I could ever be sure of that, if I was Pete. And that would be too hard for me to handle.
Anyway, great work and I look forward to reading your next story. I love the dramatic stories, but you are right, the less serious ones are fun too.
Thanks so much for reading. I'm so glad that there are people who would enjoy this, feel something from it enough to write out their thoughts.
DeleteAs far as the quibble goes: I feel like Tyler left because of the threat but he didn't return because of something else. I'll elaborate but maybe I'll wait to hear some more opinions. Ah, maybe I'll give a little: I feel like his vanity stopped him from returning. He likes to identify as being very masculine but it's very surface...the trappings of being male. I feel like his not returning to Jess is heartbreaking to him. He is hurting. He feels ashamed. Ashamed for actually hurting the father of her children and also the things Pete said about his debt. He is ashamed to be confronted, and embarrassed that Jess heard all that because it is true. He can be as jacked as he is but he still has a fragile male ego underneath it all.
I like your thoughts on Jess and Pete's future. I agree. It would be a very tough reunion. She had Tyler's baby, and there's a branding on her ribs that Pete doesn't even know about...
They could make it or not. I bet it would change on a daily basis. One day he's done, next day he's in love again. Probably the real tragedy in the story...
I can see what you're saying about Tyler. I don't think he wants to do bad things, but he can't help himself (and in the moment may not even realizing he is doing them.) And when he gets called out on things, he runs. Again, Jess is better off without him.
DeleteAs to Jess/Pete, as I sit here thinking further, I think my issue with them getting back together would be timing; its too soon, only 5 months. Something like this would take a lot of time (and therapy) to get over completely.
And you make another good point; Pete hasn't completely processed his feelings either. He loves Jess, but is that enough to get over what they both did to the relationship? And for Jess, does she want to get back with Pete because she loves him, or because she knows he's dependable and will be there for her at a very low moment.
If these were real people, I would suggest they think about all of this before jumping right back into their marriage.
But I'll continue to think only good things will happen for them in my head.
I'll write more as a separate comment, but the thing about Tyler, it seems, is that he is all about Tyler. As considerate of others as an animal. He's the kind of guy who, if you let him use your bathroom, would have no problem blowing his nose on your bath towel because he won't be the next one to use it.
Deletethis last book felt like too much of a cop-out, sry but it needed to be said. yes, i was rooting for tyler, but even if the decision was already made to have him lose to pete, or for no one to win, there were still a million other scenarios that could have been used instead of this silly, other-husband-vengeance angle. the strength of the series up until the last 2 books had been the erotic sex scenes, the cuckolding and humiliation. it seems as though the author became too serious about the characters towards the end, and wanted to make an ending that was: too serious...too dramatic..too real-lifey. i already have enough of real life. i buy these books for the fantasy and the chance to see cuckolding and emotional torment on the husband that might not be quite realistic enough to see outside of this fiction. while i applaud the effort of the author and feel like she put her heart and soul into the latest chapters, i also believe that she went wayward from what her readers wanted. even some from the pro-pete camp will agree with me i think. they wanted to see him grow a pair, not necessarily stoop to lying to tyler about mark still being on the hunt for him. overall the series was great, but can't endorse this last book; sorry.
ReplyDeleteThat's too bad! I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you though for sticking it out to the end.
DeleteNow, a cop-out would suggest that I was afraid to deal with something and I ain't afraid to deal with anything (ha ha)! The end of this book was always going to be like this. It's not that I got to the end and chickened out. The end of this book is seen in the beginning. If you re-read the early books you'll see that Tyler was on this path. Pete saw it, Jess didn't. Pete didn't like that Jess didn't see it.
I feel bad you think the ending was silly. I don't think it was. And I don't feel like it was a vengeance ending. The point of his confrontation was to expose Tyler's true nature. Vengeance to me is baseball-bat-over-head. Pete only provided a demonstration to his wife. "This? This is your choice?"
I hear you on the lacking of direct cuckold humiliation. I get that. It's hard because I don't think Pete's character could get into it anymore. He'd seen some horrible things. I found the cuckolding in this book to be distinct though. Pete knew what they would be up to. We got to see it, and some of it was quite dirty. I find that to be a very painful notion. Knowing what someone you love is doing with another person. Without you. That hurts to me. I understand and appreciate what you're looking for though. My short works can be more precise when it comes to describing specific scenarios, but when I do a longer work, like a series, there will be a wandering away from specific scenarios and straying more to broader concepts of cuckolding or hotwifing.
Again, very sorry that you didn't like the book. My effort is to explore and entertain. I do my best! I knew a while back from reading your great posts here that you were going to want a different ending than what I had in store. I hoped I would win you over, convince you. I want you to like what I do, hopefully I'll get ya next time!
Thanks for the kind words on recognizing that I'm really trying here. I'm not turning out quick books to make money. I really want to explore cuckolding and I take the genre very seriously. I want to do something that matters.
PS I think Pete grew a pair. I could never see him putting his fists up against Tyler, or really harming him in any way physically. It took balls to stand up to him and call him out on his shortcomings in front of Jess. He would know how dangerous that would be. I feel like it was a little more than lying to scare him away...
I would agree here, I think Pete at the end stood up for his family and took on Tyler the best way he knew how. He had to know Tyler would react with violence at least initially, but he stood there and took it so that Jess saw what Tyler really was.
DeleteThough another question that popped in my head was: Did Jess ever find out that Pete was making up the story about Tyler being threatened. I don't think Pete ever makes it clear to her in the story, unless I missed it. How would she react to that piece of news?
I suspect by this point it wouldn't matter, because Tyler showed his true colors. But in that initial moment, if Pete did tell her it was made up, would she have run after Tyler? I suspect she would have. Just another thing they would have to work out between them.
Interesting thought. My take would be that they didn't talk for a day or two after that night. Jess probably lay in bed, called in sick. Then needed to see her kids, called Pete. By that point the things they would talk about would be Petey and Andy related and talk of Tyler would be a big no-no. I imagine it wasn't discussed. I also wanted to make the point but couldn't find a spot I liked to do it, that his ploy would have flopped if Ashley's mom hadn't come down the street. How serendipitous it was...
DeleteKT,
ReplyDeleteGreat book, great story, and the ending really showed exactly how you developed your characters. Everyone believes that an Alpha male can't be beat, he is bigger, better, faster, stronger, etc. But just because someone is built like Tyler, it doesn't mean he is better. Tyler was a little boy right from the beginning. He really had no character or spine.
Pete was smaller, more passive, more accommodating, but Tyler endangered his boys. I'm a dad, I'm not an Alpha male, but don't mess with my family, in some way you will lose and get hurt. Pete didn't grow a pair, he always had them, he just loved Jess enough to give her room. He just reached a point where she not only endangered herself but she also endangered his boys. He was left with no point but to act.
Jess, a lost soul with a mid-life crisis. She felt old, unattractive, and while she loved to teach, she felt like a Mom. She wanted to feel 20, single and hot. Tyler gave that to her. She just got lost along the way.
The ending for me was pure melancholy, you know Pete still loved her, she realized she still loved Pete, but could either one of them forgive themselves for what they had done, let alone each other. You left that to us, the readers to decide.
Thanks again for a great tale, I look forward to the rest of the Cayman Proxy. You are skillful with your character development and I will definitely read you future endeavors.
You are so welcome! I'm grateful to have someone appreciate the effort I make. And your statement above is like a blurb for the book. Quite accurate to me.
DeletePerfect analysis to me of the Tyler/Pete dynamic.
Let's say Jess was feeling on the verge of being unattractive, like it was going to happen any day now as she got older. She thought she was holding up all right. That was part of the pressure for her to act out now before it was too late...
It's a bit surprised but pretty happy with the ending. I had a bit of a different take on Tyler, although I could only judge from his actions and did not have the "mind's eye" view you have. I saw Tyler as a quintessential bully, particularly towards Pete, but in subtle ways towards Jess as well. His taunting, and the way he convinced Jess of Pete's being worthless,while he sucked the life out of both of them, and hinted often by his actions that he was going to take his kids too. The way he left when finally confronted by Pete, and facing the real fear in his mind of fighting a battle with the cop who would kill him (which he certainly believed), he displayed the cowardice that I have seen in bullies my whole life. Don't get me wrong, I haven't always been able beat them, but have won many more than I have lost. And winning, or even standing up like Pete did gives you a whole new outlook on things. If you didn't intend that meaning, there are a lot of guys like me that will surely see it that way.
ReplyDeleteGreat job by the way. When you get this many comments on the character traits, it should make you feel proud, even if Peppermint just wants more erotic sex scenes. I thought the balance on that was probably just right for most readers, but maybe more than I normally need (reading erotic scenes just doesn't do as much as the real thing).
I had to hide a lot of Tyler. I'd like to have written from his viewpoint every once in awhile but I couldn't allow access to his thoughts. I liked him better as a mystery...
DeleteHe's like some people I know. They can be kind and then manipulative, and then suddenly a bully and then run off and do something heroic, and then instantly selfish. But all those things they do they see them in their own pink happy spotlight, all of those qualities as equally good, never seeing the bad in what they do.
By the way, how is your horse?
ReplyDeleteRescues, nurtured and gone on to happy herds already. Currently horseless. The quote from my Amazon profile is from Don Rickles to Norm MacDonald in 'Dirty Work.' It's more of a philosophy than the entire truth. He says to Norm MacDonald, 'Why don't you get a horse, go up into the mountains and don't bother anybody.' Which sounds about the greatest thing ever to my misanthropic ears.
DeleteWell since your asking.
ReplyDeleteI liked it alot. I thought it could have gone differently at various points in the story. For instance I thought Tyler could have snuck off with a beach bunny or perhaps Pete could have found some way to endear himself to Jess. Maybe even have Pete been the one to impregnate her. Those were what I was thinking about as I chewed my last fingernail to the nub.
I think those who were disappointed with the ending were always hoping for the worst ending for Pete but the best ending for Jess. I don't blame them for that as Pete really did create the mess.
What's worse is he still loves Jess but now he will have to worry about whether another Tyler will show up. Now that Jess has had a taste of the wild side she'll be more susceptible to future seductions especially when she starts to tell Pete about what kind of fun she had in Florida. That would push Pete's horny button. Pete may try and deny his urges but they will come back. A new start in a new town? Maybe.
KT may be done with this couple but I don't think this couple is done. Perhaps they will learn to play the game better next time.
I was happy Pete stood up for his kids and was willing to reconcile with Jess I did think that hint that he had a girlfriend was a bit cruel and unusual but I could see myself striking out like that if pushed by an ex-wife who cheated. It was a good gauge to see if she still had feelings.
The tragic figure in this whole story was Jess preassured into having an extramarital affair by her husband then tricked and pressured into a romance with her lover to give up her life. Then to regret it all even as she was going through it even if it was momentary. I think she'll sober up for a while after giving birth but when post pardum pops up she'll secretly fantasize about her strange times. Maybe even try and seduce Pete into doing something. She has the proper motto "live free" tattooed right on her. No matter how it ended for her it was never really going to be over for her.
Well I think my 2 cents are up :)
Good story hard to read at times. loved all your characters.
"I did think that hint that he had a girlfriend was a bit cruel and unusual"
DeleteI don't get how anything Pete ever did or said to her until their dying days could be called "cruel" after what she did to him and the family. I would hope for his sake and the sake of the boys that he was really looking for a good wife and mother for him and the boys since Jess had shown that she was completely incapable of being either one.
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DeleteWell point I was going for was that it was out of character for Pete to inflict emotional pain on his beloved wife. He clearly had won the day. Whay else was he looking for? I understand everyone wanting some btb type revenge or maybe a better word justice. But I think that was a significant lashing out by Pete.
DeleteThings were never going back to "business as usual". It was a major growth point for Pete I thought to inflict some pain on another. Good growth? Bad growth? Not the same Pete we started with for sure.
The cruelty part was she lost her husband then her lover what was the point of telling her that other then to be cruel. Remember Jess always had some feeling of inadequacy. Those girls were younger their bodies are tighter my face has wrinkles. Pete has traded up for a better wife material girlfriend. It would be manipulative if he had thought about it before hand and was aware of her insecurities..Maybe he learned something from Tyler.
It was a real thing to say I thought. But I thought it was beneath Pete to do it. He pushed for the whole mess to begin with and when jess got caught up in the NRE she's gets the blame. Not fair to her I thought. She does own some significant parts of the mess but none of it happens without Pete's approval. His lack of communication equals command by negation. Do it unless I say no.
It was very good story.
:)
I like your take on their future. i wonder about it too. Pete would still be aroused by the idea, but would he dare broach it? He would have to be scared. But they could have much different rules. I feel like Jess wasn't into it to begin with and it would be almost impossible to convince her to do it again. Her feelings on the cuckoldry would be so tied into her loss of Tyler who she really did love. The idea of doing it all again would be heartache for her. But I wonder...
DeleteAs to his 'I'm seeing someone' comment: I like all opinions on it. there isn't a wrong way to take it. the book is anybody's interpretation of my dumb words, have fun with it! But my take is that it shows he still has her on a pedestal. he is still intimidated by her. He lashes out because her touch means way too much to him and he doesn't like how consumed he is with her. He's mad at his own feelings rather than at Jess. She touched him and he turned into a nervous high school boy again. Gosh, and he'd just done so well and strong...
KT AND ALL,
DeletePete had reached a point in my mind where Jess was no longer on a pedestal. The scene had taken a turn where Jess and Pete were more than just civil to each other. I took the "girlfriend" comment as just his way to slow things down. I think that while long term he may want them together, He knew it had to be long term and that things needed to be rebuilt if they were ever to be together again.
As I said before maybe it is just the view of someone who's wife left for 18 months in the middle of a 40 year marriage. But .... :)
His intent with the girlfriend comment may have been childish and whatever else but the effect was what I considered cruel to Jess. I thought she had lost everything and the most important person/s in her life. She may have had hope that Tyler was going to come back but she knew Pete was still in the game. Until he dashed her hope with that comment. I agree to it bein a childish thing to say which is why i thought it was beneath him. I was more concerned with how Jess took it.
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DeleteWhen Jess had her breakdown after Tyler left and Pete said if she had chosen him he would never have abandoned her, was she grieving the loss of Tyler or the realization of the consequences of her choice?
ReplyDeleteBoth really, but more the loss of Tyler. She'd already lost Pete. When she was in Florida, to me, she already realized that she couldn't be with Tyler. Not forever. He wouldn't be what she wanted. She wanted him to be Pete. He pretended for a while because it pleased her and Tyler liked pleasing her but the reality was that he wasn't how she fantasized. She didn't know when it would end with Tyler but she knew it would. She didn't see Pete coming and doing it! But to me her crying there was extreme loss. She loved Tyler and she knew Tyler loved her. But in that moment that he left she knew he wouldn't come back and she wouldn't pursue, and her crying was from brutal heartache.
DeleteI made a new post specifically about Jess that goes in to this a bit more...
KT, you are a good writer and the story you wrote hooked me with beginning as a hotwife/cuckolding story then turned into an extremely cruel tale of just simple adultery. The difference between your story and the rest of the stories I've read with a hotwife/cuckolding theme is that I've spent time thinking about the story you've told after I finished reading it. I'll just say that I don't recall reading anything that has come anywhere near your story giving me a good case of the red ass and, for that, you have my congratulations.
ReplyDeleteJess turned out to be a complete POS, a vile turd-worthless mother and human being. A poisonous cunt, as Pete so accurately said. When she stooped so low as to bring Tyler under the same roof as her children and let him even touch her kids, and then decided to give Pete the boot, my only concern became how Pete could save his children from the vile bitch. I'm one of the ones who for actions like this, would initiate a war of total annihilation. BTB as it is called? On the other hand, Pete's approach probably did end up leaving him with a better outcome than what I may have done.
I was concerned for Pete's children because it was just a matter of time before they would be hearing every day at school that their mom is a whorish slut, even though they were no doubt figuring that much on their own, already. Fortunately, Pete dragging his feet still did not give enough time for this to happen, but it did give him time to find out what he did about Tyler and to have a good explanation for why he would not let the kids go back under the same roof as Jess and Tyler.
While the decisions Pete made were his to make, I doubt I would have been anywhere near as gentle. I get pissed off thinking about her.
At least your writing gets a strong reaction from some of us, KT. You're that good.
Thank you so much! I'm glad that people are responding so strongly.
DeleteA note about the kids: that was the part of the book that worried me the most. Full disclosure-I wouldn't have written any harm to them. It was important for them to be (relatively) unscathed. But I constantly worried about making things too rough for them as if they were real kids that existed. I feel like they didn't witness too much more than a divorcing couple would, if there was a new partner in their mom's life. It happened point-blank, but still...
I'm going to post a long 'In defense of Jess' post. It's not to you, I get a lot of hate mail about her (lol)! But hopefully you'll read it and it'd be cool if you had a thought on it...
Well, you did write harm to the children. Very much so. For Jess to treat their father the way she did is also harm to them. How can anyone say it doesn't harm the child to hurt their parent? An adulterous parent is an unfit parent.
DeleteYes, I agree. I meant that I wouldn't do more than that. Relatively unscathed. The boys would never see any nudity or even kissing or hugging. There was only the threat, but I would have a hard time writing them bearing witness to any kind of intimate contact.
DeleteThe harm to the children is addressed, in Sara's note to Jess. It is part of the reason for Jess' panic attack and detachment...
Sara says that children can get used to seeing their parent move on to someone new but not witness it happen in front of them. Suggesting she should separate before she would have a relationship with Tyler.
Nope. Reply is too long. Won't publish it. I'll do a separate post about Jess...
ReplyDeleteWhile, as I said above, I saw something in Tyler that you apparently didn't intend, I do agree with you basically about Jess being an extremely tragic figure (even though her being around Tyler allowed her to be used by him to make things much worse). The absolute worst thing about Tyler was his attempt to really "rub it in" with Pete by overtly showing at every opportunity that he was going to take both Jess as well as the kids away from him.
ReplyDeleteThere was one scene that I really misunderstood, and wonder if it was just me, or for some reason you opened the door but decided not to go there... It happened when Tyler was making the video of Jess while they were having sex, but made sure his face was not in the video, nor his voice. My first thought was that he going to put it online ant try to make some quick cash, or something even darker.
Also, I was also surprised that Pete didn't have Mark,the cop come by just after he went in the house in case Tyler didn't let up on destroying him. Maybe he was still a little afraid that Mark would really shoot Tyler and destroy himelf I the process, although if Tyler couldn't testify, it would sound like self-defense. Not sure I would like that ending as well as yours, but it would have truly given closure.
I like the parallel to inviting a demon/vampire into your home. Pete says that at the end of Advent. The ending for Tyler is like a demonic banishment. LHW is essentially The Exorcist retold! Kidding. I did like him disappearing down the hall getting dimmer as he disappeared into darkness, his demonic powers over Pete's family fading until he passed through a portal (the rumbling sliding door).
DeleteAs far as Tyler putting a video online: I like the tension that the idea would create, I was aware of it, but the truth is that Tyler is a boy who really was in love with Jess. He wouldn't harm her. He just wanted to make a video of them together. I would say that he's kept that video and he'll watch it when they're apart and he'll feel bad, miss Jess.
Mark: I don't think Pete would have had the guts to ask Mark for help. And saving his family is better done (symbolically) alone. His idea on what to do probably was quite hastily assembled. Not very well thought out other than he was going to show Jess what Tyler really was. He also wouldn't invite the possibility of gunfire into his life. Stray bullets and his Jess—bad mix. I also think that the death of Tyler would be too extreme. He's just a guy who likes girls and likes to bang. He's not really a demon. He doesn't deserve to die. Just be banished.
I wanted to make a note but didn't find the space, that Pete's ploy with the threat of Mark wouldn't have been probably as successful if their neighbour hadn't arrived at that fortuitous moment. That drove the possibility home to Tyler, made him question Pete's resolve, shook him.
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ReplyDeleteOne last comment, although KT may have moved on by now to other projects. I see Pete' s treatment of Jess at the end as part of the huge transition he made in the book, from a pretty weak personality to a really brave one not afraid to take any risk (even putting his life fully on the line) to protect and reach a manageable family situation. He seemed to be trying to lead Jess's recovery in a way that she would see both the dominance of Tyler's personality and the true love he always felt for her in him. Remember that scene in the basement where Tyler told her he could leave her anytime to get her off of questioning about who was on her phone? That seemed extremely similar to the effect that Pete was trying to create by saying that he was seeing another girl, then going back to give her that kiss to show in front of everyone that his feelings were still strong for her. He had changed so much, and even though he was still recovering and rediscovering the real man he was,knowing he had outclassed Tyler in every way (except the obvious 1 physical Trait). He knows that he needs to bring out the submissive in Jess that she had neither Tyler if it is to last for the long term.
DeleteNot sure KT meant it all that way, but I think it is as good of an explanation as any, without level of logic behind it.
Bring on the next one KT, we have about beat this book/series to death, but it was a good tale. :)
Wow, either my spell check was haywire or I was losing it in the Las couple of paragraphs.what I meant to write was:
DeleteHe knows he needs to bring out the submissive essential in Jess that she felt for Tyler before if this new relationship (between Jess and Pete) was to last in the long term.
Not sure if KT meant it all that way, but is as good an explanation as any other, and it does have a certain logic to it.
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DeleteBtw awesome leg model on the cover. Immediately captured my attention. I know, I'm shallow, but nothing like a good visual. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! That photo spoke to me too. Dem ribs, though. Interesting to note the power of a cover to attract.
DeleteI've changed the cover of Going Too Far, should be live shortly. I'm curious to see if it has any effect (since the book has been out since March).
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ReplyDeleteAny idea yet on when the next Cayman book will be out? How many more books are left in that series? :)
ReplyDeleteNot sure how many books it will take me to finish. Maybe three, maybe more. Sometimes I like to build a story within a story. And I like to experiment with Cayman Proxy. It's a bit like a scratch pad sometimes. I'm outlined already, I have to do some more banking-type research for Mitch and Derek, and then I'll be off!
DeleteAlso, do you plan to offer the entire LHW series in one book?
ReplyDeleteYes, I do. I'd like to step away from it for a bit then go back and edit it and clean it up and release it as a full package.
DeleteI wonder if anyone got the ending right (before reading it
ReplyDelete). I certainly missed Pete's final metamorphosis. KT took him on a rollercoaster journey in his character development, going from a well meaning wimp to a really strong hero thru the significant emotional event (do a search for "You are what you were when" if you want to know what that is).
Anyway, while he has accepted that he started Jess's downfall,he seems to have come to terms with that and has moved on to trying to heal her, as well as himself. He is a more confident, mature man now, and I think has a real chance at success, both with Jess and his career with his new outlook on life. I hope that brings the boys with him to Cleveland, and makes sure that Jess is welcome to join them but refusing to let her stay in the old place and move the kids back and forth (I think she will jump at the chance). I do worry out their new daughter, and hope as Jess comes to terms with how her relationship with Tyler almost destroyed everything she cherished in life, she can't look at her as the same evil that he will come to represent in her mind.
So, with the "new" Pete's help, Jess has a good chance of recovering from her own S.E.E almost completely.
Unfortunately Tyler did not go thru a S.E.E., and will be the same cowardly, worthless bullying character (well maybe he is a good gigolo) that he was throughout the book. If he had been beaten to within an inch of his life, he might have changed, but he didn't.
KT did a great job with these characters, particularly crafty with Pete and his growth to being a strong and confident man to mold the new Jess.
Can't wait for some of her new "projects" after Cayman (How many books left there?).
Thank you!
DeleteI think lots of people here had some good ideas where it was going to go. I was pretty confident I'd hidden my ending well enough that it couldn't be foreseen too well. Who could predict travelling out to Queen City, etc. John C, however, made me sweat a little bringing up Tyler's past mentioned in Dinner for Three, suggesting someone would come forward from Tyler's history. He had me rushing to get the book out before that thread started a conversation that had you all working it out together!
What's next: Cayman Proxy, Size Curious Brat 2, Her 30th Summer, and maybe a series called Bull By Night (for now!)
Well, I was certainly surprised by Pete's resurgence. I had hoped for it earlier but gave up after he was left crying in the car. As I said above, he was the most interesting from a character growth perspective, particularly after he reached the bottom of his emotional state. As I said before in an earlier post, I have seen some pretty weak people do some unbelievably heroic things when their backs are against a wall. I have always found those real life heroic as hell, which is why I always hoped you would do that with Pete. Had to wipe a tear from my eye from the memories.
DeleteThanks for that!!!
One other thing. Do you think the next Cayman book will make it out this weekend? If not, I'm sure I'll have plenty of work to do around the yard and house anyway, so don't forget to have fun while the Summer lasts.
DeleteI have a fondness for 'Straw Dogs' endings, where the presumed meek show grit to do the grisly. Now, Pete didn't put anybody in a bear trap or kill anyone, but when he had nothing to lose, the game was over, his family's future was on the line—he had what it took to solve the problem.
DeleteThe Cayman Proxy definitely won't be out this weekend. I've solved some problems in it, though, clearing the path to get some words down. Won't be too long!
Thanks. I wonder a bit why I didn't see many postings on your Cayman pages (except people asking about the next LHW book. So far, I am intrigued by the story and characters. I thought you spent more time up front developing some of the characters, so maybe some readers wanted more wham, bam thank you ma'am to start things off.
DeleteI liked the background up front, but I really enjoy connecting with the characters. So far, not sure who the heavy will be, but have picked up a few of your between the lines hints I'm some of the books.
Appreciate your interaction on plots and things, many authors avoid that too much, I think. But I realize it is a lot of work,when your trying to make some money being an author.
Have a great weekend if you see this.
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ReplyDeleteHi KT, would you mind giving us any teasers on the new books you mention in Guhrka's thread? Specifically, does Size Curious Brat 2 carry on from the first book? Is it too early to talk about Bull by Night?
ReplyDeleteSure!
DeleteSize Curious Brat 2 will tell events on the following day. I will probably write more stories with Matt and Chloe. Writing Chloe puts me in such a good mood. I needed it after all the heartbreak with Jess and Pete. Whenever I'm feeling down Chloe's simplicity could cheer me up!
Bull By Night: Not sure if that's the title or not, that's what I saved the file as. It will be a bull's perspective, or a bull's story. Not a lone narrative though. He will have the prime story but there will be satellite stories that surround him, told in supporting character's perspectives. It will be a very different locale, have a suspense theme, will be a little sleek and dark and upscale.
If anyone is inclined to give an opinion I wouldn't mind hearing how you like your content. Do you like the 99cent shorts or do you prefer to get a novel-sized chunk at a time?
For the most part, I prefer the format of LHW, since the smaller releases keep me engaged rather than waiting longer for the full book. That also lets you work on multiple projects at once, but that may drive you a bit psychotic at times, so many personalities in your head at the same time.
DeleteAt the end of the day, it probably depends on how the storytelling works forgot. I imagine sometimes you get so into it that you could write it all in a long week, and have it work out right. Other times it might take more contemplation as to how different personalities would really cope with the situations you create. Also you might need to do some research between smaller stories in a larger book.
Not sure about the financial part would work either, but that might be significant enough to check out.
Bottom line, it probably comes down to what works out best for your available time, style and the particular story your telling.
The first line in the second paragraph below should have read, "At the end of the day, it probably depends on how the storytelling works for you."
DeleteThanks for the updates on your future work! I'll throw in my 2 cents and say that LHW was probably made even better by your method of updating us on the story. I also vote you continue doing that.
Delete... I shouldn't have lumped Guhrka in that camp, sounds like Guhrka's vote is more what works for you and your stories.
DeleteTB=TH -- Actually, as I said above, I like the LHW format best for me as a reader, it's just that might be too crazy for KT to do that on everything, and depending on the book it might be easier to do an entire work in one continuous effort.
DeleteAnyway, I'll take being lumped in with your lune of thinking.
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ReplyDeleteKT,
ReplyDeleteI see that 'Her 30th Summer' is a future project, what about the other bookend on your blog header, 'Obscene'?
I agree with Guhrka on doing what is best for you as far as writing goes, to me the price point doesn't matter for you have sold me on your ability to tell a tale. A list of future stuff and tentative dates of publishing would be great for following your work.
The other book, Obscene, is the Bull By Night book. Still trying to figure out a title that captures the subject properly. As far as a publishing schedule goes: I write every day, usually on whatever I feel like so it's hard to nail down what book will appear first. As it stands today it would seem that Obscene (or whatever it will finally be titled) will be out first. Before Cayman Proxy. Her 30th Summer will be a complete book I think, like Going A Little Too Far, so not sure when it will be ready. Obscene lends itself to a series quite well. I may do a bunch of novellas featuring the characters that will eventually tell a grander tale. It is quite sex heavy. Lots of character development through that sex but it is very much a sex-action book with lots of wife watching and cuckolding and some other ideas thrown in there for good measure. It will be a series but probably not quite done the way that LHW was. I have another novella on the go as well about a young couple on a research grant in British Honduras in the summer of 1969. Lots of great stuff in it so far but looking for a way to tie it all together before it is release ready. After that: I have lots and lots of notes about things I want to tackle. I put them together as they come to me so when I'm ready to write I can get through it quickly before I lose my grasp on it.
DeleteI asked about the series because I worried that people didn't like that method. I feel like it was good for me because the story worked being told like that and frequent releases meant more people were exposed to it. I think it was read by more people because it was a series. One big release of a 160,000 word book might have just sailed over everyone's head and then dropped from sight. I just wondered if while it worked for me exposure wise it might have ruined the reader experience, or maybe just not have been optimal. I'm glad to hear the positive. When it works I will release a story like that again!
KT
ReplyDeleteThe only downside I see personally to a series is I go nuts waiting for the next chapter/book. A complete book allows me to mainline it to the end. Once again if chapter by chapter works best for you, that is great, again I can't wait for your next effort.
Waiting became a part of the fun/anguish (I feel you though), especially between Advent and New Year's for me, that was nailbiting.
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ReplyDeleteKT.. Im glad I was able to make you sweat a little. Since your story had my emotions on a roller coaster ride..we all looked at theses characters differently saw somethin similar but some saw further out and some saw closer in. I just got lucky when I thought about someone from the past but it just made sense since we were introduced to him as someone with a past.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, I was pretty confident that no one could foresee where Pete was going and then...
DeleteYea, Pete and I walked the same turf a couple of times. Maybe not exactly the same but close enough.
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