Me, Myself & the Realm...Defending Lorcan, Part II...More Thoughts on the Series

In March of this year I posted a blog about 'Defending Lorcan.' It explained a lot about Lorcan, what drives him, Kat, and the series specifically.

I believe there is little room in the middle of the continuum - the majority of readers love him or hate him.

The series has become much more popular in recent months (thanks to all of you that are fans!) and with that I have seen a rise in Lorcan-hate. I thought it might be a good idea to put a bit more information out in general about the series for those that have not discussed the-good-and-bad-of-Lorcan with me over on my Facebook page.

My favorite romance genre has always been historical - give me a hot Scottish Laird or a surly English Lord that meets his match in a sweet, sassy, smart female and I am over the moon.  Given that the 16th, 17th & 18th centuries were my favorite time periods (if you have read much historical romance around those eras), you probably have a good idea where I get the flavor for overbearing (at times to the point of appallingly dominant and chauvinistic) males.

While we women may have always been equals - it took some boys a bit to catch on to that - we were not always treated as equals, no matter how smart, adept, or utterly amazing we might be.  In the fiction that I love, the heroes ALWAYS end up being smarter than the general society of their time; no matter how powerful, strong, surly, egotistical, unyielding, etc. they might be in the beginning, they cannot help but come around from those ingrained misogynistic behaviors because the most incredible women happen to love them.

Can you see where I am going here?

Lorcan is over 2500 years old when Chosen begins.  He was born and raised in hulking-male-not-considerate-of-women era, and then lived through centuries of the same.

You will note, in Chosen, I mention that Vampire tend to get caught up in eras that had significant meaning to them. Lorcan's significant era was when Kaitriana died - 500 years ago. When Kaitriana comes back, he has been conducting his life with a mindset of a circa-1500 AD European male for @5 centuries. Men of that era were certainly not known for their enlightenment on the topic of women. On top of that, he is a hardened warlord...and an arrogant Vampire. As such, while Lorcan does not treat Kaitriana like property or beat her, he is not going to respond to her and her antics like we would expect a man to today.  

In that first 'Defending Lorcan' post, I mentioned that he and Kaitriana both needed time to grow into the roles that were destined to be theirs - he as mate to the prophesied Chosen and she as a mature ruler of the Realm.

For that reason, their story continues through the series.

I never expected Lorcan would resolve all his man-issues in the matter of months in which Chosen takes place, nor fully resolve them by the time Forsaken ends.  He is beginning to come around quite nicely by the time Broken concludes - but he still has his moments.

I also mentioned in that 'Defending' post, and again above, that Kaitriana also needed time to grow into her role.  I can hardly fathom that it would be great fiction for a mid-twentyish female that has been asleep for 500 years to wake up and in the matter of a few months be completely able to competently manage the entire workings of the Realm that has been at war for thousands of years.

Forget believability, where is the fun in that?  Kat needs to grow into the role and just because she has not done it by the end of Chosen does not mean that there is not more to come, or that the role that she purportedly was to play in the series was misconstrued.  I know where the series is headed - all 13 books are already plotted, so trust me - before the end, this series features a group of smart, strong, supernatural women...and the men they allow to tag along for the ride.

On my social media sites and all book pages, in order to try to clarify this at least a little, I have today added the following additional series information:

About the Ancients of Light series

Chosen is the first in the thirteen books of the Ancients of Light series and is only the beginning of a young Witch’s journey toward developing both the strength of character and magic that will be required to fulfill her prophesied role as leader of the Light faction.

Revelations of nuances in the Prophecy - facets that were never fully comprehended by the Ancients - will continue in successive stories. The culmination of its true meaning in the destiny of the supernatural world of the Realm will only be revealed when Kaitriana is adequately prepared to lead the Warriors now being called together to champion the Light’s purpose.

Familiar characters return for each storyline as the focus turns to a new key couple in every book - a pair that significantly factors into the purpose of Light – however, the story of the Chosen does not end with Book #1.  Kaitriana and Lorcan, their growth together as partners in leadership and in love as a couple, will thread through the series as Kaitriana assumes the role that was destined as hers since the beginning.

I hope that helps clarify a bit more where I intend to take the story of Kat and the series.  I noticed after the release of Forsaken that there was some initial disappointment from some fans that the entire 13 book series would not focus on Kat and Lorcan.  I always believe that more information is better and I have been remiss in releasing additional information about the direction of the series.  I felt, after seeing some of the feedback, that it was time I correct that situation.  

I am sure as I publish more books in the series, I will tweak information, and I will make a concerted effort moving forward to put more information about sooner than later, because I want to eliminate any confusion for readers. I definitely do not want people to buy my books if they are not what they are looking for in a new read.  There are just simply too many great new authors out there to spend time reading something that is exactly the opposite of what you enjoy.  

I am putting this out here only because I want people to understand the series, the dynamics and that there is much more to the Kat/Lorcan story than has yet been written.  I have 10 more books in the series...Kat cannot possibly refrain from inserting herself smack into the middle of each and every one.  

XOXO

Heather