I think it’s pretty clear, from watching football all season, that the second-string players played a crucial role in the team’s success or failure. With all the injuries the starters faced, many thought this season would suck. I think it gave opportunity to those players who would otherwise languish in the shadows. But wait. Why the heck am I talking about football when my latest book’s cover is staring you in the face?
Well, I think the same could be said about the secondary characters in my stories. Camille Dutton has a lot on her plate, and if I’m not careful, winds up in scene after scene without a break. That puts her more at risk for a quick, not-so-good ending then sending Satan in the ring. So, to make sure she has a breather between death-defying antics with beasties, the Dark Lord, and knock-your-socks-off love-making with JaxSynn, I focus attention on the other characters, the “second-string” if you will, and develop their story lines.
Mind you, this is not artificial. These secondary characters have lives of their own making, simple or complex, that are hopelessly intertwined with our heroine’s. In A-Hunting We Will Go, you’ll find Derek, Mallory, and Arnie’s personalities and relationships are exploited for our benefit and to much of our pleasure. You even might find you’ve come to like, hate, love any or all three. The point is, this series has a long way to go, and we have people involved who are in it for the long haul. We ought to get to know them, see how they operate under pressure of total annihilation, and how their relationships develop for better or worse.
I hope you enjoy reading the repartee between Arnie and Mallory, as I’ve grown to love their banter. As for Derek, I have a soft spot in my heart for him, and we’ll just have to see how the cards play out if he gets the girl in the end. Well… he might get the girl, but it’s a matter of WHICH girl… *wink, wink*
EXCERPT (the second-stringers)
After paying the jovial cabbie, Derek hoisted his backpack on his shoulder and led the crew inside the hallowed grounds. “Mallory, see if there’s a guide to well-known gravesites. This place is huge. We could be here forever looking for the right plot.”
“I’m on it. Wish their online service was more user-friendly for our needs. It would have been so easy.”
“Haven’t you learned, Mal? Nothing about this mission has easy written on it.”
“Bite me, Arnie.”
“Don’t mind if I do!” He opened his mouth wide and leaned over to bite her right on the ass. Mallory swatted him away and laughed.
“Arnie! Don’t you dare!” She ran away to the office and Arnie preened like a peacock.
“You got nothin’ on me, dude. She’s in love with this prime piece of meat.”
“Oh, yeah. I totally see that.”
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