Sent Constant Tower to the publisher and am waiting to hear. I really like Psal, its main character. In Wind Follower, Loic likes his society and fits into it for the most part (he really only has two axes to grind: he hates the spirits and he thinks his father should've challenged them.) Loic is also noble, handsome, and has the physical body his society and clan honors. Although folks think he's a pain, he is somewhat spoiled, treats all with equality, and has the noblesse oblige thing down. Loic is the kinda rich guy who would be really concerned with making his wife know what fork to use when they have a feast. He has a couple of foils as well. His younger brother Sio behaves quite honorably. But do i care about the ones who behave honorably? No! I like the nuttier ones. I guess I just want to see how much I can get away with when I write. In Wind Follower I got away with talking about Christianity as folklore. Love, also. I got away with discussing love which can be a problem to folks who want a lot of buckling of swash. In Constant Tower, I'm trying to get away with talking about emotional wounds in a fantasy.
Psal is not what his society wants of him. He is the firstborn son of the king yet because he is born with congenital defects his birthright is given to his younger brother. Psal is also spoiled but not pampered. He gets away with a lot because he's the king's son but he is not treated with kid gloves. He is continually mocked and sneered at and raped at one point. He treats all with equality but he's not above using the rank he should have had to get what he wants. He desperately wants folks to remember he is the firstborn. He also has father issues. He tries to please his father but we're never sure if he actually likes his father. He probably does but the idea of being loved by his father is so far from his reality that he doesn't allow himself to think of it. He whines too. A lot. Even more than Loic. And whereas Loic wants to leave his clan and live alone by himself and his wife, Psal wants to create a clan within his clan. He likes his father's enemies more than he likes his own clan and yet he doesn't want to leave his clan. Of course, there's also Ephan. Also damaged. Also a prince. And he behaves much differently toward his lot in life.
Anyways, now am trying to work on My Life as an Onion with main character, Ben. Ben also has the noblesse oblige thing down. (Yep he's rich as well and his love is a poor dark girl. Yeah, well, at least I'm consistent.) But Ben is also manipulative. He doesn't care much about what his money will do for him but he cares a great deal about what his money will cause his friends to do. He isn't whiny. He likes thinking he's cold so we are trying to see behind that mask of coldness he affects. He's funny too, and as he calls himself "a bit of a coquette" and is so petted that he will destroy himself with his power if he isn't careful. Love that book as well.
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