(no subject)

[ksmith]

I have never read a take on Jani that connected her various physical travails in any way with eating disorders or self-mutilation. I always considered the martial aspects of the scarring, the physical manifestations of a violent people. As for the eating...Jani loses her appetite when the shit hits the fan, and it hits the fan a lot. And she tends to push herself. I always wondered whether I made mention of her sleeping enough, because there were times when it seemed as though she went for 48 hours straight.

I never considered the human aspect of those disorders.

Comments

[torrilin.livejournal.com]

Mmm... it's not she loses her appetite. Since she has every reason to expect that when her stress level goes up her ability to keep food down may vanish, she doesn't eat when stressed. Not real useful to eat if it makes you sick instead of giving you energy. So she's adapted.

I always figured the insomnia was partially augie kicking in.

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

Personally, I thought the difficulties of the hybridization procedure explained both eating and sleep differences...it didn't feel anything like eating disorders to me.

I think you did a brilliant job of handling a very complex character who does not fall easily under any of the standard diagnoses in DSM-IV. Or a pop-psych book.

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

And in fact after looking at the referenced page, I think this is someone with certain hot buttons for female characters that would, if dutifully avoided, restrict writers from full creative engagement. I've run into similar things with my work...something that makes perfect sense in the story, that has the right background, hits someone's hot button and they zoom off on a tangent that is...their creation, not mine. Same here.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I'll never forget an email exchange with a long ago first reader who made the matter of fact comment that Lucien had been abused as a child, I'm assuming sexually. I couldn't think where that had come from, because I don't really discuss his youth all that much. I am sure they saw similarities with some experiences of their own, based on the man Lucien was and the person they believed they were. it was jarring.

[slave2tehtink.livejournal.com]

Meh. I've been diagnosed with a lot of things but never an eating disorder, and the first thing *I* do when the shit hits the fan is quit eating and sleeping. Anecdotal evidence among people I know suggests that people either stop eating or start overeating when they get stressed, so what's all "omg eating disorder?!" about your character doing it? I've not read the book yet, admittedly, but I'm inclined to view that sort of thing as a realistic human touch.

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

Have you had someone psychoanalyze you, based on one of your characters, yet?

Some readers cannot separate the writer from the characters...they figure if you wrote it, you must've lived it in reality. Luckily for my sanity, I have not undergone all the trauma I put my characters through (both in on-stage plot and in backstory.)

OTOH, sometimes a reader may hit something square on. But I never know whether it's because their hot button happens to be located on one of mine, or whether they really are that perceptive.

Lucien does have some behaviors and attitudes that would fit with abuse (possibly, but not necessarily, sexual) in childhood, but I can think of other experiences at different ages that might have the effect. It's easier to create certain patterns in childhood than later on and harder to undo them. I didn't really *care* why he is what he is; my interest was in how he and Jani would interact through the series. I found it believable.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

I always wondered whether I made mention of her sleeping enough, because there were times when it seemed as though she went for 48 hours straight.

I notice my characters are always staggering around without *nearly* enough sleep for the course of the books. Perhaps adventure is more adventuresome when you're sleep-deprived! :)

[battle-of-one.livejournal.com]

Driven people tend to have masochistic tendencies in one form or another, because their eyes are on the ultimate goal and not so much on the day to day minutiae (which eating and sleeping can be). It's interesting how people read your characters though.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

But is it true masochism, or simply a willingness to defer gratification and/or do whatever it takes to reach a goal?

Jani does occasionally feel the urge to punish herself. She's dealing with guilt issues, after all. But is that the same as masochism?

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

No one has tried to psychoanalyze me yet. I still get the simple questions--which events at the day job did I use in my books, and which co-workers did I use as characters?

I didn't really *care* why he is what he is; my interest was in how he and Jani would interact through the series. I found it believable.

That's good to hear. The Amazon-interview-that-bugged-me took me to task for having Lucien act as he does given that he's a sociopath. Somehow, the "engineered" part of the equation, which has been noted throughout the series, failed to stick with this reader.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I can't eat when I'm stressed. When I'm really stressed, I can't put food in my mouth without gagging. And I'm normal weight/overweight.

The eating disorder thing took me aback. I mean, Jani's issue is physiological, not psychological

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Plus, descriptions of good meals and good nights of sleep seem to run counter to tension and mishap and derring-do. You need to be relaxed to sleep well or enjoy a meal, at least imho. No one relaxes in my books until the dust clears.

[meekachuegs.livejournal.com]

I never thought about it, but it always made scense to me. Take your average college student around final exam time, you get some of those same action, missed meals, no sleep, actions dominate thought; just to name a few. I guess that was part of the reason I was attract to the novels. you have a character that had a plan and it all went to the crapper. It relfects the importance of adaptability or versility. Then again it could just be the importance of change be it good or bad. this is just my nickle's worth of interpretation and attempt at an explaination.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

No, you're right. One of the underlying themes of the series is that Life is Change, and those who can't or won't adapt are in big trouble.

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

A lot of people seem to have led very sheltered lives and also seem to have avoided any form of rigorous education.

[battle-of-one.livejournal.com]

I think a mix of both...I'm not sure they view it as deferring gratification so much as more of a need to reach goals. And there's a certain pleasure in being that focused and knowing that you're willing to do what it takes to get where you want to go.

Guilt of some sort would contribute to that self-punishment, I'd think definitely, as well as maybe a backwards sort of defiance? "They say I can't do that, well eff them, I will!" (Even if they don't say so explicitly to anyone or even themselves). I think it's all on the spectrum of masochism because the gratification comes from achieving beyond expectation, sometimes at the detriment of the self in some way. And there's a sense of accomplishment to it even if it's damaging and you know it's damaging.

[meekachuegs.livejournal.com]

alas I fall into that trouble category. I know I need to but hesitate and second guess to much to make it. oh by the way I have I mentioned that I heart ENDGAME and drool over the awsome cover?

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

You aren't the only one drooling over the cover. I've heard more raves about this one than the first 4 put together.

It's available as a print from Chris McGrath's website. I have one hanging in my home office--it is beeyootiful.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Oh--and it sounds as though you've read ENDGAME? And you liked it? Thanks!

[meekachuegs.livejournal.com]

It was one of those I'm not going to put it down until I finish who cares if I only get two hours of sleep before work. There wer the blink mouth fall open go back and reread moments. Overall I thought it was well written. I think a first time reader wouldn't be too losed.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

There wer the blink mouth fall open go back and reread moments.

Oh, we live for those.

Glad you enjoyed it!