Writers want everyone to love their work, or at least to like it, or at the very least to not hate it. It’s why we agonize over plots, over story arcs and characters, settings and scenes and dialog. It’s why we get feedback from as many sources as possible. It’s why we write and revise and crumple and delete and start over. We want you to love our work, thus loving us by extension - at the very least; we want you not to hate us.

One of the hardest things about writing is striking a balance between ‘realistic’ for our characters and their relationships to each other, and ‘fantasy’ for our readers. For example, some readers get angry or annoyed when the hero or heroine isn't perfect, when they make foolish choices or silly mistakes like real people do. Other readers get angry or annoyed over the exact opposite.

I will use my novel Tempus as an example since I happen to know exactly what the author knew and thought at all times. If you are reading this I am going to assume you've read the book, so it won’t be necessary for me to explain who the characters are, etc.

Let’s take a look at Jessie together, shall we? 

I know so much more about her than you can or will ever know. I know everything she thinks, feels, hopes, fears, or dreams and more importantly I know why, even when she doesn't.  I will always know more about her than she does, or than you do. (That means I also know Gabriel and Steve better too, and yeah, it’s awesome.) All you can do as a reader is draw conclusions based on the information given, by ‘observing’ her and those around her. Those conclusions sometimes surprise me.

I enjoy reading what others say about my characters because it tells me about readers’ perceptions. Jessie has been called juvenile, mature, childish, funny, boring, witty, stupid, smart, charming, whiny, strong, weak, brilliant, and dozens of other diverse adjectives. How can one person be all those things simultaneously? What one person loved about her, another person hated. What one person thought made her seem real and honest caused another person to see her as fake and shallow. How can that be? 
Jessie is Jessie is Jessie, and the description of her does not change from book to book, yet the perception of her changes from reader to reader. 

Why?

Because Jessie is all those things, and so much more. The fact that readers perceive her differently based on what they themselves bring to the table means that I have indeed created a multidimensional character that is “real.” Just as we don’t like every real person we come in contact with, how can a created character be ‘real’ if everyone who ever ‘meets’ her loves her? Gabriel and Steve love her, and to the story itself, that’s all that matters.

A question I have been asked a couple of times, and that I have seen mentioned in reviews and discussions, is how could Jessie be so shallow as to break up with nice guys over trivial things. If you are one of those people, think about it. Put yourself in her shoes. It’s psych 101.

Jessie lost her Mom at a young age, so no full-time female role-model. Dad has his own issues that he can’t/won’t face because he lost the love of his life (and Jessie really can’t bring someone home to meet Daddy anyway.) She was rejected by her first crush, on her birthday of all days. Then, to top it all off, she has a crazy gift/curse she has to hide and can’t control. You’re surprised she has relationship issues? Give her a break, will ya? At least she is aware that it isn't normal, and they say that’s half the battle.

Another thing that a few have mentioned as shallow is her little shopping spree/makeover. Again, P101 people. If you’ll notice, her little spree takes place after Gabriel. Before Gabriel, she was content to fade into the background, in fact she preferred it. Just because you didn't know about the sixty two days and she didn't know about the sixty two days doesn't mean I, the all-knowing one, didn't know about the sixty two days. I knew she had a reason to make a change, and so did her subconscious.

That brings us to the sixty two days. 

Several people have mentioned they wish the book had started with the sixty two days, or that those days had been included. If I had done that, it would have been an entirely different book. You could not have ‘lived’ Jessie’s confusion; you could not have ‘felt’ Gabriel’s agony - not in the same way you did without those days. The relationships with Julie, with her Dad, and with Steve would all have felt different as well. 

Some have said they knew from the moment Jessie ‘saw’ Gabriel that “they were meant to be together, so what was the point of Steve?” To that I first respond “What was the point of any relationship in your life that ever ended?” Then I answer that Steve reveals to us different sides of Jessie, of her Father, of Julie, and even Gabriel. He causes Gabriel to reexamine his relationships with Jessie and his own Father, and to reassess his role as a traveler. And that’s just his role in this story.

In the end, it all comes down to this: Every reader is unique, and you can’t please everyone. Some will think what we wrote was perfect and others will think it is hopelessly flawed. Some will think it is too easy to understand, and others with think it is impossible to decipher – and their reasons for opposite perceptions will be identical. 

The best thing a writer can do is be true to their characters and to the story they wish to tell. With any luck most who read it will ‘get it,’ and not just ‘get it,’ but truly enjoy it. That’s the one thing we most hope for - that you love it. At the very least; we want you not to hate it.