Q&A with Christine Fonseca discussion

Okay - the inspiration of this thread was Sara's question:
Was what Ien kept hearing and telling about what his mom had done and said all true or a delusion?

Before I get to my answer (which may surprise you), I want to hear what all of you "think"

Well...I was thinking that his mother probably did do most of that stuff because she knew he couldn't hurt anyone anymore or himself if he died.

I'm really torn about this too...on one hand I really believed his mother really said and did everything mentioned in the book. However, I'm also convinced that in his maddening state, he really was so far gone in his delusion he would of convinced himself of anything.

everyone seemed to be wanting to help save him, even though they knew he was capable of the crazies. Even at the end they protected him.

I was wondering this too but in tge end she seened different.Mire maternal almost.

Well...she is definitely all about protecting him. And she DID do a lot of crazy stuff in the process of protecting him

Silly Kindle autocorrect..anyway so she did love him and was trying to protect him. Which could go either way.hmm.

I think she did do some things that he didn't like to protect him, knowing he was crazy. I don't think it was as bad as he perceived them to be though.

I think she loved him, knew what he was capable of and wanted to keep him and the others around him safe.

As for killing him off..I don't know. I almost think that didn't happen but maybe that is wishful thinking on my part, hoping no mother would do that to their child.

I was wondering if EVERYTHING was made up in Ien's head..a whole convoluted mad dream full of intrigue and heartache..

Everything was not made up....he was beaten by his father (common in those times); his mother did try everything from prayer to burning him to try to get out the demons ( also not an unusual way of dealing with mental illness then).

But mother truly just wanted his happiness. He was sent away because his parents believed they could no longer care for him. No one tried to kill him in the sanitarium,

What else do you want to know?

We know he didn't really kill James but did he actually kill his brother? I want to say he did but I am hoping he didn't.

OOOH good one..I'm thinking yes, but hoping he didn't as well.

Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) wrote: "We know he didn't really kill James but did he actually kill his brother? I want to say he did but I am hoping he didn't."

Yes. He killed his brother. His father and mother have suspected for years...and with the accident, that is why they send him away. Ien was tormented by his brother and after his death , Ien's guilt and shame at keeping this secret lead to voices and madness... A la Poe's Tell Tale Heart

So he wasn't crazy before he killed him?

He was. But his first real break came then.

Would we classify what Ien had today as schizophrenia?

Absolutely. He's a paranoid schizophrenic. The big climax scene at.the end is a psychotic break.

LOVE THIS STUFF!

Are you planning a sequel at all?

well....that IS the question, yes? What I can say is the reader response has been great...so I'm in talks on the subject.

Really? That would be fantastic! I know I will be standing in line waiting to read it if you do!!

Thank you so much for answering all of my questions Christine!! I appreciate it and truly, keep up the amazing job with writing. You are very talented!!

woohoo!
Christine wrote: "well....that IS the question, yes? What I can say is the reader response has been great...so I'm in talks on the subject."

OH! I get it now..the big break in his sanity! wow. Poor Ien.
Christine wrote: "Yes. He killed his brother.... Ien was tormented by his brother and after his death , Ien's guilt and shame at keeping this secret lead to voices and madness... A la Poe's Tell Tale Heart "

Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) wrote: "Really? That would be fantastic! I know I will be standing in line waiting to read it if you do!!

Thank you so much for answering all of my questions Christine!! I appreciate it and truly, keep up..."

My pleasure and thank YOU. I never really know if I am reaching readers the way I intend - your kind words mean the world to me.

I want you all to know I LOVE answer these too. I am a total "thinker" when it comes to things - nothing in my books happen without a reason. Every symbol, object, action, word is chosen with utmost care!

Feel free to ask more questions....and to start similar threads in any thread topic you'd like

Christine wrote: "Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) wrote: "Really? That would be fantastic! I know I will be standing in line waiting to read it if you do!!

Thank you so much for answering all of my questions Christine!! I a..."

Um, really, you are STILL questioning this???? YES YOU ARE! Now stop asking! LOL!

I know that POTO was your basis for this book but what was the real push to get you started on it? why go with something so dark?

Brooke (The Cover Contessa) wrote: "I know that POTO was your basis for this book but what was the real push to get you started on it? why go with something so dark?"

You know, I don't think of it that way. I mean, one day, Ien came into my thoughts and bugged me until I started writing. When my mom died, my creativity died too. At least for awhile. I was lost, still am in many respects. But, being a student of "The Artist's Way" , and honoring my mother's Zen background (she became a Sensei just before she died), I channeled my grief into a series of writing prompts that focused on the emotions of love, hate, joy and rage. Through that process I found Ien, Kiera and Katherine. I wrote in my mom's den (she was a painter) and wrote wrote wrote, throwing that grief onto the page.
Having always been a person who plots and gets the opening "just right" before I can draft the rest of the book, this was something new for me to write with no end in mind. My writing partners help me nurture that aspect of me. And I would like to believe my mother helped as well.
A year later, I had Transcend in much the same form as it is now.

Christine wrote: "Brooke (The Cover Contessa) wrote: "I know that POTO was your basis for this book but what was the real push to get you started on it? why go with something so dark?"

You know, I don't think of it..."

WoW!!! See I knew you were a poet and artist...you have to be to write a book like this :)

Christine wrote: "Brooke (The Cover Contessa) wrote: "I know that POTO was your basis for this book but what was the real push to get you started on it? why go with something so dark?"

You know, I don't think of it..."

WOW! I just got chills.

Wasn't sure where to put this but this thread listed spoilers SO...(LMK if I should post it elsewhere)
Part 2 of Kiera's POV scene had me confused..does Kiera love Ien in some way? Or was this written before James was in the picture?
I really liked this scene. It made me wish Ien and Kiera were in love as he thought they were. BUT then again there's Jenna..I just don't know..

When I originally wrote the story - way back in the beginning - Kiera and Ien were in love, James was not interested in Kiera. Amazing how these stories morph, yes...
as I got to "know" Ien, I realized "HOLY COW!!! He made all this up!" - so yes, my deleted scenes are all involving aspects to the story that no longer exist. That is why in part 1 I mentioned how much the story has changed

And yes...In the sense that Kiera LOVES her muse, she loves Ien. They are friends. She does have fond feelings for him. Just not romantic love

AH okay..I get it now. So I am really going to look forward to the blog tour to see some more "what could have beens" and see how the story morphed. YAY!

Christine wrote: "When I originally wrote the story - way back in the beginning - Kiera and Ien were in love, James was not interested in Kiera. ...That is why in part 1 I mentioned how much the story has changed
"

I'm so glad to hear that. After I read the novel, I wondered whether Kiera loved Ien in any way or whether she was firmly in "friend territory". Seeing him as her muse makes me feel so much better about her and the situation.
Christine wrote: "And yes...In the sense that Kiera LOVES her muse, she loves Ien. They are friends. She does have fond feelings for him. Just not romantic love"

I read the scenes today. I could totally tell that things must have changed in your mind and that's why you had to delete those scenes. I even commented on the blogs about it!

Yea - that book went through 4 complete rewrites - the first two were significant changes to the story. Its the way with all of my books!

WOW. Well, it's awesome to see your thought process change. GREAT idea to share the deleted scenes!

Christine wrote: "Yea - that book went through 4 complete rewrites - the first two were significant changes to the story. Its the way with all of my books!"

Jen*Geekygamergal* wrote: "WOW. Well, it's awesome to see your thought process change. GREAT idea to share the deleted scenes!

Christine wrote: "Yea - that book went through 4 complete rewrites - the first two were signific..."

I agree. I love seeing the changes you went through. So great for you to share it with us!

Thanks - I wasn't sure how the response would be...

I was caught off guard with how it turned out. I did not expect that and took me a while to fully understand what was going on, which was real and which was not. I felt bad for Jenna though, I liked her. I was thinking "Damnit Ien! Choose Jenna instead!"

Nickle [NightOwlReads] wrote: "I was caught off guard with how it turned out. I did not expect that and took me a while to fully understand what was going on, which was real and which was not. I felt bad for Jenna though, I like..."

You guys are gonna LOVE the companion novels. Just saying...