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I Learned To Embrace My Pain
Unforgiven follows a former writer whose career and life are falling apart as he seeks refuge in a cabin only to discover more family secrets and a mystery of his family’s past. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
This is the first book I wrote. Which was written after I completed my Associates of Arts Degree in Creative Writing at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. In which, at the time, I had not been a true practiced writer in the field of novel writing. In addition, my life experience was rather dark. I was going through a lot in the course of writing this book. Namely the loss of my mother.
So as for inspiration for the set up of the story, I was imagining my future as a successful writer. Plus, because it had only been a year since I lost my mother, and was dealing with self doubt and anxiety, my character was an echo of who I was at the time.
Henry experiences a lot of extreme emotions in this short book. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
As stated in the previous question, my mother passed away quite recently before I wrote the book. In which my grievance was brutal on me because I’ve always been sensitive, raw, transparent and always felt like I had to deal with my emotions by myself. However, over time I learned to embrace my pain and talk to others.
I selfishly used Henry as a catalyst for the pain I was going through. As for why he went through so many extreme emotions in such a short book, that is because I wasn’t dealing with my pain in a healthy way. Looking back, I could have filled out the gaps and made him more well rounded.
Nevertheless, I am still proud to have written this book. After having written this book, I knew I had potential to be a better writer some day.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Anger, fear, family and self worth. I have always been a visual person. So, when I exemplified these themes in the book, I was showing them to the best of my ability. However, through my practice, I noticed that in this book, I barely scratched the surface. Yes, I showed extreme emotions, but I could have peeled through layers of where the core is of those themes. Emotions are complex and rich. Especially as you get older. The fact that Henry is middle aged, should indicate that he is complex, and his emotions have a lot of acreage. If readers want to see that acreage in a part 3, I will certainly explore those layers.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on book 4 of Boone and Jacque. Subtitle being: Cytrus Moonlight. It is my fantasy series which will end after book 5. Book 4 focuses on Jacque’s uncle Leon Arnaud’s murder. However, there are many other things going on in the new town they live in. Cytrus. My journey through book 4 has been interesting. I look forward to sharing that journey with you all.
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Unforgiven
Unforgiven is a short story written by Andre Gress. The story is told by the character Henry Fields, a once-famous ex-writer whose life falls apart in every way imaginable in the first chapter. However, there’s no silver lining until he is suddenly informed about a huge family secret that will change the nature of his life catastrophically.
The narrative takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s evident from the start that Henry harbors much anger and bitterness towards his life and perhaps the people in it due to various circumstances. The story is told from Henry’s perspective, but it also contains a lot of italicized side comments. These comments feel like Henry’s unofficial internal monologue and often include points of criticism or snide remarks aimed at both himself and others in the story. The addition of these side comments adds depth and intrigue to the story because you get an inside look at Henry’s thoughts and emotions.
I appreciated that the main character is presented as a person who was both a little flawed and quite sensitive. He has a clear adoration for his little dog Rosy and reminisces about his past. So many male characters are created to be strong and dominant, to the point that the idea of being emotional is nonexistent. It was refreshing to follow a character that is a little more realistic with his emotions, especially with the things Henry has gone through and experienced.
I enjoyed the overall story and narrative development; the development of the main character and his life situation at the start of the story was vividly descriptive and exciting. However, once the big family secret is revealed to Henry, he goes from being outrageously angry to accepting in no time at all. I felt this story aspect was rushed, and some of the storylines were cut out. Still, this is a captivating story and takes the reader on a memorable adventure.
Unforgiven is a gripping story about a man and his journey to self-discovery and learning the truth about his family. As events unfold, he will have to choose what path he follows, and readers will be hanging on edge to see his life’s direction.
Pages: 95 | ASIN : B01NAJSA6N
Unforgiven – Book Trailer
Once a victim, she’s now a vigilante. An addictive and suspenseful thriller for readers of Candice Fox and Sarah Bailey.
Lexi Winter is tough, street-smart and has stood on her own two feet since childhood, when she was a victim of notorious paedophile the Spider. All she cares about now is a roof over her head and her long-term relationship with Johnny Walker. She isn’t particular about who she sleeps with … as long as they pay before leaving.
Lexi is also an ace hacker, tracking and entrapping local paedophiles and reporting them to the cops. When she finds a particularly dangerous paedophile who the police can’t touch, she decides to gather enough evidence to put him away. Instead, she’s a witness to his death …
Detective Inspector Rachael Langley is the cop who cracked the Spider case, 18 years earlier – but failed to protect Lexi. Now a man claiming to be the real Spider is emulating his murderous acts, and Rachael is under pressure from government, media and her police colleagues. Did she get it wrong all those years ago, or is this killer is a copycat?
Lexi and Rachael cross paths at last, the Spider in their sights … but they may be too late …
LITERARY TITAN 