Jody Klaire

When I set out to write The Empath, I was hoping that people would love Aeron. It’s been so exciting to see that she’s made lots of friends. May should see Blind Trust taking off and I hope that you are as excited as I am to spend more time with her. Currently, I’m working on her third novel Untrained Eye and so I thought it would be nice to talk about what I set out to accomplish with Blind Trust, what it was like writing it and even give you a hello from the Missourian herself.

First thing you might notice from the blurb is that Aeron isn’t in Oppidum. Nope, she’s in Colorado this time around. One of the exciting things about writing Aeron’s adventures is that I get to explore such a beautiful, varied and complex nation. That’s possible through some very patient and wonderful friends. Continuing on her story was always in the plan (as you can see from inside the cover of The Empath) and it was a joy to write. Aeron grew so much in the first book from Serenity to being at the cabin, that making sure she continued that growth was important to me. Where did she go from that first outing?

There’s a big theme explored in Blind Trust, which is… er… trust. The way it can be earned, lost and rebuilt in some cases. It also explores the way that some find it so very hard and why. The other important part was to build on who Renee was, to show you her so you could begin to learn her story and that of the other CIG cast. That is one of the fun parts of writing a series, showing how the cast around our girl became who they are and how her presence and her heart have changed them. The concept is based on how our own experiences change the way we see things. How body, mind and spirit affect how we view our surroundings and other people. I loved seeing how Aeron shone in The Empath. She has become so very much loved to me that her voice on the page makes me smile.

Although I’m working away on the third book and due to release her second, sometimes I turn back to that first line of her first outing and find myself smiling. ‘My problem is that I know too much.’ It is the same line I wrote in that very first draft, the line that led me to a dear friend on the page. She’s my little Missourian who brings me such joy to be around. That was the most important thing of all for me. That the reader enjoyed being with her, whether new to the series or a friend from the first book. Whether it’s the first time reading or Aeron’s welcoming you back to a well worn copy. I hope that her words on the page bring you as much happiness and joy as they do for me.

I can’t wait for you to meet up with her once more. As we build up to the release, I’ll talk about different aspects but for now, here’s the lady herself.

“You know, it’s kinda a weird thing when you get to know somebody well. It’s like different folks see different parts of you. I mean, Aimee, back in Serenity, saw that I could be strong for her sometimes. She saw that I could keep her confidence. Nora, well she just figured me for a big teddy bear. Since leaving, there’s sometimes when I miss that. Tiz, I ain’t real sure what she knew ’bout me but she found me funnier than she should have.

They’d known me for most of my adult life but they hadn’t known the lost angry kid who had arrived in Serenity. My father had. I guessed that was why it was so hard when I got home. Still, even with all we went through, at least he stuck around. Less said about Lilia on that account, the better.  

Then there is Renee. She sees a whole other person in me that I weren’t real sure existed. She has this ability to push my buttons like nobody else and yet can lift me when I feel like I want to crawl into a corner. I can’t say that anybody has ever really done that before. She’s the closest to me in some ways yet nobody ever sees it all. Okay, so Nan kinda does but she don’t count ’cause she can cheat.

It’s just strange that for somebody who sees so much about other folks, I ain’t sure that I like the thought of anybody seeing that much about me. Maybe that’s ’cause there’s so much about me that I don’t know yet? Maybe it’s ’cause I ain’t got the best track record with other people.

It’s funny how I went from that scrawny kid to who I am now. All of it in just over a decade. Most of my growing inside happened only after Renee helped me realize I was still in there. There’s this thing about palm trees and how they can bend but don’t break. Their roots go deeper and their strength comes from inside. I guess that could be what I’m working on growing now, those roots. Roots that I hope will find water and help me be as strong inside as I am out. Roots that will help me bend but not break… that, and I’d look pretty good in green… it’d make a change from orange!”

Hope you have a great weekend!

     Big Smiles!