Daily Post: Nice is as Nice Does
It’s a choice…
Oooh, this is a good daily prompt because I’ve been thinking about this a lot. As I get into my final edits with Jewel of the Thames, one of the scenes that became a sticking point between my editor and I brought up the startling idea in my mind: do they know that Portia is not ‘nice?’
The scene (without giving too much away) was meant to show how Portia figures out the methodology used by the jewel thief in her first case. It requires that she do some research on death and dead bodies.
When my editor pointed out that the scene was needed, I agreed right away, and I even had an idea in my head as to what I wanted to happen.
Problem is that when I delivered the scene, everyone, from my editor to my publishers, felt it was too macabre. Yes, some mice got killed, but it was off-camera and I swear, in the name of science!
This brings me back to the point of the daily post: Portia is NOT nice. She is actually far too analytical to be considered nice, and will often do and say things that are seen by the general public as cruel or unemotional.
That is who she is, and I had to call my publisher in a bit of a panic to make sure that they KNEW that. Because if they didn’t… whoo boy were they in for a surprise in book 2!
Turns out they were aware of it, loved Portia for that facet of her personality, but encouraged me to find a less-PETA-opposing way of demonstrating her science over sentiment personality.
Phew! Someday, after publication in March I think, I will post the original scene and see what you guys think (and hope that PETA doesn’t notice).