leahjcastle

[leahjcastle]

sigh

[leahjcastle]

I observed Cade a little bit more. He was so good... Besides, caps should be an obligatory accessory at Appa. Dancers looked great with caps. And truly, my imagination had not deceived me. His gorgeousness was real. He was there, in front of me...

Okay, now I was definitely nervous. "Disoriented" is an euphemism.

I was on the brink of being abducted.

When we switched again, Cade finally got out of my sight. Not that it made a difference; I could still feel his body in every damn place in that room, exerting a bizarre gravity upon me.

All Rights Reserved.

My Love Is Ultraviolet, novel by Leah J. Castle (linked pinned)

[leahjcastle]

wattpad: leahjcastle ⚜️

[leahjcastle]

I had never crashed against a wall, and I considered that my very first time. I instinctively backed off, almost tripping. My bag slipped through my arm and fell, apparently over his foot. I looked up, pulling a strand of hair out of my face, mumbling a messed up sorry, and I noticed the guy, who was staring down at the thing he had just bumped into.

He was tall, and he was dressed in all black. A cap covered half his face, exposing only from his straight nose to his large jaw. Hollow cheeks. The neck, partially lighted, was strong. The fit jacket had a leather detail in the middle and some other dark things I didn't get to notice, because the shadow of his swimmer shoulders was bearing on me. The guy faced me, for two long seconds, eyes hidden by the cap. For a moment I thought he would shout at me, so rigid his body was. I was wrong. Without a word, the swimmer-wall walked by me and soon he was gone, leaving a breeze considerably colder than before. My face wanted to turn around and follow him, but my body was frozen. The bag, with no foot to lie on, tumbled. I stared down at the spot he had left, trying to process what I had just witnessed.

My heart registered another phenomenon: a violent shot, followed by an abrupt paralysis. The image had been more than disconcerting, and I imagined being sucked by that shadow under his cap. Such a brief moment, but at the same time so slow...

All Rights Reserved.

- excerpt from My Love Is Ultraviolet, a novel by Leah J. Castle (link pinned on my page) Wattpad: leahjcastle ⚜️

[leahjcastle]

"Hey."

"What."

"Are you mad at me?"

"What if I say yes?"

"Then I'll say sorry."

"And what if I say no?"

"Then I'll apologize for making you lie to me."

"What if I say nothing?"

Jimmy made a face. "Oh, please don't do that..."

"Why?" The best strategy was to keep throwing questions. By doing that, I wouldn't embarrass myself.

"'Cause then I won’t know how to apologize. Don't do that, Gwen, really." For the first time he seemed sincerely concerned.

"Okay." I really didn't know what to say.

"Okay what, Gwen?" Jimmy seized the cup, tilting his head in my direction.

"I was mad, but not anymore. One way or another, you already apologized, didn't you?"

"I did?" His face was so cute I had to smile.

"Stop that, Gwen, or I'll get used to you. Or worse, I'll start to like you."

"Oh, and you must not?"

"Hm..." He picked the straw and stirred the juice. "If that happens, you'll have to put up with me. Are you up to?"

"I'm already trying to deal with lots of things. My list is huge." I had clearly lost the line of thought. My brain had jammed.

"Can I get in your list? I swear I won't fill too much space. Maybe just thirty lines.”

"Fuck!" I laughed. "My list has no lines, sorry."

"Oh no? Then I'll draw."

"Draw what?"

"What do you like to draw?"

"I don't draw."

"Why're you lying?"

"'Cause I'm testing you."

"Hm, go ahead, miss." Jimmy bit the straw and started spinning it with his mouth.

"Draw whatever you want." It sounded weird, that phrase.

"'Kay. Pen or pencil?"

"No pen."

"Watercolor."

"How cute. Wait, you're going to soak my paper?"

"Maybe. Then I'll erase the other stuff you need to bear."

I felt a soft ball touching my chest. Jimmy was not finished.

"The more water, the better. I don't want you to faint."

"Well, I can't swim." I was getting dizzy.

"Another lie. But you don't have to swim. Jump on a boat. I know plenty."

"Really? You have boats?"

"Yep, but I'm not good with directions. They're adrift. You should gimme a hand."

"Sorry, I'm not good with directions, either."

Jimmy threw back his head and laughed.

"Then we got a problem. But we got time."

-

from My Love Is Ultraviolet, novel by Leah J. Castle (link pinned on my page) - Wattpad: leahjcastle ⚜️

[leahjcastle]

how to build a character-driven story: an essential tip ⚜️ (wattpad: leahjcastle)

first, you design their personality. the traits. the essence. and from the essence, which is their point of convergence, you have all the answers.

my intention with each book was to psychologically explain why they were the way they were. it’s like building a case study.

like what kind of background story makes a man turn out rational, controlling, fearful, introspective?

or what kind of story explains one's impulses, explosive emotions, rage, passion, straightforwardness?

the events naturally surge once you have their essence clear in your head. for instance, i wanted Cade COLD. i wanted Traviz HOT. so their stories revolved around their respective essence.

start from that premise.

Cade's life was cold in every sense. socially, physically. it was a world of hierarchy, rules, expectations.

Traviz's life was hot in every sense. brimmed with emotions, with too much love and too much revolt, dance, hyperactivity.

the environment shapes who you are.

so whenever you’re writing a character-driven story, don’t obsess over plots. no. have their traits defined to a point it is natural to spot their background story (a collection of experiences that range from core memories to trauma).

my books: S.CHORIANS 💙 https://books2read.com/u/bPXR07 and RED PARALLEL ❤️ https://books2read.com/u/3JpAeQ you can read them for free on my Wattpad (link pinned on my page).

[leahjcastle]

[leahjcastle]

[leahjcastle]

[leahjcastle]

[leahjcastle]

do never give up on yourself. it’s not about the career, it’s not about the money, it’s not about the validation, it’s not about milestones. it’s about your relationship with your art. whichever the circumstances, keep it pushing, remain faithful to your dreams. we are meant for the dreams we have. do never neglect them.

[leahjcastle]

[leahjcastle]

wattpad: @ leahjcastle

[leahjcastle]

[leahjcastle]

oh my God, look who’s back.