Writing in Reverse

Nearing the End

I remember just before I wrote chapter 65 of Island Rush that it was time for me to be heading towards the end of the book.  I couldn't think of what else I wanted to address with them on the island and it was kind of a sad moment for me after I posted chapter 65.  Because in chapter 66, things would change.  Casey gets bit by that rat and everything changed again; it was another turning point and the start towards the end. 

At first, I was debating with myself whether it should actually be him getting bit.  They both had their share of injuries on the Island up to that point but Casey had it worse.  Now, I wasn't looking forward going through the process of him being in pain like that again.  I just would have been more interested if it were Janice that was the one getting bit.  However, it was worth it being Casey because I knew I wanted Janice to be the one to be there for him.  Not to mention, if it was her who was bit, I wouldn't have been able to write about what Luke would have done to get her help.  It was in her point of view only and it wouldn't have been the same.  So Casey needed to get bit.

This was a very emotional story to begin with.  I knew I needed to take it up a notch.  At the time, I didn't see an issue with that.

Right after Casey got bit, it was up to Janice to take care of him again.  Only this time it was different and they realized he was going to die.  It was frustrating for the readers I knew; and that's how I wanted it.  I wanted them to feel Janice's pain of feeling helpless for the fact that there was nothing she could have done.  It wasn't like there was a hospital on the island.  So they waited. And that was the toughest part, them just waiting for him to die.  And with that came their goodbyes.

Janice and Casey were very passionate to begin with so I knew I had to spend some time on just them spending their last few days together.  It brought out the raw truth, how pure their love was and it took several chapters for me to express that.  I would realize later I over did it, on many occasions, but at the time, I knew I needed to show just the amount of pain and love they felt. 

It was also somewhat of an intriguing idea to me.  Of course, Casey didn't die but for a while, the readers had to start thinking... what if he really does die?  It was a sad thought, sure.  But with the assumption he would die, it would make people think: what will Janice do after he is gone?  Visions of her burying him somehow or maybe she would be so in denial she wouldn't go so far to do that to the love of her life?  Would she really go insane? She would be alone on that island all alone for what was appearing to be the rest of her life.... it's these things, these thoughts of what might happen after he's dead that was intriguing to me.  Because even though Casey was saved, before that, I was able to create the thoughts of the future which seemed just so unbearable yet interesting. 

At this point in time, I was seriously considering ending the book right after they were rescued.  Either to leave the readers wondering and come up with their own conclusion or because I wasn't sure if I wanted to make a sequel. 

As I was nearing the end, I kept wondering if I could make a sequel.  I had thoughts going in my head, ideas for what a next book could hold.  I kept going back and forth on the matter, debating.  Because one, I loved writing this story and would love a sequel.  However, I felt it was right to just end it and move on to the other story I had to get to - Handcuffed Love. 

I felt so attached, I didn't want it to end.  I wanted to make a sequel.  It was an exciting thought.  I had ideas, tons of ideas of what could happen in a sequel... them trying to deal with being separated now that they are back in reality, her father figuring it out and threatening to kill Janice if Casey didn't turn himself in, the constant attention from the media, and just getting use to being back.  I mean, there were so many ideas and even though I continued to write after they were rescued, I still wasn't sure.   And it wouldn't be until the last chapter of the book that I would end up deciding.