perfect times → EMMETT CULLEN ✓

i s s u e

Hey guys! I know I haven't been updating lately, but I have been soooo busy with family things and school and exams. But I intend on continuing this story, and hopefully the next chapter will be updated sometime over the weekend. However, there is something I need to address before I go on, because my comments have been flooded with similar questions and topics of concern.

Recently I've been hearing about how Hayden is too harsh towards her parents, or others wondering why she acts that way towards them. I should've made a note at the beginning of the book for my reasoning behind this, but I never thought to. So here is your answer.

All of my characters, in one way or another, are extremely flawed. Like real life, I wanted them to have issues that readers could relate to personally. One of them is the problem with absent parents. Now, I know it's not always their fault (for example, Hayden's parents working all the time), but I wanted to capture a character that had to find that out for herself.

Hayden is based upon the thought that a person can be strong, but so sympathetically deprived and with little to no understanding behind certain things. She may seem extremely bratty or ungrateful, but it's important to know that not everyone takes things or reacts the same way. There are sooooo many different coping mechanisms, and I thought it'd be different for me to take on a character that has the toxicity of the blame game. But not only does she blame her parents; she also blames herself, whether that's shown its own point or not. And some of you guys are right— Hayden is a brat. But she doesn't know any better.

My point throughout this book is to show development among everyone; through both the secondary characters and the main character. Hayden is a human being (well, not exactly, but I'm sure you're picking up what I'm putting down) and she, like everyone else, has her way of dealing with things. There's a purpose behind why I made her this way. Yes, of course there's also teenage angst to join in, but the baseline is that she has a flaw that will eventually be resolved.

I think the best thing is to watch as the book plays out, and see how she changes due to her surroundings and future understanding and sympathy. Once she begins to come to terms and cuts out her toxic attributes, I promise this will no longer be a problem of interest. One of my responses to the comments answered most questions, so here it is;

" I do understand your point, love, but that's just the way Hayden, as a character, is appointed. Her perspective is that she, as the child, has done something wrong to deserve her parents' absence. It's not that she's being dramatic or disrespectful, although sometimes she isn't understanding of their position— it's that she feels as though the whole situation is her fault and wants to find a way to fix it. However, every time the opportunity shows itself, her parents don't get the time to listen. Hayden's character displays the means of wanting a nuclear family, but not having it. It shows that you don't always have to have a perfect life to be happy. Soon enough in the book, problems will be resolved. But right now, she needs time to find her true self and no longer feel as though she is the reason for everything that goes wrong. This is not at all my perspective of parents that work constantly, as mine do too. I thought it was important to have a few familial issues in the book for Hayden to solve for herself— past all of the Twilight drama. It gives a connection with readers, and shows that this book and the characters are more than just a random thought I had in the middle of the night. I do hope you understand, honey, as I didn't mean for Hayden's character to come off as disrespectful in any form. "

So I'm sorry for not really describing this in the first place, because it definitely should've been addressed. Anywho, thank you guys for all of the support! I love each and every one of you and can't wait to get your feelings towards the next chapter! :)

And if you have any further questions or something isn't making sense, feel free to comment and I will get back to you as soon as I can!

— Des