On paper, Demitri seems like the perfect knight in shining armor type. He’s protective. He is responsible. He’s duty bound to his people and everyone he cares about. But this is just on paper, a surface level kind of understanding.
When I first started writing Taste, I didn’t know Demitri all that well. He was one of those characters that preferred to be closed off from the rest of the story. I really had to dig very deep to scratch the surface of who he was.
I thought of him as typical. The strong silent type who gave his heart wholly to Phoenix. He was robotic, doing what he needed to do to save his people because he thought he was duty bound to do so. Not once did he think about himself or what he wanted. Even when the bound between himself and Phoenix was forged, he still tried his best to think about what his people needed.
Several drafts of Taste later, Demitri opened up more to me. I started seeing his hopes and dreams. What he really wanted in life. He’s a traveler. Someone who wants to see the world beyond his underground kingdom. He serves his people to the best of his abilities, but this service never made him happy. He longs for something more.
This longing became a turning point between me and Demitri. Although Luka is my favorite, I saw the potential in Demitri as a leading male character. He protected Phoenix not because he had to but because he wanted to. He was drawn to her in a way he’d never experienced before.
Some may call this instant love. But we all know that love at first sight does happen in the real world. You meet someone that sparks something in you, connects you together and refuses to let go. Those who deny this haven’t really felt it yet or may never feel it at all.
Phoenix brought out Demitri’s more human side even if there is nothing human about him. She shook him to his core, waking him from his robotic existence. Right off the bat, they knew they needed each other. They may not have recognized it at first, but the pull was there between them. I loved seeing Demitri grow on the page, the way he slowly melted and became who he wanted to be as opposed to who he needed to be.
I may not like Demitri the way I like Luka, but I appreciate him. He adds color to an already colorful cast of characters in Taste. I don’t think the story would work the way it does without him in it. When you read Taste, you’d think that Phoenix should be with Luka. But what you’ll see as the story progresses is that Demitri balances her out more than Luka ever will. She finds more of herself when she’s with Demitri.
I’d like to take this moment to thank Jennifer for letting me hang out on her blog today. I really enjoyed the experience of getting to share a little bit of Demitri with all of you. Grab your copy of Taste now and meet him along with Phoenix, Luka, Dray, and the rest of the Barinkoff gang. If you already have your copy, tell your friends. Spread the word by daring everyone you know to break curfew. Happy reading!
About Taste: At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.
Purchase Taste Amazon
About Kate: When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.
About Taste: At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.
When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.
Purchase Taste Amazon
About Kate: When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment