Array
(
[text] =>

If you're reading this, it probably means you've finished reading 'True,' so, thank you for joining me on the journey.

I'm going to tell you a little bit about the inspiration behind this story, for those that are interested.

If you've read my other books, you're probably already aware that I'm no stranger to same-sex relationships, and I tend to write my own experiences, in some manner, into my stories.

Inevitably, I've been judged. People have been accusing me of having 'improper' romantic relationships for as long as I've been having them. The most notable cause of the gripes of others has been my same-sex relationships, because apparently, it's 'unnatural.' (Or, at least, so I've been told many times.)

I've never really understood this. If it's 'unnatural,' then where did the desire come from, and why can so many people relate to it? The indictment implies that at attraction to those of the same gender was 'manufactured' somehow, but, when challenged, nobody can offer me an explanation of who created this phenomenon or why.

But do you know what I find really 'unnatural'?

Bananas.

Bananas (at least, the popular variety found here in the UK) were created by humans, but the resulting fruit was sterile. Humans couldn't figure out a way of growing bananas 'naturally,' so all commercially cultivated banana plants are planted from the shoots of other trees, and not from the seeds of the fruit. So, bananas (or at least the ones I eat!) will become extinct if humans stop planting them.

In other words, bananas require constant human intervention to survive.

At what point did society start accepting that as 'natural'?

And actually, does it even matter whether something is 'natural' or not, or is it more important that it's real?

This debate, at least to some extent, is what I think prompted me to write 'True.' I know first-hand what it's like to be told that I'm 'unnatural' and, as a result, feel pressured to appear more 'normal.' (A problem that apparently, bananas don't appear to have to deal with.)

While tackling this issue, I concluded that whether Kane and Ethan's bond is 'natural' or 'manufactured' by a science experiment is somewhat irrelevant. The point is that it's undeniably present, and, as Kane eventually works out, the feelings they have for each other are real.

Kane's fears that his feelings for Ethan are 'unnatural' reflect my own struggles with whether or not being attracted to someone of the same gender is natural, having been told plenty of times that I'm a freak. But even if we never know whether homosexual attraction is a natural phenomenon or not, what matters to me is that it's real, regardless of where it came from.

I guess the majority of people must at least agree with me on that last point. After all, bananas appear to have a positive role in society, despite how unnatural they are.

So, now for some trivia about the story:

'Calenta' means 'hot' in Catalan, and I liked the idea of using this for a scorching planet.

The freezing planet was called 'Shiva' because I tend to 'shiva' when it's cold. (Yeah, that was bad, I know, but it made me chuckle.)

'Veda' means 'science' in Slovakian, which I thought was appropriate for a planet where the illegitimate science experiments took place.

'Tiamar,' with its main export of coffee beans, was named this way because I love the coffee-flavoured drink Tia Maria.

'Skanus' is the Lithuanian word for 'tasty,' and somehow seemed to suit a planet that grew the tastiest food around.

'Rynek' means 'market' in Polish, and I liked the sound of it for the name of the market town on Skanus.

'Loma' means 'vacation' in Finnish, and it sounded perfect to me for the name of a planet with a gorgeous beach.

Finally, I want you to know how much I appreciate those who have made all the way to this end point. Thank you again for getting involved in 'True,' and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

[text_hash] => f937222a
)