Sharon Green (continued)

…what happened the last time I wrote that character. I had to go back and reread what I'd written in order to remind myself, something I'd never had to do before because the narrative was very straight-line. Multiple viewpoints is harder to write, but I consider it more interesting to read. It makes a story richer if you can see certain happenings through a group of very different eyes.

Crescent Blues: Even though the main narrator of The Blending, Tamrissa Domon, is female, three of the POVs are male -- Lorand Coll, Clarion Mardimil, and Valiant Ro. What are the differences in writing from a man's point of view versus a woman's? Is one more difficult than the other?

Sharon Green: Since I'm female, writing from a woman's point of view is no more than a bit difficult if the woman character is different enough from what I, myself, am like. She's still a woman, and I can understand and identify intellectually even if I can't manage it emotionally.

With men, though, you'll never find me writing from a first-person point of view. I know enough men and have had enough male friends to realize a long time ago that men and women may look at the same thing, but they don't see the same thing. Their ideas of what's important differ, their concepts of honor, and their outlooks on things like dignity. I can never really see things through male eyes, but most of my male readers tell me that I'm getting better at showing what men are really like. That makes me feel extremely good.

Crescent Blues: Jovvi Hoford, the embodiment of Spirit in The Blending is fascinating. She is an intriguing blend of self-assurance, sensuality and compassion. What is the genesis for Jovvi? Why pick a courtesan for Spirit?

Sharon Green: It just so happened that Jovvi was a courtesan, but the matter is one of my soapbox topics. That means something I consider an important point, but one which most people disagree with me about. The point in this case is the matter of sex outside the marriage, and the existence of prostitutes in our own society.

People yell and scream if there are prostitutes walking around in their neighborhood and work hard to get rid of them, never once stopping to think that maybe their little daughters -- and possibly their wives and sisters and mothers -- are safer because those prostitutes happen to be there.

If a man with the wrong upbringing comes into a neighborhood and wants some sex, there's a good chance he'll pay a professional woman and get his jollies that way. If the lady of the night isn't there, though, what's to keep him from grabbing the first female he considers attractive no matter what she wants? Lack of imagination has caused more trouble in this world than all the "evil" you care to name.

Crescent Blues: Which of your characters do readers identify with most?

Sharon Green: This question has come as a surprise. Only one or two people have mentioned a favorite character, and one of the ones mentioned was Rion. A male fan told me that he identified very strongly with Rion because he had also had a totally controlling mother, but others don't seem to mention a favorite if they have one. I wonder why that is?

Crescent Blues: What do you think makes Rion so compelling?

Sharon Green: I think it was the fact that Rion did make an effort to stand on his own feet and learn about the real world. Now that I think about it, Rion might be my favorite as well.

Crescent Blues: What was the genesis of Rion? Did you base him on anyone in particular?

Sharon Green: I based him on a condition rather than on any particular person. There are people in our world who think that total control of their children is the best thing they can do for those kids, never once stopping to ask what will happen to the kids if they lose their parents abruptly. I feel it's a parent's duty to teach his/her child to stand on independent feet while making decisions, not to do it for the child. As a parent you have to be there to support and encourage, but if you live your child's life for him or her you're doing damage, not helping. (Guess what? Another soapbox topic.)

Crescent Blues: What are the qualities you look for in your heroes and heroines?

Sharon Green: The first quality is the ability to try to do what has to be done. No one will win all the time, but if you don't try you can't ever win.

After that, you have to make use of whatever ability you have, even if you don't think it will do any good. Try to come up with a way it will do some good, and you're on the way to doing whatever it is that has to be done.

I firmly believe that everyone has something they can use. All they have to do is ignore…

Sharon Green (continued)