The Logline
Ophelia is a for-hire decomposer to the most wealthy and influential families. Under the guise as their gardener, she hides the most scandalous of secrets; but how long before the keeper of skeletons is buried with them?
The Ladies
Ophelia a.k.a the Gardener:
“I want them to be remembered,” she confessed. [...] “Maybe no one will ever remember their name or their faces, [but],” [...] “I...hoped that even with the horribleness that was done, that I could make them beautiful again.” [...] “...I hoped, someday, even if they were only flowers, someone would acknowledge they existed.”
Goldie a.k.a The Woman with the Golden Smile & The Fairy MobMother:
“Don’t let them take that away from you. Let them throw their money. Let them think they can dress you. At the end of it all, we’re the ones with their secrets. It’s power, don’t forget it.”
Goldie held out her hands to Ophelia and pulled her to her feet. She fixed a piece of hair and fluffed some of the lace. Her ringed hands moved to Ophelia’s shoulders, before she beamed, confidently and infectiously.
“Time to go break some hearts, my love.”
Aliza van Croix:
Aliza turned back to Ophelia with a smirk and a spark of fire in her eyes. “I[...]They’ve been sleeping comfortably for long enough. They built that cemetery and now they tremble at the thought of a reminder. Ha! They think you a phantom? Good, I say!” Aliza locked eyes and snarled: “haunt them.”
The Author
The ability to write these wonderful women in a novel has brought on more joy, and healing, than I thought would be possible. Through them, I’m able to express and say things I wish I could have heard when I needed it. Now, I hope that I can pass it on to others who need it.
For a long time, I feared that I would have to hide my gender in order to be taken seriously in my favorite genres. They were always male-dominated and continue to be so. But, now, I am adamant about my femininity. I will not be ashamed of it. I will not cower.
My characters are complex beings who are not ashamed of who they are --even if it takes some of them some time to realize it. Men are allowed to cry. Women are allowed to be angry. Writing these three women in particular has given me strength when I needed it. At times when I am wavering, thinking about them helps me power through.
If she could survive that, I can survive this.
I want to express all aspects of my femininity, and the webnovel format has given me a perfect outlet. I want to write all the women I was so desperate to read. Because, sometimes, you want to wear the pretty dresses, and sometimes...you just gotta drop kick a dragon. ;p