I write to entertain. That’s the plan, anyway. But beneath the tomfoolery of my books is a hidden message. It has to be hidden because no one, especially a teenager, wants to be preached at. Most readers are blissfully unaware of the theme—but their subconscious won’t be, and that’s where I’m aiming.
My books are about werewolves. Not the growly kind. No, my main character is a bumbling nerd who turns into a bumbling wolf. One of my favorite scenes is when his girlfriend yells at him for spying from the bushes, saying did you think I wouldn’t recognize a wolf wearing a t-shirt?
The overall theme of the series is believe in yourself and never give up. But I have specific themes for each book as well. In The Amazing Wolf Boy, Cody turns into a wolf while at a fancy Christmas dinner with his parents. He is subsequently banished to live with an uncle he met only once. The theme for that book is rejection. In book two,Werewolf Asylum, he withholds information because of a promise to a friend. That theme is about how some secrets are too dangerous to keep. The third book, Wolfsbane Brew, starts out with the death of a loved one, and the theme of how to deal with death carries through the entire book.
How do you hide a message in a book? I find it helpful to know your theme before you begin. If you write with the message in the back of your mind, your characters will respond accordingly. Think back to when you were a teen. What was important to you then? What message would you impart to the teenager you were? Then write away. No need to spell it out. Your message will hide behind your words.
Roxanne Smolen is a leading professional in the writing industry. She is a sought-after writing instructor and editor whose tireless efforts help other authors reach their dreams of publication. She co-founded the Coral Springs Writers Workshop and has been a contributor there for over twenty years. She is a prolific writer with twelve published novels and three more expected soon. She also writes a line of children’s books with two of her granddaughters. Roxanne has been married to her high school sweetheart, Gregory, for 40+ years and has two children. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. Visit her website at www.roxannesmolen.com.
You do an excellent job of presenting your message while keeping it subliminal. Your books are also entertaining, which further gets the message across. This is a good posting, Roxanne, and much appreciated.
Thanks for those kind words, Molly. I appreciate you stopping by.
I am too entertained by your books to be aware of any message, and I think that's what you want. Anyway I hope it is. But I do realize that many of your themes are deep. A running theme throughout many of your books is how does a child forgive a parent for unspeakable actions. I will be quite interested to see how you resolve that problem.