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Harold and Keda

I’m a firm believer that subtext and symbolism are rarely pre-planned and tend to reveal themselves over time, even to the writer. There are elements of these in my stories that others have pointed out to me, and I have to conclude must have gotten there subconsciously. Plot elements arise that I never planned out, but which I’ll happily take credit for.

With that in mind, I am certain that the relationship between Shinichiro Keda and Harold Saldana was sexual.

They were not in love with each other, but they were lovers. I think it began sometime while Keda was doing his Medium training in New York. It would have continued until the event which split them and Keda decided to live full-time in the United States.

Further, I think that Fuhara— Harold’s other protege, who appears briefly in Dead Roots and I never fleshed out the way I had originally intended— entered the picture before Keda left and that they were a threesome for at least a short time.

I think that Keda’s reunion with the both of them in Tokyo, when he delivered Aki, was a tryst behind the fusuba doors, while Tom and Artie drank whiskey, oblivious.

I think that when Keda returned to Harold’s apartment to take Aki away, he used his sexual power over Harold to get his former teacher’s guard down and take the creature for himself.

These are events which I wish in retrospect that I’d explored in the text, but for now they can be considered the real story as of this post.

A few facts about the upcoming Analyst book

Land of Unbelief is underway and should be out late this year, assuming there are no major roadblocks. Here’s what I feel comfortable sharing at the moment.

1. This book will be written so that new readers can jump straight in.
2. Several characters from the previous books will appear.
3. Like in Dead Roots, the antagonist of Land of Unbeliefwill be tied to Tom’s past.
4. Something drastic will happen to Artie.
5. Volumes 2 and 3 did not give enough attention to the use of chems and medications. This one will.
6. I will continue my commitment to writing new LGBT and PoC characters. One of the existing characters will come out.
7. For at least me personally, this will be the most emotionally painful volume to date.

Finally, I’m planning a one-off comic that will lead in to the new book and introduce some of Tom’s new coworkers at the DPSD; it will be drawn by paracoma.
That’s about it for now. More info in the coming months!