Yes, we’re talking Warner again. A villain’s villain. When I decided to do this week’s post on another of his chapters, at first, I wondered what I could possibly say about him that hadn’t already been revealed. It’s true, I may redeem him at some point in the future but, for now, he’s still King Jerk.
But then I remembered something: that everything works together for the good. It’s not just a truth, but a useful writer’s tool.
Essentially, even those who seem to do their damnedest to hinder you end up helping in some way—sometimes in the biggest way possible. I don’t consider that a spoiler. If you think about it, it’s the thread in every Happily Ever After romance you’ve read, and Cedar Ridge is definitely an HEA. The challenge for the author is using the villain’s dastardly deeds not necessarily against him (though sometimes that’s an interesting twist), but for the good of the heroes and heroines, for the good of the overall story. The fun part is letting them do their worst, then coming in to clean it up.
I haven’t even started thinking about a story line for Warner’s book yet, so I won’t give it another mention. Right now, let’s just keep enjoying Warner Barkley as he is: the guy we love to hate.
Check out the Book Bubble for a peek at a few of the dirty tricks Warner pulls in Cedar Ridge.
