Christine Feehan talks Torpedo Ink

Anyone who subscribes to my website or follows me on social media knows that I am a huge Christine Feehan fan. What I love about this particular author (besides the fact that she is a prolific writer – can I get an Amen😇) are her many and varied series – dark and dangerous Carpathians, the magical heartwarming Drake Sisters and Sea Haven series, elusive Shadow Riders, genetically modified special ops soldiers, Leopard shifters, Christmas stories, and standalones – regardless of the subject matter, the Feehan guarantee is simple – unparalleled research, complex storylines, and characters that move you.

If you’ve ever read a Feehan novel then you are aware that she does not shy away from the tough, the dark, the taboo. She sees a scary, heart-wrenching, or tragic topic as a way to open up a dialog. To shed light on the disturbing. To force her readers to see. To make a difference. To simply ask us for understanding. To extend kindness to victims and tap the brakes on judgment.

All of which brings me to the heart of this post. One of Feehan’s newer series, Torpedo Ink, has recently taken some flack from online reviewers. They purport that TI is too violent, too sexual, too open about child abuse, human trafficking… just… too much. Having read this author for years and understanding that she does not write about difficult subjects lightly, I asked her what she would tell her dissenters.

I know that these books can be difficult to read, they’re certainly difficult to write. I have to do a tremendous amount of research in order to write them and just that can be so heart-wrenching I have to step back. Each character is alive to me so it can tear me up knowing his/her story details I’ve read but don’t put in the books. Talking to pros I try to follow what would be realistic. These are men and women who were children raising children. They have to learn lessons now that they would have learned as a child. Their go-to place is assassination. That’s what they know. They have to grow over time not just as individuals but as a group. They have to integrate into their community in a way that would be natural to them – children or the elderly. I’m working on a book now where that happens in a small way – taking that first step. I can’t change what would be the reality of their sexual problems. The fact that they watched each other was what saved them from being sexual predators or pedophiles themselves. They had a moral compass- Czar – and each other to watch over each other. I have to write as close to reality as possible and yet still tell a love story filled with hope. I absolutely know these books aren’t for everyone. But, I also know I need to give my characters a voice and a happy ending.

Christine Feehan

You can like, love, or hate her pen of steel, but I believe Feehan’s motto is this – You will bloody well feel something at book’s end.

A special thank you to Christine Feehan for answering my question! Knowledge is power! If you’re interested in checking out how deadly amazing the Torpedo Ink series is, I’ve included the Amazon links below. If you would like to receive an email when I post new reviews or blog posts, Subscribe Now!