Miss Boudreaux and The Bum

During Nicholas's journey, the reader finds that he is being fostered by Miss Boudreaux.  When I was writing this novel, I sometimes contemplated, "What if The Bum never moved in with Miss Boudreaux?"

Would Nicholas stay until legal age and take care of his foster brothers and sisters? Or, would he run away regardless and start a new life?  It's hard to say, because if you've read the story, Miss Boudreaux's love interest, aka "The Bum" is the catalyst for Nicholas leaving.

While most teens would consider his living environment at the foster home to be miserable and neglected, Nicholas seemed to be happy that at least he wasn't being beaten on a daily basis.  Miss Boudreaux used the system and was lazy.  Laziness is something he could live with, it was continued abuse at the hands of "the Bum" that he couldn't stand.

Have you ever been in a situation similar to Nicholas's?  I think most people sometimes settle for "livable conditions" instead of great conditions.  Because let's face it, even though Nicholas assumed Miss Boudreaux's responsibilities because of her laziness, he would have become lazy himself, in the long run by not finding a better home for himself.

I think that situation is where the saying, "Thank God, for unanswered prayers," came from.

Chi-Chi and Gitch

Alot of people ask me about these two characters in my novel, "The Long Road from Perdition".  Namely, if these two personalities really exist.  I have to say though, that I have known some guys that gave me inspiration for their personalities.  Go to any gay bar and you will likely see waitstaff that could easily be Gitch or Chi-Chi.

I envisioned them to be thin, wiry guys that flaunted their sexuality.  I think they definitely gave Nick a crash course on what it is like to work in a gay bar!  While I wanted these characters to be stereotypically effeminate, I wanted them to also show a strength and power when push came to shove.  When Nick makes the mistake of wearing his handkerchief in his backpocket, it was these two characters who protected him and  stood up to those who were ready to take advantage of him.

I also wanted to show that Gitch and Chi-Chi are hard workers...loyal to a fault and accepting.  Cause that's what it's all about when you frequent a small gay bar.  You're family.

JRS