The Very Good Reason Why I Made Reformed Bad Boy Rod Most Like Me

Last week, I admitted that I had no idea what I was doing when it came to writing “Amateurs Play Elsewhere” from Rod’s perspective. I mean, I had next to nothing in common with him.

But I also said I found a way around that. Here’s how…

I made him like me after all.

I might not be able to change his gender, his military experience, his criminal history or the fact that he’s a moody baby with a temper and an unhealthy fascination for the female figure. That was already established in “The Politician’s Pawn” and “Moves and Countermoves,” and there was no going back, at least not without a ton of hassle.

So instead I added personal details about him that I happen to share.

That’s why Rod became an Italian born and bred in New Jersey, an ardent Steelers fan and a hater of crossword puzzles. Because his clueless creator needed him to be.

Moreover, it worked! I found myself inside Rod’s head like I owned it. Or as my fascinating younger brother would say, like I’m the boss.

I threw in some awesome snark about Italians (Anyone offended by that? Click here), alternately defended and derided New Jersey, and trashed the Ravens (Anyone offended by that? Read “Moves and Countermoves to feel better, since main character Evans is a Baltimore fan).

And I had a lot of fun doing it all from start to finish. It made him more relatable to me, which in turn allowed me to make him more relatable to readers.

All in all, I’m proud to say that he’s every bit as compelling a character as Kayla and Evans were in their respective stories. You might even find yourself falling in like with him by the time you’re done.

Ravens vs. Steelers… Too Much Fun!

Anyone who really knows me knows I’m a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Which means I’m automatically anti-Baltimore Ravens. We’re supposed to hate each other. Or so I’ve been taught ever since moving to this proud-of-purple area.

Bleck!

Yet “Moves and Countermoves” main character Thomas Evans is a Baltimorian born and bred. And he’s a man’s man. So I had to make him a football fan in general and a Raven’s fan in particular. It just made sense that way.

Surprisingly for someone whose eyes narrow and lips purse whenever she sees anything Ravens, I had an absolute blast getting into Evans' head and trashing the Steelers a few times over. That’s especially since I made continuing character Rodney Andiluigi – a definite antagonist in at least the first half of “The Politician’s Pawn” – giving allegiance to Pittsburgh.

Which means I got in a pretty decent dig against quarterback “Big Ben” Roethlisberger at one point. Which made me giggle. Which probably makes me a really bad Steelers fan.

Oh well. I redeem myself in Dirty Politics Book 3: “Amateurs Play Elsewhere.”

Come to think of it, I trash the Ravens in that story more then I do the Steelers in this one. Though that’s not because I’m horribly biased. It’s not even my muse Katrina’s fault.

There would be a few more pro-Ravens comments in “Moves and Countermoves,” except that my darling editor – a New York Giants fan all the way – struck them out as being pointless.

So I tried, boys and girls. If it doesn’t come across that way?

Well, we can’t win ‘em all.

Just ask the Ravens.

Okay. Okay. And the Steelers.

But we still have more Super Bowl rings. Don’t forget that.