The Psychic And The Hunter

I can't even begin to tell you how nice it is to be back in full gear with Cursed: Damnation's Door. All those months where I wasn't able to write new adventures for Constance and Dro made me a little crazy. It's weird how you can get so attached to certain characters you create. As much as I love those girls, there are other characters that I really like as well, such as Max and the newly introduced Warrick.

Max looks like this in my head.

Max was another character who existed way in the beginning of Cursed. He was always there as Dro's biggest fan, remaining gentle and human when everyone else around him is a ruthless fighter, able to see the brighter side of things when no one else can, even if he has to be snarky to get them. That's one of the reasons he's so good for Dro. He always looks for the good in everyone and everything, except for one person. But we'll come back to that.

The original Max didn't have any powers. He was just an ordinary guy. For a while I was intent on keeping him this way. Then I realized I could have him stick around longer and provide extra help for when things start going wrong. And they do go very, very wrong, as you may have seen in chapter 8 when his father was killed. Drake is the only person Max ever meant harm to, but he knows he isn't a fighter, and that Drake would snap him like a twig. But Max's powers– psychometry and some foresight– help the group by letting Max see where they need to go. Psychometry will let him see what someone is and know a little bit about their past. His foresight is small at first, but the more it grows, the more he can see what's coming and warn the group. He's a lot of fun and I really enjoy making him grow as a character.

Warrick looks like Jensen Ackles to me, and who doesn't think he's sexy?

Warrick is on the opposite end of the spectrum of Max. He existed in my original concept too, but would you believe me if I said he started out as Drake's bounty hunting partner? Didn't think so. Needless to say, I changed him around, gave him more back-story, and he came out so much better. I admit that in the beginning, he didn't have much of a character. There wasn't a lot to his past, and I don't know if he would have been as impacting as he is in this new version of Cursed. Warrick is going to be crucial in ways I can't even begin to stress, and he's one of my favorite male characters.

A lot of this is because he's a good parallel for Constance. Like her, he's done some very bad things, but unlike her, he knew where to focus his rage. He found a way to calm it down by working with other demon slayers. She only amplified her anger by working for a drug cartel. She was turned bitter and jaded from her employment by them, whereas Warrick is still finding a different kind of peace. He has his own personal demons to battle, and he isn't going to let them get off easy.

Secondary characters are just as crucial as the main characters, and I've put a lot of effort into Warrick and Max. They've been there since the beginning, and I couldn't imagine taking them out when I altered the original story. Constance and Dro might be able to kick ass and take on demons, but if they had any idea what sort of trouble was really coming their way, they'd know they're going to need all the help they can get. I can't imagine two men more brave– or insane– enough to be that help.

Amy