All writers tend to find inspiration for their characters differently, but I’m of the opinion that many of us put parts of our own selves into our cast. Nevia, the female lead of She Who Chose War, is no exception, and while there’s many areas her and I differ, there are more where we are alike.
As I’ve previously discussed, the plot for She Who Chose War was based off of a dream I had, along with Nevia, Darius, and Ardan. Like most dreams, however, it was fleeting, and I only retained bits and pieces, and the characters were riddled with inconsistencies and a lack of substance so that they didn’t feel real. That’s where I came in to add to the concepts. As a woman who is biracial myself, I have faced discrimination and a lack of self-worth. These were things that I wanted Nevia to struggle with. While Nevia’s journey was far more difficult than my own and she faced way more racism than myself, I wanted those who were of color, like myself, to feel seen, to have a main character struggling to fit in like many of us do on a day-to-day basis when we are a minority.
Another one of Nevia’s struggles is self-esteem. I could go on, and on, and on about how this has been a major roadblock in my life. I have come so far through therapy and an amazing, supportive husband, but it is such a real, common struggle that I think many of us struggle with and don’t even realize how many others are like us. Again, I wanted people to feel seen. To watch as a young woman didn’t have it all together, who wasn’t just a badass from day 1, but had to grow, build, and gain that strength and self-esteem. Nevia changes much from the beginning of the book and to the end, and many may argue that she is not a strong female main character as I claim. However, I disagree. There are many kinds of strengths, and being able to grow, to see where you are lacking and evolve and become a better, stronger, and capable person–that, to me, is true strength, and that is the story that I wanted to tell when writing Nevia and She Who Chose War.
My sincere hope is that those who are struggling, whether it be with self-esteem, toxic relationships, or racism, find some solace and comfort in Nevia’s journey, to not feel quite so alone and know that, like Nevia, you can grow and be strong, too.