CL Pauwels at Large

As writers, we’re urged to find/create themes to our stories – some deeper meaning threading through the obvious storyline. I never gave it much thought when writing my novels, but now that I’ve completed four and started number five, it’s become obvious (actually hit me somewhere between #3 and #4): my underlying theme is family – dysfunctional, broken, non-traditional, and, well, like mine when I was growing up, only different. Stronger, more supportive, more hopeful.

The main character in my “Toledo Trilogy” is Toledo Police Detective Veronica Jadzinski (Jadz). In the first novel, Forty & Out, she’s mid-divorce, supporting a needy widowed mother, and picking up the pieces for her drama-queen older sister. She’s also juggling a new position in Homicide that includes a new partner (with family issues of her own), a grumpy supervisor, and all the dangers that go with chasing a serial killer.

I think all those personal complications are why my uncle, who was nearly 80 when Forty & Out was released and who surprised me by even reading my book, told me I “write like a girl.” It took me a while to figure out his backhanded compliment (criticism?), but now it makes sense.

As I pondered that surprising (to me) find, I’ve also discovered sub-themes, or variations on the topic, so I’ve decided to explore each of those separately. First off: marriage and divorce.

My parents divorced when I was very young, and both have remarried several times: Mom stopped after four marriage/divorce cycles, and Dad’s on wife #5 – the last one! But contrary to society’s statistical expectations, Hubby and I celebrated our 45th anniversary last fall.

Other than Jadz and Nate, marriages referenced in my books tend to end by death, not divorce (hmm…some deep psychological meaning there?), but rarely do I write an intact, traditional, two-parent family.

So how does that theme of “family” play out for my readers – other than Uncle Don? I’d love to hear your thoughts! As for my continuing family theme: next up is sibling rivalry, in surprising ways.