New Chapter to my virgin submission Homecoming and I'm torn. Feedback please

[Frinkles]

This is my first submission and the characters seem to be taking on a life of their own (Okay, I'm pushing them...alot). Here's my question: how far can you take a character before he/she becomes irredeemable in the reader's eyes and the reader simply stops reading or really gets pissed off?

Here's a link to the next chapter: http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=328778


I would love some feedback.


I have already planned a path for the two characters, but they don't exactly go from point A to point B without having to face some serious issues (interracial love in the south during the 1940's between two kids who pretty much have a sibling-type relationship). Balancing the tightrope is pretty tough. I don't want to get sappy and too "easy" with the romance bit. Conversely, I don't want to make the characters so irredeemable that people just get frustrated.


Your thoughts please.

 

[rachlou]

Not having read any of the preceding chapters, I kinda jumped in at the deep end with this current one. By the end I had figured out where you were coming from with your question.

I enjoyed the story very much - you got me invoved with the characters even though I had no real idea who and what they were. I think you successfully described Daniel's struggle to reconcile his long term wants with his short term needs. Love stories always need a 'conflict' and another woman is a typical one. I don;t think it would be fair to write him off just because he's weak enough to be seduced by another woman. He;d be a pretty boring character if he was perfect after all!

Let your characters go where they want. If this involves sex with other people then so be it. As long as you have a happy ending then all is well and your fans should forgive you. If not, then you can;t please 'em all.

Hope that is of some help.

 

[Frinkles]

Thanks for the comments

I am of the same mind. You have described my intent precisely. After receiving some really strange hate mail regarding what some folks thought that the characters would have done under the circumstances, I was finally resolved to be somewhat flattered that at least they were "buying" into the story and the characters even if one of them (and soon both) was pissing them off.

Thanks a bunch for your advice!