The ‘redacted for spoilers’ scene in the fishery warehouse is probably one of my all-time favourite moments to write for Motts so far.
It was also my least favourite scene to write, mostly because of how difficult it was to get right.
Motts is a unique character. It’s not always easy to get her voice perfect in the first draft. And as an autistic character, I work extra hard to ensure she’s authentically herself.
As an autistic author, I definitely put all of my heart and soul into my autistic characters.
The ‘redacted’ scene had to show danger, fear, and panic. It was critical to write from the perspective of an autistic. Our experiences can often be quite different from neurotypicals from what I’ve seen.
By the final draft of Pierced Peony, I felt as if I’d done the fishery scene justice. I’d shown Motts’s experience as well as I could on paper. It felt visceral to me and I hope to everyone else who reads it.
Author Dahlia Donovan 
You must be logged in to post a comment.