DIAMOND STUDY

Commander Ambrose has turned into one of my readers’ favorite characters. There’s been quite a bit of discussion about him on my Facebook reading group, Snyder’s Soulfinders, And I’ve been asked questions about him that I don’t know the answers to. Yes, I know I’m the creator of this complex and dynamic character, however, I really get to know a character when I write from their point of view; when I can dive inside their souls and learn who they truly are. Which is why one of the new stories for this collection is about Commander Ambrose.

Since the Commander is transgender, I thought I’d start with him realizing that he is a man. I did my research, read several books, and interviewed Bin—a friend and trans man—to gain as much insight as I could and ensure the story wasn’t offensive or harmful to the trans community. Except when I sat down to start the story, the Commander told me he’s always been a man and why was I making a big deal about it. He explained to me that his transition from a poor and powerless boy into the Commander was a much more interesting story to tell. And you know what? The Commander was right.

Commander Ambrose also wanted to clarify a few of the things I wrote in Poison Study about him, namely when I flashed back to the time he killed the snow cat. He said I’d gotten it wrong and he’d never been that dramatic. In respect to his wishes, this story is a bit different and more accurate.