I can’t help but feel sorry for Dylan from page one of Below the Mountain. He had big dreams for the life he’d create for him and Lydia at the end of Book 1, even though they had to change their plans at the last minute and leave the Valley where Lydia had grown up.
When turmoil hits them both from every side, it’s hard to keep going. Every idea Dylan has seems to backfire and he soon takes his frustration out on Lydia as well as their hired help. Men are funny sometimes and their pride is often their biggest obstacle. Dylan is no exception! Whether it’s 1906 or 2021, the innate need to provide, protect, and prevail is woven into many men’s DNA.
Of course, when they feel like they’ve failed, they may act out in ways that appear they don’t care. Some are more subtle than others, and choose to turn inward. Unlike my very verbal husband who will often talk me into a dizzy state (as I do to him!) I’ve know other women’s husbands to be more quiet as they internally process their pain, check their pride, and decide what to do next.
I hope I’ve been able to give a glimpse into the male psyche as I write in Dylan’s POV for a good portion of this novel. It was interesting to create a character that is so different than my own husband, yet the same in other ways.
You’ll have to read the whole story and let me know if I succeeded in even a small way. I also hope that the women and wives who read this story will gain a new level of understanding and respect for their hard-working husbands. They try so hard at times to please our unpredictable nature! And often all they need is a reassuring touch and an authentic thank you to motivate them to press on.
As a wife of over twenty-seven years, I’m still working on this! However, when I dive into the turmoil of my fiction characters, I gain a new perspective on our real life. In the end, I pray that each journey eventually strengthens our marriage and our testimony to all God can do even in our weakest moments.
If you haven’t read BEYOND the VALLEY (book 1, no eye has seen), it’s a must read to understand the deeper layers of Lydia’s past which make Dylan’s challenges all that more difficult.
Read, MY BROKEN HALLELUJIA for a glimpse of Lydia’s turmoil.