Cast Commentary #9

Noel: We can jump right in but I wanted to ask if there was any specific scene either of you wanted to talk about.

Kimbar: Arianna? Any of her stuff - there's a lot of great scenes with her in this episode.

Noel: Okay. So, we could focus on the "central mystery" and what that means for Mariel Cove.

Skye: I just love this episode. Most of it's because of your scenes, though, Noel. Hearing Harper's music. Celeste's back story. Kennedy gets real credibility. Devi!

Noel: I asked Jennifer if we could elude to Season 2 and some of the changes and she said yes.

Skye: That would be great. This is a big ep for the main mystery and I don't think we've talked a lot about it in these chats.

Kimbar: We definitely haven't given it the credit it needs, and this episode moves that whole plot forward by a lot. So many clues arise, and we see Arianna back in her sleuthing mode.

Noel: Okay.

Noel: Let's jump right in then, and talk about Episode 9 of Season 1 as well as the series as a whole!

Noel: Though Mariel Cove has an ensemble cast, there is a central mystery for each season. Were you, as writers, encouraged to entangle your characters in the central mystery? How did that work?

Skye: Each main character had a fact or moment that connected them with the main plot, but most of the set up for those connections were up to the writer. For example, the only plot point Kennedy was given was to provide town documents to Arianna (which happened this ep!) Every other plot line I either created (the love triangle) or she naturally became a part of (like her plotline with Kitty.)

Kimbar: I was given a character that was already entangled in the mystery - but in a very out-of-the way sort of way.

Noel: Right, Kitty! And Kitty certainly isn't a token character just for the central mystery!

Noel: She has her own serious stuff going down!

Kimbar: Definitely. She's got a big plot arc going on, and the last few episodes of the season really get into her stuff.

Noel: Without any spoilers, Kimbar, does Kitty also fit into the central mystery in Season 2? It's a different mystery every season, but does Kitty carry over?

Kimbar: Kitty fits hugely into season two - she's not one of the three starring characters, but she's a pretty important one in season two. It's all very related to her sculpting, and where that has gone, which is nice - because she's still sculpting! But also leaves her in a very tense position.

Noel: You mention "starring" characters. What does that mean in Mariel Cove?

Kimbar: Starring characters are the characters who get scenes in every episode that are written from their point of view. There are three in season two. We did it differently in season one, but I think I like season two's format. It's much easier to keep track of.

Noel: So the characters all had small connections to the central mystery in Season 1 -- and bigger connections to the central mystery in Season 2?

Noel: Will the starring characters change with every season?

Noel: (Look, two questions at once!)

Skye: Starring characters change every season, yes. And the characters are definitely more connected in season two! The environment is a lot more closed in the second season and there are major events happening in the cove that impact everyone in important ways...

Kimbar: They're very different mysteries, though - in season one, we really have one person investigating her own private secret, and different people might have different information for her to gather. In season two...I can't say what the mystery is, but it basically envelops the entire Cove. Everybody is a part of it whether they like it or not, even the new characters. And yes, the starring characters change with every season. That gives all the writers a chance to potentially write for a starring characters.

Noel: I love that approach! So that pesky, secretive Arianna won't necessarily be a starring character in Season 2?

Kimbar: Yep! But other characters definitely get a chance to step forward and take the spotlight.

Noel: And I might get to see more of characters I like much better? : D

Skye: Season one's central mystery was personal to Arianna. B-plots surround inner conflicts and personal discovery. Season two's main plotline is more aggressive and affects everyone at once.

Noel: Cool!

Kimbar: I know that Kitty got to have a much bigger part this time around, which was nice. And, I got to help design her part - within the parameters of the plot that our Wonderful Editor created for us.

Kimbar: She truly became My Character in season two - not half mine, half her original creator's.

Noel: I love that different characters get to step up and have their fifteen pages of fame

Skye: There are also new characters in season 2! So your favorites may shine more... or you may get new favorites!

Noel: The tagline for the series is "Sex. Scandal. Secrets."

Noel: Are their guidelines for those?

Noel: Like, how much sex, scandal and secrets are allowed per episode?

Noel: Are there topics that you're not allowed to cover?

Kimbar: Jennifer's pretty open to ideas - it has to be relevant to the plot and to the episode, it can't be insanely over the top, and there has to be sex in every episode. But, this time, instead of assigning sex scenes, she let us decide our characters scenes and assumed that we'd all work to make sure that at least someone was having sex at some point in the episode. It worked out pretty well - I don't know if she had to do any tweaking, but I know I didn't hear about it. (And yes - it's working perfectly)

Skye: Season 1's only guideline was at least one sex scene per episode. These were scheduled out before we even started writing. (Does that steal the spontaneity? : ) ) Season 2, however, we received the guideline to have as many characters connect as possible, which was a lot of fun. We see characters interacting that didn't seem to have anything to do with each other in season 1.

Kimbar: That was especially nice for me, since Kitty didn't really talk to ANYBODY but Kennedy and Ruth in season 1!

Skye: Sorry about that, Kimbar. LOL!

Skye: (As in, it was my character's fault Kitty was isolated.)

Noel: Kitty deserves better!

Noel: Are any topics off limits? BDSM certainly isn't.

Skye: Everything has to be consensual. No underage sex of any kind. Beyond that, as long as it's consensual and natural to the character, we have free reign. We want there to be a little something for everyone, and everyone likes different things!

Noel: No violence against children. No sex between adults and minors. No sex between minors.

Noel: No sex with dogs, cats or turtles.

Kimbar: Or fish =P

Noel: Especially not fish. Spot is asexual.

Kimbar: I came in late to the series initially, so I wasn't given a list of off-limits topics, but those are all things I had assumed anyway.

Noel: Good assumptions, I think!

Skye: Sometimes there are also rules about varying styles. For example, we passed around a list of specific acts we wanted to feature that no one else could repeat so things stayed fresh. Also, in season 2, only one character is allowed to use a strap on because it's a huge part of her sexuality.

Noel: I mean, teens do have sex with each other. Part of life. But it can be tricky to write about it for an adult audience.

Noel: Wait!

Noel: Skye, there was *a list* of *sex* acts that were reserved?! What a neat idea!

Noel: Way to look out for the reader and make sure they're getting chocolate, vanilla *and* strawberry!

Skye: Yep =) Only very specific ones. Regulars like "oral" "fingering" etc were able to be repeated, but specific acts had to be reserved.

Kimbar: I remember reserving sex on the kitchen table for this particular episode!

Noel: (I just spit tea across my laptop. I have never in my life heard the phrase "fingering.")

Kimbar: Skye - wasn't that your idea initially? Or were you just collecting the data? I remember you sending around asking for planned sexual acts....(unless I'm crazy...sometimes I'm crazy)

Noel: Crazy in a good way!

Skye: Yep! I wanted to do something and Jennifer told me it was already a big part of someone else's scene. Because I'm a control freak and possessed by Kennedy at the time (who didn't like having her moment taken by someone else) I volunteered to compile a list so everyone knew what was up before writing.

Skye: Really?

Noel: So sex wasn't just a hot thing that happened. It's very planned for the readers enjoyment.

Skye: I thought it was better than "fingerblasting."

Noel: *readers'

Noel: *wiping off my computer, shaking my head in disbelief*

Kimbar: Yep. Very planned. Although, all I was given for this scene was that Kitty is frustrated and tops Kennedy in a rougher fashion than she ever has before.

Noel: So there was room for writers to play?

Kimbar: It was interesting trying to figure out how far that actually go with Kitty....she's not like Kennedy, which is a big part of why Kennedy seeks sex elsewhere.

Noel: What is *Kitty's* idea of wild and rough. Right.

Skye: Definitely room to play. We only reserved the sex act. A lot of my scenes ended up twisting away from my original plans, but they always fit within the broad guideline I was given.

Noel: Coming back around, what about violence and gore?

Skye: I don't think there was a hard rule about it in season 1 because there wasn't a call for it. Season 2, has both, though, but I don't think it's ever been overdone. Mariel Cove isn't horror or thriller. It's lyrical and can be haunting and intense, but there's never really a call for a super gory scene.

Kimbar: I haven't seen any that happens on screen, so to speak. There may be allusions to something having happened if the mystery calls for it, but sitting there and describing violence and gore in a scene - that can be a huge turn-off, and this is supposed to be erotica.

Noel: So the Cove winds up truly having a little something for everyone! But safely wrapped up in a silky erotica cover!

Skye: On violence, by the way, I know we all strive not to horribly trigger our audience. A lot of our more risky scenes in regards to violence -- Kennedy's scene with Carmen, Tatianna's flashback about her rape -- are either very consensual (Kennedy) or described sparingly (Tatianna.) We want to be true to life, but we don't want to trigger our readers.

Noel: That's very responsible of the writing team.

Noel: One last question!

Noel: I re-read Episode 9 today and I asked myself: What might a reader want to know at this point? And you know what I came up with?

Noel: "Why should I care about pesky Arianna's strange secret?"

Noel: Does Arianna's secret (the central mystery) figure into the overall world view of Mariel Cove? Does it affect others in the Cove? Does it have any bearing on Season 2 as the series moves forward?

Skye: That's funny, because this is the episode where I really started loving Arianna.

Noel: Interesting!

Kimbar: It has a HUGE bearing on season two - that's for sure.

Skye: Arianna's secret changes the entire social landscape of the Cove.

Noel: Ah-ha!

Noel: So the central mystery *seems* isolated to Arianna... but secretly... another *secret*!... everyone is affected!

Noel: Good work, editors planning that out! Good work, team making it happen!

Skye: Definitely.

Kimbar: ^_^

Noel: Anything else to touch on before we go?

Kimbar: My gosh, what was Kitty doing with all those figs!? I guess we'll just have to wait to find out....

Noel: LOL! Figs!!

Skye: Are we going to talk specifically about the episode? Some of my favorite scenes and connections happen here.

Noel: Go for it, Skye. What did you love?

Skye: Oh, I just loved some of the ways everything deepened. I loved Arianna actually listening to Harper's music (Harper is a character who has intrigued me from the beginning despite rarely seeing her.) I loved seeing Celeste's personal story deepen. I *loved* that you, Noel, gave Kennedy so much legitimacy as a lawyer and really drove home, I think, that most everyone doesn't see Kennedy like the reader does. We finally see her as a professional. As the rest of the world sees her. And we got a new character, Devi! A lot of things happen in season 2 because you created Devi and the Rosewood.

Skye: Also Raine makes an appearance!

Skye: In voice only, but still.

Kimbar: And some things will continue to happen in season three (shh) because of Raine. But that's too far in the future. I definitely loved a lot of the Arianna scenes.

Noel: Devi, Harper, and Raine were all characters created by Jennifer to help frame Season 2 -- so that shows when she started to think about it.

Skye: That's intense. I didn't know they were created by Jennifer! Our editor rocks.

Noel: I think, bluntly, that Season 2 is stronger.

Noel: More connected.

Skye: I do, too. It's a different beast for sure.

Kimbar: We definitely had a chance to work out any kinks in our system with season one, so season two has benefited from our experience.

Noel: Well, here's a toast to Season 10!! : D

Kimbar: *Raises glass and tries not to spill on my laptop, too*

Noel: : D

Skye: Cheers!

Noel: All right, ladies. Shall we wrap up?

Noel: Perhaps a group chant?

Noel: "Success does not come from not trying."

Noel: "Success does not arrive from lazy work."

Noel: "If writing is too hard... I can always get a job at a drive thru."

Noel: ; D

Kimbar: If writing is too hard... I can always poke my characters with a stick and try harder.*

Noel: Thank you both for putting up with my moderation. I know I'm different from our beloved Kimbar but sometimes the grrl needs a break.

Skye: True story: Jennifer keeps a sign near her desk that says "I could have been a plumber."

Noel: LOL!

Noel: Thanks, "ladies" (as Jennifer call us, and that I love).

Noel: Good night!

Skye: Thank *you* Noel!

Skye: Good night!