Everything Vance Garda says to you is a lie.

Okay, that’s a bit harsh. “Lying” means he knows what he’s saying is wrong, but when it comes to magical matters, the main character of the Paranormal Protection Society is not actually lying. He is ignorant of the workings of magic, which means what is saying may not always be correct.

And as a writer, that’s a heck of a lot of fun. The longer the in Paranormal Protection Society series goes, the more Vance is willing to break the fourth wall and invite you, the gentle reader, into his increasingly frenetic world. The series also begins to delve into more of his past and more of the weirdness that is going on in the PPS-verse. (What, I can have a -verse, can’t I??)

Who’s the Truth in the World of the Paranormal Protection Society

The funny thing is, as the author, I’m probably the most reliable source of what is “truth” in my novels and even I’m not positive that I can tell you what’s happening. Point of fact, Vance’s past has changed since I outlined the Paranormal Protection Society series and wrote the first book. That was all because of an innocent question one of my readers asked.

Anyway, if you’re looking to write a novel and use first-person narrative, keep in mind that the narration should be colored by the perceptions of the main character. I used first person because I thought it would build an instant rapport with Vance and it suits some of the things I want to do with the series. Now that he’s been my main character for six novellas (4 published, 2 in editing), I can tell you it’s funny to experience the world of PPS through his eyes.

How I Play with Point of View

Vance is smarter than he thinks he is (a fact I play with in the Paranormal Protection Society), but when Glenda does something he pretty much has no idea how it happens. He understands academically the fae can play with the forces of creation, but that’s about it. At the end of the day, he doesn’t even understand how he hulks or the true nature of his inner wolf.

As the author, that’s fun for me. As a reader, I hope that as Vance grows as a character, you’ll see how his narrative changes. At some point, he’s going to have to face some things that are going to rock him to the core and the way he describes the action is going to have to change, too. Look at how Marlena’s actions have changed him. It’s going to be like that, only more.

As a potential writer, keep this in mind. Your first-person narrators are not omniscient. Even if they are recounting a tale that has happened in the past, they probably don’t have all the contexts they need to know everything.

It’s a story, play with truth. It’s kind of fun.