The Making of Lord Caterpillar: Introduction

This was originally a much longer novel. Instead, I really pushed the boundaries of what could be possible with my writing by making this book very short. I wanted this to be the equivalent of a comic book story. I feel like the things that I conceal and let the reader figure out for themselves make this a more interesting story than it otherwise would have been. Much like Rosalie, this was intended as a superhero story; instead, it became a dark Beauty and the Beast fairytale. I can do all the superhero stuff in the sequel.

I wanted the caterpillar to be like Batman: this mysterious rich guy who lived in a mansion. That would be too much to cram into one novel. Think of this book as a pilot for a TV show or, appropriately, the first issue of a comic book.

This is my most Alice in Wonderland book, more so even than Torn Pages. The Caterpillar was always my favourite Alice character ("how doth the little crocodile"), though, here, they have hints of the Cheshire cat. It's an interesting character I hope to explore more in the sequel. While the caterpillar on the cover is big and fluffy, I envisioned them as being and moving like a Chinese New Year dragon. How else are they going to take out bad guys?

This is a very short book (about 33,000 words) but I hope people don't feel shortchanged. I can't wait to write the sequel. I honestly have enough material for an entire franchise.