Miranda Macias Roadmap
Controversy. In a nutshell, that’s the Miranda Macias roadmap. Said another way, I aim to torpedo my career with inflammatory content. I’m sure you’re familiar with these incidents because they’ve occurred repeatedly—the moment when someone destroys everything they’ve built in spectacularly viral fashion. Okay. Perhaps I’m being a little dramatic, but Miranda Macias’s purpose isn’t far off. With luck, the outcome won’t be so dramatic, either, but time will tell. What type of inflammatory content do I mean? Let’s get into it, but first, a quick point of order.
I’m not female. If you’re wondering why I picked a female pen name, it’s because the main character is a woman in her early thirties. I did something similar in the past, publishing several mystery/thrillers under a female pseudonym. Since the experiment seemed to have worked, I gave it another shot. As for Miranda Macias’s Latin-sounding moniker, I went with a minority protagonist, figuring this could be a rich source of tension. That also seems to be working out, which is crucial considering the series’s purpose. Alright. Let’s delve into said purpose.
Each installment in the series will center on contemporary topics with varying levels of controversy. For example, the first installment covers modern-day adult entertainment sites, specifically, OnlyFans. Nothing inflammatory there, right? Please note that I never mention “OnlyFans” in the story, but a made-up platform called “Truly Yours.” They’re effectively the same thing, but I created a fictitious version to avoid OnlyFans’s legal hammer. Throughout the story, the characters take different positions on Truly Yours, each passionately arguing for their side. If you’re wondering how many of my own positions I injected, let’s get into that, too.
While I constantly seek to stay abreast of societal ongoings, I also avoid layering too much of my opinions into my stories. This strategy will be especially true for this series, whose expressed purpose is to explore impassioned subjects. I don’t have a problem discussing or defending my positions, but shoehorning them into the narratives will bog things down, all because my positions are snoozefests. To illustrate, I’ll briefly describe my political leanings. Don’t worry. You’ll grow sleepy more than angered.
On the political spectrum, I land center left and quite close to the center. Said another way, I’m the furthest thing from a firebrand, advocating for corrective measures that involve Molotov cocktails. On the contrary, I typically favor measured, carefully thought-out responses. Imagine if all my story’s characters operated the same way? Yeah. Snoozefest. Don’t get me wrong, there will be a few characters who warn against rash action, but they’ll have to contend with the Molotov cocktail hurlers, who might wing a few at them for being fence-sitters. (I know the feeling.) In short, a colorful cast of characters makes for more compelling reading, so I’ll mute my bland opinions. If you’re wondering how far I’ll go with the controversy, that’s a tricky question.
I recently finished the first draft of book two, which tackles the many issues facing Gen Z, and an ever-present issue facing all of us. However, it wasn’t the book I had planned to write. I had planned to write about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Remember what I said about torpedoing my career?) What’s more, my book idea wasn’t some airy notion floating around my brain. I had completed a full synopsis, character breakdown, and book outline. Moreover, what I came up with was rock-solid, including Alma infiltrating a Palestinian freedom fighter group. Nevertheless, I shelved the idea before it got off the ground, but perhaps not for the reason you think.
I know the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is divisive. I also know that writing about this will likely draw fire from all sides. However, that wasn’t going to deter me, not when controversy is the series’ point. So, why didn’t I pull the trigger? I needed a break. Simple as that. I had been watching the conflict unfold for months, and with a ceasefire having been announced (for whatever that’s worth), I was finally able to exhale. That said, did I really want to spend more months in that world, bringing the horrors and heartache to life? Nope.
What’s happening in the Levant is important—critically important—but so is my health. That’s why I called everything off. In the same vein, I postponed creating what should’ve been book three, whose synopsis I had also finished, and where Alma contends with sinister political forces associated with our current Presidential administration. (Remember what I said about torpedoing my career?) I put this story on the back burner for the same reason, despite my eagerness to have Alma mix it up with shadowy government operatives. Oddly enough, writing about these operatives had me the most excited, as it would let me craft arguments for an administration I don’t exactly agree with. That’s what I’m loving about this series—the chance to write viewpoints that challenge the ones I hold. With luck, the same sense of accomplishment that follows ideological wrestling will take hold in the reader.
So, there you have it, folks. Miranda Macias is out to craft stories that will send us into tizzies. This isn’t merely for shock value, however, though that’s undoubtedly an element, not to mention a selling point. These books offer opportunities for various voices to say their piece. In that sense, it’s helpful that I’m so moderate, despite my fiery friends writing me off as useless at best, or an enemy enabler at worst. I could never imagine them writing such an equal opportunity book series, just like I could never imagine myself hurling Molotov cocktails. But such a series is necessary. In an era where opposing viewpoints seldom interact—and when they do, it’s with gasoline-laden cocktails in hand—letting disparate people state their cases is sorely needed. Or rather, that’s the goal. I may fall woefully short of this by courting controversy and gaining no ground. If that happens, at least it’ll be fun watching me dodge the oncoming torpedoes.