John Moore

Cristal Rider is the name I chose to describe a persona I created to help me more accurately depict my female characters. There is a lot of backlash from fans of both Novals and films around weak female leads. I never believed a female lead is weak for being female; it's the situation and the tools provided that are either lacking or unrealistic. Yet I also wanted my characters to fit the model of a woman, to speak and react as they would. So I created a part of myself, a part that was always there but hidden deep, under layers of many expectations. I wanted to feel feminine to write feminine characters. Over time, I began to want different things. Have other ways of seeing things. And had a desire for color and beauty. I wanted to feel beautiful. I found myself wanting to act in ways that contradict not only my gender but also my general attire. I found myself wanting to feel petty. I spent many months researching and immersing myself to feel as though I could achieve what I had dreamed. To create strong female characters who overcome adversity in their own way. Not in the way a man would, but the way a strong and determined female would handle them. And, yes, it took some time for me to return to normal afterward. But now it's part of me, and I hope, for the sake of every strong woman who wants to be stronger, that I have achieved my goal. I beg forgiveness if I failed.