Trigger Warnings in Literature vs. Real Life On writing difficult scenes, reader responses, and the power of storytelling to reflect pain and transformation
*** The books in this series include scenes involving spiritual intimacy, possession, and sexual encounters without informed consent. These moments are meant to explore both the seductive and dangerous aspects of contact with the supernatural. They are not intended to romanticize harm, but form part of a broader arc of healing and reckoning that becomes clear by the end of the trilogy. Reader discretion is advised. ***
I've recently felt the need to place this disclaimer at the beginning of each book in The Catalyst Trilogy after being genuinely taken aback by the 'shock' factor of some of the scenes by some readers... which was never my intention.
This trilogy was my first work of long-form fiction, and though the story evolved into the realm of fantasy, I hadn’t read deeply in the genre beforehand. I was unaware, for instance, of the debates stirred by works like A Court of Thorns and Roses—which also engage with similarly taboo and unsettling themes.
Certain scenes in my books—particularly those involving jinn possession and instances of non-consensual intimacy—may be difficult to read. I see that more clearly now, and I appreciate those who brought it to my attention with care.
My aim was never to romanticize these moments. In fact, I worried that readers might misconstrue some elements—especially in the case of a more gentle or appealing character like Finn Du Feu...and imagine the idea of possession as something to be desired. That concern stayed with me.
My goal was to explore the complicated and, at times, dangerous intimacy that can emerge through spiritual entanglement. I wanted to examine how power—supernatural or human—can be misused, and how the loss of agency, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, can leave lasting scars.
But scars can also be sites of transformation.
These scenes were written not to provoke or sensationalize, but to hold space for the darker edges of mysticism, vulnerability, and healing... within the broader narrative of a family and friendship saga.
After all, real life doesn’t come with trigger warnings—literature sometimes can, and perhaps should, especially when it dares to reflect life’s darker truths.
Thank you, dear reader, for journeying through both the light and shadow with me.
For more:
https://www.selinsenolakin.com/blog
I've recently felt the need to place this disclaimer at the beginning of each book in The Catalyst Trilogy after being genuinely taken aback by the 'shock' factor of some of the scenes by some readers... which was never my intention.
This trilogy was my first work of long-form fiction, and though the story evolved into the realm of fantasy, I hadn’t read deeply in the genre beforehand. I was unaware, for instance, of the debates stirred by works like A Court of Thorns and Roses—which also engage with similarly taboo and unsettling themes.
Certain scenes in my books—particularly those involving jinn possession and instances of non-consensual intimacy—may be difficult to read. I see that more clearly now, and I appreciate those who brought it to my attention with care.
My aim was never to romanticize these moments. In fact, I worried that readers might misconstrue some elements—especially in the case of a more gentle or appealing character like Finn Du Feu...and imagine the idea of possession as something to be desired. That concern stayed with me.
My goal was to explore the complicated and, at times, dangerous intimacy that can emerge through spiritual entanglement. I wanted to examine how power—supernatural or human—can be misused, and how the loss of agency, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, can leave lasting scars.
But scars can also be sites of transformation.
These scenes were written not to provoke or sensationalize, but to hold space for the darker edges of mysticism, vulnerability, and healing... within the broader narrative of a family and friendship saga.
After all, real life doesn’t come with trigger warnings—literature sometimes can, and perhaps should, especially when it dares to reflect life’s darker truths.
Thank you, dear reader, for journeying through both the light and shadow with me.
For more:
https://www.selinsenolakin.com/blog
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