Nicole D'Settēmi has held nothing back when explaining why she wrote her debut novel Addictarium. In fact, she has gone as far as publishing multiple other, smaller recovery-based projects to support the launching of the novel, and her website is chock full of information on the entire process of developing the book. One thing that has especially been spotlighted is her characters. Nicole has gone to great depths to paint vivid, and sometimes rather disturbing, portraits of her characters. All of her characters were based on real people, and Nicole was intent on notating the inspiration for many of her main, and supporting characters, in addition to Danielle Martino--the protagonist of Addictarium. In this interview, Nicole sits down to explain the development of the characters, and why it is imperative to her to explain her vision accurately.

 

Danielle Martino is the main character. Is Danielle representative of yourself? Does she portray a good portion of who you are in real life?

 

Yes. Absolutely. Danielle is the most real because I could put all of that out there, about myself, without worrying about legalities. Unless you catch me on a bad day and I'm in alter-ego mode and therefore can't recognize myself. I could picture me in split persona mode thinking, "hey that's nothing like me!" Then I'd have to sue myself. (Laughs.) Seriously, though, the only character that I could develop completely, without "defaming" someone--in their opinion-- was me. So she is probably the most authentic. I didn't have to hold back through fear of anything when creating her.
 

Aside from her, who is closest to real-life, regarding your "characters" that are in the book?

 

Karen was pretty accurate, that character was quoted literally, many times. As with Angel, I used real quotes, conversations, letters, and texts, to create the dialogue between Angel and Danielle, so his persona was close to the real-life man that inspired me, in that particular way, who I truly love and always will.

 

Who was your favorite character to write about? What portrait did you enjoy painting the most?

 

I loved writing about all of my characters in part I. That was a lighter part of the novel in a weird way, to me. Some would say otherwise since she is going through a lot of strange experiences from the first chapter on, but writing Danielle and Angel's scenes were the most difficult characters for me to pen. I enjoyed the result, but it was very challenging. It was drawn out slowly because it happened that way. I didn't want to bore people, but I needed them to grasp how special the relationship was. It wasn't just lust, it wasn't just perverse. Something slowly evolved between these two.

On another note, Jason and August were fun to write about. They were inspired by these over-the-top, histrionic "characters" in real life, and it was fun to describe that.

 

Who was embellished the most? Which character is most fictional?

 

Nehemiah was a combination of 3 people and some additions. So he was the most fictional in my opinion. Again, August was a combination effort too. The character of Hammed wasn't exaggerated, but I changed some things about him, to meet the story's tone. I needed to embellish sometimes to make a point, of course, so certain characters were more like caricatures, really. Sasha was also quite embellished. She was loosely based on a very good friend of mine, but I definitely created a character versus painting a real-life portrait.

 

You call your characters eccentric, and even downright insane at times. Why?

 

The characters are very real, in that no matter how fantastical, they are flawed. Extremely flawed. And I think that's what makes it beautiful. They are all broken in some way or another, lost souls, aimless and despondent at times, and definitely strange. Some of them are stranger than others, of course. There are a few characters walking on that thin line between genius and insanity, on the border of madness, sometimes. A perverse genius even, in some of them. Provocative often. But they are all real, they have good and bad qualities. They are addicts, who can often be selfish. I highlighted the Jekyll and Hyde in all of us.

 

Are you in touch with the real people now?--meaning the people behind the characters?

 

Yes. (Nervous Laughter).

 

If yes, does it make you tense or apprehensive to know they may read the book, and subsequently, be offended that you've unmasked their flaws?

 

Yes. It does, quite frankly. But, the characters ARE embellished. If they understand ME, my art, and what it means to be an artist, they will understand the characters. They will understand the embellishments. It's really a compliment if I've written about them so intensely, it's because they've moved me in some way. I can only count on one hand how many people have truly disturbed or affected me totally, but many have touched me in some way.

 

Going back to Danielle, she is quite the character! Did you really dress like her, speak like her, think like her, etc.?

 

Yes. She's described pretty literally--again--the most literal. I guess the big difference would be that she comes off as more naive than I actually am. I was still growing though A LOT when I started penning this, so perhaps I've just changed, is what it really is.

I recognize the metamorphosis: I see the world from a different view now. A different angle, vantage point.

At that time, I was constantly tagged a "dark angel."  I wore nothing but black--and eccentric, wild clothing. The black capes, chains, dark lace, leather. I was a "dark poet," to all of them. I constantly shared my deep, ominous, confessional poetry, so yes, I was absolutely in character at the time. Danielle is that version of me. I didn't touch on her darkness in the in-depth way I would have liked to. But that is for another novel, another time. And when it is spoken of, it will be clear why I paused. Hesitated. Some things are better for a different type of story. You don't have to expose it all in one shot. Select and discard--that's the hardest, but most pivotal part of editing written material.

 

 

5 Crazy Questions! Quick! Answer:

 

Did you really use to...

 

Self mutilate?

 

Yes. I recovered from this poor habit in 2013.

 

Take artistic photographs of yourself and friends in the TC?

 

Yes, and I loved this part of the book because it brought me back to some magical moments. Casita and Danielle' are almost as accurate and moving as Danielle and Angel. They had a very unique bond at that time, and the art was a huge part of that!

 

Carve "Angels" initials in you?

 

Yes.

 

Kiss a girl in treatment?

 

Yes.

 

Have a raccoon jump on your head, while on 7 hits of acid?

 

The part about the raccoon was 100% authentic. Who could even make that up? It was absurd. Funny enough, most of the wild moments are the most accurately described moments--the harder part was the calm in between for me, or just trying to add in the regular every day living. I was not living a regular life, so these crazy things were always happening!

 

 

Will any of the characters return for a new novel?

 

A prequel, hopefully. Though Angel won't be in another book. I promised myself not to share the truth about our relationship following the treatment point because I needed something to keep private and for myself. And, I think their story--Angel and Danielle--needed to end there. I felt it was a good ending. One that he couldn't resurrect from because it would ruin this story and its power. Sometimes the happy ending happens in real life, but not in the book, instead--and that's part of what happened here.

 

What will the characters be like in the prequel?:

 

Well, all female for one thing.

I was in the "boot-campish" phase, and with 72 women, in a secluded spot in the woodlands of upstate, New York. The first part of recovery was so much more about the process of recovery through therapy and groups, and discipline. Part II, which is really part I, will focus on all of that stuff; which brought the character Danielle downstate, in such a delicate state, in the first place! Karen will not be in it, because although she was upstate with me, I wrote her in differently. August will make a wonderful return which I'm happy about! She was so much fun to write.

I AM excited to touch more on the women from The Glass Table introduced in part IV of Addictarium. They were so cool and original, I enjoyed them as people, as humans, but also as characters.

 

So without men, does Danielle have a love interest?

 

She wasn't in love with anyone upstate, but she had feelings for other women. It's funny how that works. Sexual orientation shifts when there is only one sex within the presence of each other. Especially with women, because women are sensual, emotional beings. We connect with people emotionally, and we can love easily, despite what sex someone may be. I had an extreme attraction to a girl I met in the first month upstate. She was an androgynous beauty; sexy, curvy, beautiful face, gorgeous hair.

And, there were many other feelings for other people, as well.