Synthetic Love

Behind the Scenes

Welcome to the Behind the Scenes chapter, where I give you all of the tea that went into the inner workings of creating this story. Sorry it took so long. Let's go!

At the very beginning of the story, Saanvi says "friends call me Vee" and almost everyone from then on out calls her Vee, except for Ravi. Even her mother, whom Saanvi does not get along with, calls her Vee. Even the immigration agent, once she starts to believe that Chris and Saanvi are telling the truth about their marriage, refers to Saanvi as Vee. This shows right from the beginning that Ravi is not someone who cares for Saanvi in any respect.

In the first chapter, with Chris, Ricky and Ryan writing together, I wrote that how the guys described themselves writing in the "Disguise" documentary - with Chris wanting everything perfect, Ricky saying everything is fine, and Ryan being in the middle.

In India, it is more "traditional" for engagement/wedding rings to be gold, so I specifically intended for the ring that Chris gave to Saanvi to be gold.

In Ch 3 when Tara is telling Saanvi all the signs that someone likes you, I had to Google it 😂 I've been in a relationship for four years and still don't know how to tell when someone likes you.

I gave Saanvi endometriosis because I have it, and writing a character with fertility issues that ends up being able to have a baby anyway gives me hope for myself.

Ravi used his phone to track Saanvi while he was gone in Africa. Every time he suspected that she was with Chris or with Motionless in White, he called her. Obviously, Saanvi rejected the calls every time, only egging on Ravi's suspicion that Saanvi was with Chris while he was gone.

I did research on immigration and how they do "bed checks" to make sure someone isn't faking their green card marriage, etc. They really do come in your house, go through your things, interrogate you, etc. I tried to make that part of the story as realistic as possible.

Tara knew of Chris's plan to propose the whole time. When Saanvi tells Tara the story of how she asked Chris to marry her, Tara walks out of the apartment and makes a phone call. Chris had asked her to get Saanvi's true thoughts on the idea of the two of them getting married; Tara had been scheming with Chris all along in order to help him properly propose to Saanvi.

I've got a new story coming soon because Fanfiction is how I cope with trauma so be on the lookout! It's called "We Dont Have to Feel Alone".

xoxo, Scissorhands