the second Pillar
Obviously, The Second Pillar is a continuation of the first book that I started it in 2016. By the time we get to the second book, Kate finds out what she did to save her boss (and therefore the world) was a stopgap measure. Someone is still trying to end the world and Kate has to figure out who is behind these fresh attacks and why. So she travels to beautiful Bali in pursuit of bad guys and beach time.
When it became clear that Pillar of Heaven had more chapters, more stories and they were tied into the other Pillars, I knew I had to include travel into the plot.Traveling to Bali was on my bucket list, and I made it there before I started this book. The beauty and culture really impressed me. It seemed a natural choice, not only because of my personal experience but in terms of sitting down, looking at a globe and going, "Okay, what's halfway around the world from Boston?" It also forced me very quickly to look around and decide where the rest of the books were taking place and start mapping the series out. I'm really lucky I got to do this before the first book arrived. It makes the series much more cohesive and the plot unfolds organically because of that. |
Check out The Second Pillar Spotify playlist.
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THE cast
If I had my way, this is who'd be cast in a movie of The Second Pillar. For the main characters, please see the original casting on the Pillar of Heaven page.
Sephora Desir
Joy Sunday came out a-swinging in Wednesday as the mean-girl-boss-bitch of the show that, in the end, proved to be way more than a one-sided character. Sephora is a lot like that. She appears happy-go-lucky, but she has strong depths. She's Ted Lasso of the group and is going to affect everyone before the end.
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Mohini
Megan Suri is most famous for Never Have I Ever. I thought about having the main actress Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Mohini, but I associate her with comedy. Mohini is complicated, tricksy, and conniving but, above all, she is subtle. I think Megan Suri can play both the lead female or the background which is part of Mohini's power.
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Bhudevi
You probably recognize Simone Ashley from Bridgerton, although she's been in other great series like Sex Education as well. She's got the kind of flawless beauty that goes with portraying a goddess. More than that, she has a ferocity of spirit, which suits this character very well.
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Mahabali
Mahabali is a mythic king. In some stories, he's cursed, in others rewarded with immortality. So I want an actor that carries a gravity and presence and I think Raymond Ablack is the right one. Plus, look at that gorgeous beard.
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Mike "Pickles" Piccoli
Pickles has to be able to pull off a serious mustache and not blink. There aren't a lot of actors I think can, plus portray the kind of guy who's both confident without taking himself too seriously like Scott Caan can. He's handsome and boyish and serious and totally Pickles.
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Murph
Jessie Graff is a professional stuntwoman and ninja warrior. I was searching for a strong actress and came across her in the Wonder Woman cast. She's perfect.
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Daniel Levin
If you read (or checked out the Two Faced Casting Call), you know that Daniel Levin was once a normal 30-ish Jewish guy. Then he died. When they brought him back, he got a younger, Chinese body. The important thing about Daniel's character is he is not threatening. Harry Chum Jr. has played a variety of roles (yes, Glee), but he retains this boyish approachableness that matches Daniel's character.
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Holly Fairchild
Tati Gabrielle is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful women ever. But she portrays this sense of being capable at handling whatever is happening that comes with Holly's character.
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Ida Ayu
I came across Christine Hakim in The Last of Us, where she portrayed an Indonesian scientist faced with the initial evidence of the outbreak. And she f*cking killed that entire sequence. Ida Ayu is this strong, determined woman and I think Ms. Hakim would embody this character perfectly.
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