: Re: Casually inserting sexual orientation EDIT: Many people who are attempting to answer this question are severely misinterpreting the circumstances and setting of the book, so here is some information

@Nickens642

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If I'm reading correctly, the crux of your issue is this:

Eris is a girl, she forms a romantic attachment to a boy, the reader
assumes she's straight. Later, when she forms a romantic attachment to
a girl, the reader may have problems believing it.

If you were to set the issue of sexuality completely aside and approach this as you would any other potentially unbelievable situation in a novel, it may help.

The general consensus for making something, that is potentially unbelievable, believable, is all about set up. To make the later scene with the girl feel completely natural to the reader and not at all unexpected, you can use foreshadowing earlier in your novel.

This concept applies to anything that may jar a reader if it isn't correctly set-up beforehand.

The Shining is a good example:

Stephen King needs the reader to believe that Danny is exceptional and
resourceful enough to resist the supernatural forces at play in the
hotel, more so even than the adults, and help his mother escape.

He does it by hinting at it in earlier dialogue:

“I asked if your wife fully understood what you would be taking on
here. And there’s your son, of course.” He glanced down at the
application in front of him. “Daniel. Your wife isn’t a bit
intimidated by the idea?”

“Wendy is an extraordinary woman.”

“And your son is also extraordinary?”

Jack smiled, a big wide PR smile. “We like to think so, I suppose.
He’s quite self-reliant for a five-year-old.”

If you set up and foreshadow Eris's sexuality, subtly but deftly, in the lead up to the homosexual encounter (a glance here, a thought there, a quick comment in dialogue) it won't come a surprise to the reader and they will accept it without question.

Good luck!

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