What do you like most about the books you enjoy? Is it the setting, that intriguing plot, or, is it the characters?
Thinking back on my favorite stories, I remember the characters. When I read each of the books, those characters became alive to me. They weren’t words on paper; they were living, moving, thinking, and speaking people. Years after reading them, I remember them, as if they were old friends. And, now and then, I pick up their books and visit them again.
Who could forget Qilleran, or Scarlett, Mignon Ballard’s plucky angel, or the heroines of Mary Roberts Rinehart? Characters make or break the book. If I begin reading and find the character is someone I’d rather not know, I close the book and don’t waste my time on it.
I love not only reading about these plucky people, I enjoy creating them. What fun I had with Ned and her friends in Ednalee. With Flora and Darcy, I got to know them so well that sometimes I wonder what they’re doing now. Funny, isn’t it?
One of the traits common with all three of my main characters is their liking for coffee. In fact, one of the few (thankfully) negative critiques about them was that they drank too much–coffee, that is. I hadn’t realized that, so I tried to tone it down, but they objected. All three of these ladies told me that was their thinking fuel, their “let’s sit down and figure out this mystery” fuel, and I believe they are still drinking it–hot, black, and invigorating.
By the way, that’s another strange thing about characters–they talk back to me. If I try to put words in their mouths, they may not agree with me and I find that they are saying or reacting in a totally unexpected manner. Reading is enjoyable–yes, but writing? It’s fun! And, the most fun of all is getting inside the minds of those lovable, curious, sometimes naïve or astonishing characters.
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