Some stories are location driven; the ‘where’ is the most important feature. Whether it’s the landscape of the frozen tundra or the interior of a country general store, it’s the setting that pulls a reader in.
Some stories are a retelling of a historical event. The ‘when’ of it all. Whether it’s actual factual history or it’s the latest trend of historical fiction, it’s something in the past that is central to the whole project.
But for me as I throw darts at a storyboard, the first target I aim for is the characters. The ‘who’ and ‘why’ of people and getting readers to invest in them and want to know them is important to me.
“Careful Or You’ll End Up In My Novel”
I’ve been saying this for years, have the t-shirt and a coffee mug emblazoned with this phrase, and over the course of three novels, I’ve held true to my word. It’s the people I’ve met who have been woven into my stories. Some are personalities that have endured and been included. Some are people who are important that have nothing in common with who the character in the story is or does, but including them makes me feel like they are with me as I create. Some are just casual acquaintances that I felt were ‘kewl’.
In my first novel. One Light Coming, the main characters are Jake and Sam. Two people who end up being close and relying on each other. They were named for my nephew and my child. Their bond is strong and I know it will last a lifetime and I wanted to portray that in the book. In the same work there’s a character, attorney Mark Schmidt. He’s a real attorney. I knew him, I’ve ridden with him. Others like Paul the bartender, Lydia, the child of the female lead, and Karen, the first love interest in the story, are all people that have been part of my life at one time or another. It’s fun to include them. But not everyone I know or have met is included. And I understand that it bothers them. It’s the ‘why not me?” issue. Then there are characters that are a stew of other people I’ve met; a little bit of this one and a little bit of that one morphed into a new character.
As I sketch out a new project, I come up with the ideas for lead characters. Not names yet, just personalities. By not giving names to these the most important in the story, you the reader, won’t immediately conjure up a visual. If I give the female lead a name such as, say, Marie or Caroline, in short order, I’ll bet you have a picture of someone. Conversely, should the male lead be named Antonio or Ralph, here again, a visual pops up in your mind. It’s an unconscious reflex action. We can’t help it. This way, by not naming them, while it may require more effort on the part of the reader, I’m hoping it will be more enjoyable.
So, to that end, I scribbled out characteristics, things that described a personality, not the person:
She is roadside fireworks.
She is mixed drinks with not enough ice and shared take out dinners.
She is Hepburn and Lady Gaga and Ani rolled into one.
She smiles with her eyes.
She is Polaroids taken in the morning light.
She is breakfast for dinner.
She is Friday the 13th and Christmas.
She is a simpler life filled with A-frames, a porch and a quilt.
She is a weekend in Madrid, a week in County Clare, a night in Manhattan.
She is dusk, the color green, last minute road trips to hidden beaches.
She is half finished books, a thrift store ring and empty frames from a flea market, imagining what might have been held within.
She is new tattoos and forgotten songs.
She is ferociously scrupulous, vulnerable, unforgiving and She is a promise of a better life.
He is full of personality, yet devoid of ego.
He is as comfortable with swanky cocktails as The Taj as he is with a Jack and coke on the side at a dive bar.
His eyes are as clear and deep as any ocean with shoulders as strong as every mountain.
He is as cunning as Jason Bourne, but gentle enough to juggle eggs.
He is a morning cook and a midnight bartender.
He is the one you call for help at 3am and the one you want next to you at 6am.
He is the first to say yes to skydiving, again.
He values relationships, not possessions.
He opens car doors and pulls out chairs, holds your hair up when helping with your coat.
He loves Ink and can never have enough books or music and can sing along with most of the songs on the radio, but knows when not to.
He stands by the promise of flowers and graves.
Hot Air balloon rides, zip lining and rappelling down a cliffside are goals, not items on His bucket list.
He lives a life of truth, honor and strength yet still believes in love, loyalty and respect.
I’m looking forward to building this novel. Who knows? Maybe you will end up in it.
Be Careful.
When I feel this story is ready, I’ll post content up here for your enjoyment.
In the meantime, all three of my novels: One Light Coming, The Moon Upstairs as well as The Blue and Silver Shark, published by Blockhead Press, are available from your local independent bookseller in print. You can also get them on-line from the usual places, as print, eBook, audio book in English, Italian French and German.