Hey everyone. Happy Saturday! For my first official blog post I decided to talk about how I come up with my character and their stories. Great characters are SO important in a good book. I have to fall in love with the hero and I have to be able to relate to the heroine in some way or another. They have to be real. Sure the book is fantasy but my characters still have to be just like you or me for the story to sweep me away and make me forget the dinner I'm burning on the stove or the pile of laundry in the basket that I've been meaning to fold all day long, LOL. When a new story comes to me, nine out of ten times I start with the characters. I'll see an interesting man walking down the street, or lonely looking woman walking through the mall, a couple hugging or walking their dog, anything can inspire a character to pop into my head. One story might start with a heroine and the next with the hero but it always starts with the characters. Once I visualize my characters then their story starts to unfold. I learn what makes them tick, what they like, what they dislike. Who hurt them in the past? Where do they want to go in their future? I see their lives in my mind, just as clearly as the person walking in the mall, the woman in the commercial, or the picture that inspired my characters.
I thought I'd do something a little different today. I want you to look at the picture below and tell me what their story is. Are they saying goodbye? Comforting one another after bad news? Give me one sentence or a paragraph (no more than 6-7 sentences please). Anything goes here. Have a little fun with it. Since Sunday is the only day that we don't post a new blog here on Three Wicked Writers I'll give you until Sunday evening to tell me their story. I'll draw a name at 6:00 PM Pacific time and the winner will get a SIGNED copy of The Power of Love anthology. This book has a GREAT lineup of authors including: Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Toni Blake, Janice Maynard and a whole lot more! I'm pretty proud of myself because I was actually thinking ahead for once. Last weekend I went to Lori Foster's Get Together and I purchased two copies instead of one just so I'd have something really cool to give out here on Three Wicked Writers. I can't wait to hear what everyone comes up with!
***One last thing! Almost forgot. The winner of Friday's post is Jen!! Email me at kelley.nyrae@yahoo.com and I'll forward your info to Regina!
25 comments:
Hi Kelley! Um that picture looks kind of sad to me. My first thought is that something tragic happened in her life and she's thinking about jumping, and he's letting her know if she jumps, he'll be right behind her.
Weeellll, good mornin', Sunshine! It's very early in Texas and I'm swilling my first cup of coffee. Great post!The girl in the pic looks sad doesn't she? The guy is trying to cajole her out of being upset, I think. And NO don't enter me in the contest although the autographed book is waaaay cool!
I start with characters, too, because people are just so damn fascinating. My stories are always character rather than plot driven. Just my preference, I guess. It's important, to me, to get into their heads and figure out what motivates them to do what they do.
Hey Kelley nice looking avatar you have there. Love the blog, just found out about it today and I'm glad I did.
When I looked at the picture I get the feeling that the girl has had something very upsetting happen to her. She's staring out trying to sort things out in her mind while the guy is trying to confort her as best as he can. The picture is so amazingly good and you can see the emotion in it and in the girl's face. I can tell from as much as I can see of the guys face that he is also feeling a bit sad along with the girl. I think he's trying to let the girl know that they are in this together the way he's closely behind her.
How's that?
Hey Lisa! A tragic story, huh? Describes the picture well :)
Regina- Great characters are sooo important, aren't they? I'm very character driven too.
Ivette- Thanks for visiting our blog! Love what you see when you look at the picture.
Great post, Kelley! I love that picture. To me I saw family drama. Gracie's daddy doesn't want her with the bad boy in town, and she's upset because he's forcing her to move to another state and live with her aunt Felicity. Now the pair of lovers are trying to figure out what to do. Do they run, or does she do what her daddy says, and hope Jimmy will wait for her? She'll turn 18 in 9 months and then her daddy won't be able to stop her from her dreams! How'd I do? LOL
(clearly you can't enter me, but I still felt compelled to play, lol)
Hey, ladies--looks like a great new blog! I just jumped right into this like it was my own storyline *g*:
Gazing hopelessly into the swirling brown water below, Annie tried to focus on what Neal was saying.
"Dammit, baby...I know you're scared to talk to your folks, but we can't wait much longer."
Annie shivered; the cold started deep in her soul, and seemed to spread outward. The only warmth in her life right now was pressed against her back. Neal was all that held her here--Neal, and the tiny heartbeat too faint for her to even sense yet.
Anne-ohh love you story. It fits what I see with this couple too!
Escondita-Wow! Love that you jumped into this story the way you did. It's perfect.
Her name is Sarah and she has lost all her family in a tragic accident and is greaving so much she justs prays to end it all and he is the answer to her prayer.
Kelley--Thanks! It's that romeo and juliet thing, huh? :)
Escondita--Wow! You totally had me there! Great going!
Love the picture! So here's my snippet.
“I can still feel you, Collin, your warmth encircling me, the touch of your hand …” She knew that was impossible. He died, leaving her to face a life without him. She looked down below wondering if it would hurt when she hit the water. She leaned forward, but the scent of Collin’s cologne tickled her nose, making her hesitate.
“Don’t do it, sweetheart,” Collin’s voice caressed her like a kiss. “You must live for both of us now.”
Karen,
You just gave me goosebumps. I really like it!!
dcreager-
Thanks for the reply! Sounds very interesting!
Thanks Kelley. I've just read all the responses you received. How interesting that we can all see the same picture and come up with a different story.
Well, she is feeling lonely in the world as she just lost her father and her mother a few years before that. He has been away for several years in the military and just returned home. He saw her before but never really talked to her. When he sees her standing alone and sad he wants to talk to her to get to know her and help her.
Hey Kelley,I believe they are sad. I think her family has told her there moving away & he is trying to comfort her, telling her it doesn't matter,they love each other & they will be together forever.
thanks, Cindy
Loving all the replies!! Keep em coming.
I think the guy is telling the girl that this is the bride where Billie Jo Macallister jumped off of.
I think he has told her that he wants more out of their relationship because he loves her so much and she doesn't know if she wants to have it go deeper. She is very concerned because her parents are wanting her to just be in a casual relationship until she is through high school. Time for commitment later on they say. She is distressed over what he said and she hangs on to the side of the bridge for support. Plus she is so glad that he is there to hold on to her.
Wow, Kelley. How on earth are you going to pick a winner. These are GREAT.
Hi Kelley. The pic looks like a sad one. She's feels like her whole world is crashing in on her after finding out thta her parents have decided to get a divorce and on top of it her boyfriend is leavinf for college, just when she needs him the most.
I think she's at a crossroads, looking at making some serious decisions and he has taken her out for a walk in woods to discuss her options and let her know he supports her choice whatever it is. Should she stay with what's familiar or go after her dream?
I think she's eaten something that hasn't agreed with her and she is going to puke off the bridge and he's getting ready to hold her hair back...'course I could be wrong...
More great replies everyone!
Amiranda-ROFLMAO
Hi, Kelley! Following you over here from your personal blog :)
That's a lovely photo--as for what's happening or who they are... hmm...
She's graduating from high school and trying to decide whether to move away to a big city where she's been accepted into a top university, or to stay locally and maybe take classes at the local community college. He's can't afford to go but doesn't want to keep her from trying to achieve her dreams of becoming an oncologist...
I would say that they are contemplating their surrounding enjoying a quiet time together.
Larena
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