I’m tidying up the first book in my new series in preparation of sending it to the editor, and decided now was a good time to write the Author’s Note (while details are fresh in my mind). In writing it, I discovered the name of the delightful lady who will tempt the hero of book II in the series – Miss Delilah Coventry!
I haven’t built a physical image of her yet, or a history, but nor did I when I started this book I’m tidying up now, or any book I’ve written.
In My Dear One, I found inspiration for Dianna in my mom, whose real-life story prompted My Dear One’s writing, and so Dianna has long dark brown almost black hair, and blue eyes, like my mom did in her youth. Jake’s character found inspiration in my blond-haired husband, though his brown eyes and ranching background come from my stepdad, while his height and broad build are all his own.
My One True Love’s Margaret found inspiration in a combination of my friends, one with red-hair, one who’s a teacher, another who’s petite, and yet another, whose inner strength and willingness to persevere and build a life for herself and her sons when her marriage collapsed I can only admire. Margaret is all of them, and none of them specifically.
Authors are human. We write what we know, research what we don’t, and do our best to create intriguing, likable, or at least redeemable characters, and engaging story lines, story lines filtered through personal experience, knowledge, biases, values, hopes, fears, and dreams. Our characters often reflect the worst of ourselves, and the best of those we love.
At least mine do.
Deborah
To have character is to be big enough to take life on.
~Mary Caroline Richards
