What if?
Thanks for inviting me to do a guest post! I very much like the subject you have given me - ‘your fabulous mix of characters’. To be honest I hadn’t thought about it to any great extent but if I look at each of my stories I do seem to have a diverse mix of people. I would love to say that I intricately planned it this way but the truth is I didn’t. I do plan my novels (post it notes are my big obsession) and I spend time developing and understanding my characters before I start writing their story but I didn’t particularly look at their diversity. I think that bit came naturally.
The world around us is diverse, as are all the people in it and I look to real life for my inspiration and then add a little sprinkle of imagination and frequently ask the question - ‘what if?’
I want to know how my characters cope
I want to know how my characters cope
My characters pop into my head (no really, my psychiatrist says it’s not weird at all) and sometimes they are really vivid and other times I have to get to know them (it’s OK I don’t talk to them. I’m not totally bonkers…) The wonderful Kate Long (Bad Mother’s Handbook) uses a questionnaire to interview her characters so that she can really get to know how they tick. I like this idea and I do something similar but I also imagine them in a number of different situations and see how they cope,how they react under pressure and from that scenes emerge.
Looking at my second book, and the one I am currently writing, they also
have an eclectic mix of characters including a nanny, someone with a
psychiatric disorder, a free runner, a Caribbean tour guide and a
kleptomaniac cat! So I think it’s safe to say that with each of my
stories you will continue to find a mix of individuals that you may not
have expected to encounter but hopefully you will enjoy.
It Started at Sunset Cottage
For ‘It Started at Sunset Cottage’ I think I have mixed it up a little from the usual cast list of typical Chick Lit characters. I have a five year old girl (Amy), who in many ways, brings the other key characters together, an older lady (Didi), with whom my protagonist builds a sweet friendship. There is Sean, who is malicious and brings a darker quality to the story and his mother, Irene, is the character most people love to hate. Throw in a diva of an actress and a theatrical lovey scriptwriter and away you go! However, the main characters are two strong women, Kate an author and Sarah a part-time barmaid and florist, who just appeared in my mind (this usually happens when I’m trying to get to sleep) and they had very distinct personalities, both are from different backgrounds but coping with difficult situations in their own way.
The ‘what if ?’question produced Timothy Calder. This character is textbook Hollywood actor and general lothario but I wanted to understand if he’d always been like that and surprise, surprise – he hadn’t and as I dug a little bit deeper I discovered why he was the way he was with women as well as a big secret that he would protect at all costs.
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I'd love to be friends with Sacha Baron Cohen, he's just pure genius and nuts at the same time.
ReplyDeleteDiane Keaton and Kathy Bates. They seem like lovely ladies and I think I would have a load of fun if they were my friends.
ReplyDeleteNeil Patrick Harris, I love everything about him
ReplyDeleteThis was really interesting to read. I never really think much about how the author gets to know their characters. Great subject.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Holden, I loved her in Wild at Heart.
ReplyDeleteOprah
ReplyDeleteI would like to be a friend of the Dalai Lama.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! =)
ReplyDeleteNEW POST on http://whattostyle.blogspot.com/
xoxo,
Jessica
Author Henning Mankell
ReplyDeleteMaybe Jane Fonda, I just feel like she has a ton of stories to tell full of fascinating people.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be friends with Emma Watson! She's such an amazing person and I would learn a lot from her. Plus, she's funny and outgoing :D
ReplyDeleteOkay here's a musician for a celebrity. I would love to be friends with Richard Marx. He's in his 50's, still writes and has a gorgeous voice. I'm a singer and would just love to pick his brain about some of his hits he's written.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be friends with Sara Bareilles, the multi-talented singer, song writer, musician.
ReplyDeleteI would like to be friends with Lorraine Kelly. She always comes across as being very well
ReplyDeletepatsy kensit she is beautiful
ReplyDeletepatsy kensit she is beautiful
ReplyDeleteMartina Cole she is a fabulous writer and seems like an interesting person I would love to get to know
ReplyDeleteStephen King because he's awesome :)
ReplyDeleteDawn French, she is so funny.
ReplyDeleteI'd be friends with Jennifer Lawrence. She seems really down to earth and relaxed! :)
ReplyDeleteJase Dean!!!
ReplyDeletejennifer aniston! we share the exact same birthday and she seems like she would be an awesome friend to have. she seems very loyal to the friends she has had for a long time and sometimes that doesn't happen in the celebrity world
ReplyDeleteOh I would be friends with Angelina Jolie! Sexy, gorgeous and generous lady! Love her!
ReplyDeleteI would love to be friends with Reese Witherspoon!
ReplyDeleteKelly Ripa!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a bit of a girlie one but Chris Hemsworth - he's so gorgeous and has amazing blue eyes. :)
ReplyDeleteDiane Keaton, she's so funny
ReplyDeleteHugh Jackman!
ReplyDeleteaaron mcadvoy and anne marie duff they are such a down to earth couple would be great to be friends with them
ReplyDeleteStephen amell just because he's Arrow and he's such a nice guy and of course hot LOL.
ReplyDeleteMegan @reading away the days
Johnny Depp! So strange, so different,Ijust love him!
ReplyDeleteSandra bullock she seems real.
ReplyDeleteDavid Tennant; unashamed Whovian here :)
ReplyDeleteIf I could meet any celebrity the first that comes to mind is Barbara Mandrell. She is so gifted musically and can play just about every instrument and I would love to visit with her.
ReplyDeleteIf I could be friends with a celebrity, it would be Wynona Ryder. Such an awesome actor but also really affected and pained. I think she'd be quite interesting and a cool person to know. :)
ReplyDeleteKarl Pilkington from idiot abroad, hes so funny x
ReplyDeleteTaylor Swift, because she seems like such a cool and fun lady! Also, I could borrow all of her lovely clothes. Rosie xx
ReplyDeleteJensen Ackles because he is so perfect :) Thanks for the giveaway! (Valentina B. -on the raffle)
ReplyDeleteNot sure don't have a favourite
ReplyDeleteDon't really pay much attention to so-called 'celebrities' but a friend mentioned that Sarah Millican would be a good addition to a girl's night in and I think I concur.
ReplyDeleteVictoria Woods - she's so funny - she reminds me of my sister
ReplyDeletemadonna
ReplyDelete