My Meet & Greet with My Characters

I was taught from a young age to be modest about my accomplishments. This made it hard to promote my books. In fact, at times, it is just outright painful. 

There is one exception to that: my characters. 

Why aren’t I modest about them? Because a part of me believes they come to me to tell their story. I don’t completely make them up. 

They are so real to me that it is like watching a show and writing it down as it happens. 

My plots might be a little outrageous sometimes, but my characters are real to me. 

So here’s how it goes:

It depends on the character, but most of them show up at the edge of my sight and maybe clear their throat to get my attention. But if I look directly at them? They will fade away. 

I have to glance and then pretend I didn’t see them so that they will come closer. When they are ready for me to tell their story?

They step right in front of me and demand my attention. 

It’s really annoying if I’m working on a book. 

Some of them are more patient than others.

But I’ve found they will come back when I’m ready because they want their story to be told. They want to find true love and ride off into the metaphorical sunset with them. 

Yes, my characters tend to be romantic, even if they don’t always know it. 

Of course, when I start writing their story down, they get hosed pretty badly, but by the time they realize it, they are in it to win it. I’m in it with them, and the only way out for all of us is straight through the trouble. 

So far, none of them have come back to punish me, but they might be bitter out there.

I think this might be why none of them want to come back for a second round in the blender. 

They tell me, “I’m not dead, and I’m happy. Goodbye.”

So there you have it. I have a great relationship with my characters, at least at first. 

And I do love them. When I get asked which is my favorite, it’s like asking me which is my favorite kid. I love them all (except the bad guys, but that’s a different blog post).

Do you have a favorite character from one of my books?

Perilously yours,

Pauline