Find all my books at Books We Love
When the writing gets tough, go shopping!
What
better place to search for characters than a mall,
where people of all shapes, sizes, colors and styles happily gather. Without interfering
in their enjoyment, I can study and
choose from thousands of character traits, personality flaws and secrets – free
to the discriminating shopper.
I’ve tried shopping at home with catalogs.
It sometimes works for a minor character, but it’s hard to tell if I have a
good fit without seeing the actual character in motion. All those idiosyncrasies
that make my characters special come out in public – their walk, laugh, voice.
Perhaps what I’m looking for is the way they hold their head, cling to a boy
friend, or talk with their hands. Too much personality remains unnoticed on a still
life, one-dimensional photograph in a catalog.
So I settle down to window shop.
My
first “purchase” is not your stereotypical hero. His belly’s a bit too large;
his face beginning to show the first stages of age. Gray threads his hair and
his laugh is a bit too loud. But he also has the nicest smile I can ever recall
and the kindest blue eyes. His gentle gaze speaks of trust and honesty and I immediately
realize I want him in my book. He will make the best “best friend” anyone can
have.
I
turn my head at the sound of male laughter. Cowboys. Are they real or wannabes?
They lean against the railing and I study them
as they study girls. I have my pick
of sizes, the tallest being well over six foot. If I take a composite of the
group, I just might have my hero. Let’s see – a mustache from the third guy;
the blonde’s hair; and the tall one’s smile, his lips lifting a little higher
on the right than the left.
I
like the tall one’s attitude. As I watch, his face never changes expressions. He’s
aloof, trying to look disinterested. His thumbs are hooked in the belt loops of
his jeans; one boot crossed in front of the other. While his body language might
indicate he’s bored with this activity and wants something more exciting, his
eyes tell another story. Twinkling green, slight crinkles at the corners, they
laugh and mock and never miss a thing.
As
though one entity, they turn to follow a group of girls when they pass. Red-blooded,
American boys to the core, but I’m still not sure I can use them, so I study
their walks. Only one has the rolling gait of a cowboy—someone who actually
spends time on a horse. It’s the tall one; the guy with laughter in his eyes
and the crooked smile.
I
watch them walk away, and he turns and touches his forehead as though tipping
his hat. And then he winks at me.
Oh, yes, I definitely
need a cowboy in this book.
Developing
characters is such a fun part of writing a story. They soon take on a life of
their own and often go in a direction I couldn’t have imagined. I found my
cowboy in Tenderhearted Cowboy. Joe
is on a quest that I never thought he could complete, but with Sky’s help and
love, anything is possible. You can read more about them on my website and I
hope you grab a copy of this historical romance and get lost in Joe and Sky’s
story.
Barbara
Baldwin
|
Thursday, October 10, 2019
When the Writing Gets Tough, Go Shopping.
Labels:
cattle drives,
Cowboys,
Historical romance,
quest,
search for siblings,
Texas
I love to travel and would gladly roam from place to place.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Deadly Undertaking Click here to purchase ‘Tis the season of the year when the transformation occurs from the darkness of winter to th...
-
Goodbye winter. Hello spring. Another round of setting clocks ahead is behind us as well as all the rant on social media about why we co...
-
Click this link for Purchase information In Sunrise Interrupted Dr. Beau Remington is a country veterinarian with of course an abiding ...
-
Click here to get your copy! Even as a kid growing up in Detroit Lakes, MN, I have always loved a rainy day. I loved the smells the rain b...
-
Please click this link for book and author information While researching 1918 fashion for my hist...
-
Those Who Watched Murder She Wrote ( television), As Good As It Gets ( 1997 movie), or Misery (1990) Discovered how exciting, unpredict...
-
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004HIX4GS Amazon Kobo Barnes & Noble Smashwords European fishermen had long traveled to the west ...
-
Vanessa Hawkins Author Page Yes! You see correctly! I have finally included another cover amongst my books! Twice Hung i...
-
https://bookswelove.net/stover-karla/ BY THE SAME AUTHOR: Available through BWL Publishing Parlor Girls Wynter's Way Murder, When...
-
https://books2read.com/Her-Scottish-Legacy I’m so glad winter is over and the days are getting longer and warmer. I have spent my winter...
Nice way to find characters. Each of us finds a way to bring characters to life. I've enjoyed your stories
ReplyDeleteUnusual slant on finding characters, but certainly a good idea. Unfortunately when I spend too much time at the shops I also spend too much money.
ReplyDeleteTricia, I know what you mean. Take your journal in and not your wallet!
Delete