Do Fictional Characters Pick-up the Habits of the Writer?
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Years agoI located an article about Margaret
Mitchell, the author of Gone with the
Wind. Apparently, there was a great
deal of press about how she hid sections of her novel beneath couch cushions,
this was her very first novel etc. All of these statements may have a ring of
truth but Margaret Mitchell was a journalist.
Whether you agree or disagree
with the premise of the Pulitzer Prize winning book or the screenplay or the
resulting Academy Award Winning Picture, you cannot argue the fact she created
exceptionally real characters. It has
been nearly 80 years since the book was published and nearly everyone in the
U.S. (and who knows how many other countries) recall ‘something’ about Scarlett
and Rhett.
Interviews tell us that MM would sit in front of a
mirror and watch how her earrings (earbobs) moved to help in her
descriptions. She said she had every
detail in her mind before she sat down at the typewriter. She also had
relatives who lived during the era of the Civil War.
In MM’s case this may have been true. Her character
may have been pieces of herself and her life.
However, in my case, I’m not so sure this is the
case.
Yes, my heroines and I may have many of the same
interests. Rachel Scott, my heroine in Lynx, Rodeo Romance Book 1, has many of my physical attributes at her
age. Amberlynn Maddox, my heroine in Brede, Rodeo Romance Book 2, is
knowledgeable about Native American works of art.
(These are WIP that I plan to pitch to my wonderful publisher: Books We Love. Surprise!)
However, in one of my current WIP, Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow, I seem to be picking up Meredith, my
heroine’s habits. I am beginning to wear
disposable latex gloves when I wash my hair (why, I don’t know). I keep a food diary online and I carry on
conversations with Siri (which is very difficult to do). And, lastly (I hope), I keep purchasing hand
lotion. Do I need all this hand lotion? No I have a place to store extra hand lotion
(besides my desk at my day gig)? No.
Will I keep purchasing hand lotion?
I hope not.
Now on to my anthology, Gumbo Ya Ya—for women who like romance Cajun & Men HOT & SPICY. Five stores in one
book. Doesn’t this mean 5 times the
crazy habits for me? It would seem
so. Beignets and café au lait, should I
be having these type of dreams? Perfume,
I’m obsessed with perfume and I’m worried about gators. Seriously?
I live in SoCal. I really don’t
think the L.A. river is going to become infested with gators in the next, say .
. .million years or so. Then there’s the heroine who works in day time TV. Well, I do have the beginnings of a three-act
play on my hard drive.
Anything else?
Time Travel to the 16th century and werewolves (contemporary)--so
far, nothing to report on those two topics. Which is good news to me.
Now, Rand Rodeo Romance Book 3, oh, boy—do I have
stories to tell!
Thank you for stopping by to read my guest post to
the Books We Love Blog.
Happy Reading,
Connie Vines
(Go to: About.me/ConnieVines ornovelsbyconnievines.com for more info)
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