Character Spotlight, Author Memories, and Story Behind the Story

Hey y'all! I'm in three places at once!

Come visit Relz Reviewz for a spotlight on Wings of a Dream protagonist Rebekah Hendricks.

Come visit Anita Mae's blog Author Memories to find out how I tracked down a very special piece of family history related to Wings of a Dream.


Drop by Nicole Miller's blog and discover some of the Story Behind the Story of Wings of a Dream. 

Elusive Characters

I’ve always been a “seat of the pants” writer. When I was writing, writing, writing novels to learn the craft of fiction and in hopes of publication, I simply listened for a character to start talking. I didn’t wait for the whole story to take form; I just started putting it to paper (or screen). But now that I don’t have to write an entire novel before I can sell it, everything has changed. Now I need a storyline to pitch—one strong enough to capture my editor, then the acquisitions committee, then the pub board.

So I thought: how hard can this be? I mean, really. I do some research, come up with a storyline and wah-lah!

Right.

For two days I read over my research then stared at the blank screen. Yes, I already had a vague paragraph that intrigued my editor to ask for something longer, but I couldn’t seem to make it stretch. The characters became elusive, like they rounded a corner just ahead of me and I just missed laying a hand on their shoulders from behind. So I took a different approach. I quit trying. I cleaned out part of my office, listening to music, with a notepad at my side.

As my hands worked and my brain pulled thoughts of organizing my office to the forefront, in slipped a thought here, a word there. I jotted. Worked some more. Added another impression.

I feel a bit less stressful now. They are starting to talk. Not “sit down across the table and spill their story” talk, but a word whispered near my ear before they sprint away and hide again. I think they are telling me not to hurry, to be still. Not easy, but necessary.

Good thing I have lots of closets left to be organized!

Grappling with Control

I know what if feels like to hold myself back from a relationship. I often did it when I knew a friend would be moving away or changing schools or we’d be leaving when summer camp week ended. I’d distance myself, keep the other person at arms length in hopes that I wouldn’t feel the separation so intensely.

For the past decade or so I’ve recognized this tendency and made a conscious effort, by the grace of God, to remain engaged in spite of impending change. But just like so many times when I conquer the foe of self, it rises back up again in a little different form, subtle enough to confuse me into ignoring the root issue.

Last week I realized I’d been shutting off my heart to new characters. I’ve been afraid of them, somehow. Afraid they’ll hurt me by not having a story compelling enough to attract my editor’s attention. Now I know some of you are rolling your eyes and muttering, “But those aren’t real people! Give me a break!” But you see, those characters—and their stories—are the way God has wired me to connect both with Him and with other people. So when I hold myself distant from my characters, I essentially hold myself distant from the Lord. I cut myself off from the creative flow He has designed me to carry. When I don’t let these characters into my heart, I can’t learn from them. Nor can others.

In the eleven months leading up to my first contract, I prayed to hold this journey of publication loosely, to not grasp after it but just to follow as the Lord leads. But refusing to embrace the pain of possible rejection of a character I’ve come to love is just as bad and trying to make something happen in my own power. Both are an assertion of my control versus God’s control. Which brings it all back around to those real people I distanced myself from. I wanted to control the amount of pain I felt at losing their friendship or even just their presence in my life. And once again, that phantom self has to die.

Have you dealt with an issue in your life that came back around in a different form and surprised you?

The Child That Challenges

This is the child that challenges me—in a good way:

After a hard fought football playoff game, the last game of his high school career, we arrive at the restaurant. The boys had to line up at one register so I could pay their whole bill at once. The seniors took their rights of seniority to get closer to (or right at) the front of the line. Except my son. The senior. One of the team captains. He stood at the back. At the end. Making sure all the younger guys knew what they were doing, keeping them in line. Not complaining or huffing and puffing, no false humility or “please notice my sacrifice,” but truly exhibiting servant leadership.

I love that kid. He very often brings tears to my eyes. When I grow up, I want to be like him.

That's My Girl!

I have many author friends who find pictures of famous people or catalog models and use them for reference as they create their characters. I confess I’ve never done this, although I have perused many old photo albums. My characters usually appear in my head and to try to find a picture match of them would be a long waste of time. But as I’ve been researching my next book, my heroine has been a bit fuzzy. Not her character. I see that clearly. But her mannerisms. Her face.

I do often look at newspaper pictures in my research. (That’s the advantage of setting stories in a time where photographs were readily available!) It helps with setting and clothing and other accoutrements of life. But as I said before, rarely with characters.

Until now. While searching through the online database of a research library, my heroine appeared from the pages of the 1915 Chicago Daily News! I love that it isn’t a portrait but a spontaneous shot. And I could just see in her smile and her bearing that she's the one.

I already feel like she is my friend!