As if anyone who knows me doesn’t already know that. I take birthdays very seriously, moreso now that I’m a mom. The longer a woman is a mom, the less likely said woman is to celebrate herself. To take some time just for her and make it count. Or maybe you’re just a career woman. Or a student. Women, by our nature, tend to put ourselves last.
I’m a prime example. Even on my birthday, I worry about picking a dessert that will please everyone in my family. And trust me, I’m not the people-pleaser type. I can be very “me” oriented career-wise, but not so much when it comes to friends and family. I’m happiest whenever everyone else is happiest. Makes me a natural peace-maker, which is an odd part of my personality.
But the odd parts of people’s personalities are the best parts in terms of characterization, when an author can make it work. I’ve been blogging about Julie Kenner’s California Demon lately because I absolutely loved the book. I loved the book not only for the twisty, turny plot, but because I can so identify with Kate, the heroine. She’s a kick-ass demon hunter…but she’s also a mom who struggles with making the best choices for her kids. Kate is me. I mean, I haven’t killed a demon literally, but in the publishing business, facing demons is part of the everyday “to-do” list. I have to be tough. I have a reputation for speaking my mind, be forthright and honest, even when it hurts. That takes a tough skin. But when it comes to my child and my family, that’s my weak spot. It’s hard to be both, but that’s my life. I guess I’m crazy for the Kate character because I so identify with her. I want to be her and yet I am her.
Not that I don’t identify with my own characters. Marisela Morales, the star of my “Dirty” series for Pocket, has a lot of my qualities, but she’s loads different, too. I enjoy writing her because she *is* different. She forces me to think outside my comfortable box. Most of my characters are that way. I must share at least one trait or love with them–it’s the way I connect–but otherwise, they can run the gamut for me.
But when I’m reading, there is something particularly satisfying about connecting with a character in a way that you think, “you know, she understands my life. I understand hers. We could be friends.” I hope that my characters are that way for other people…but I’ll settle for, “she’s interesting. I’d like to know her because her life is so different from mine.”
What characters are out there that touch you so deeply? Do you want characters like you, not like you, or a little bit of both, depending on the book?
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Happy Birthday!
I enjoy a story where I get to know what makes a character act the way she does. Then once I get to know the character she has to act in a way that makes sense for her.
by Maureen
on June 22nd, 2006 at 7:04 am
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Happy birthday Julie! Enjoy your day!
I would have to say that I feel closest to the ones I can relate to - the ones that might have the same struggles as I do or have experienced similar events. Those are the ones I feel the strongest connection to.
But I do love the characters that are so completely different than myself. I don’t always want to read about the same “type”. As long as the characters are ones that have redeeming qualities and are deserving of giving and receiving love, are honest and faithful, I think a character can be bold and wild or shy and intelligent or funny and loyal. That’s what makes books such a treat - the treasures they uncover in the characters.
by Stacy ~
on June 22nd, 2006 at 7:41 am
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
I like characters NOT like me.
Characters that have touched me deeply were:
Roman from Sarah’s Child - Linda Howard
Bree from Three Wishes - Barbara Delinsky
The heroine from Kathleen Korbel’s A Rose for Maggie
All were such touching and very memorable stories that I would never forget.
Anything by Nicholas Sparks.
Anyone else have any suggestions for touching stories?
by Pat
on June 22nd, 2006 at 8:22 am
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Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear Juuuulie.
Happy birthday to youOOuuu.
I hope you have a most excellent day. :P
Eve Dallas from J D Robb’s “In Death” series strikes a chord with me.
She is such a tough character and it intriguing to watch her slowly
open and become receptive to relationships.
Stephanie Plum is a character who reminds me of myself. (Not career wise!)
But some of the things that happen to her are so “my life” (although not quite so over the top.)
Pat, the first Barbara Delinsky book I ever read was “Three Wishes”. It affected
my so deeply, I couldn’t bring myself to read another of her’s until “The Summer I Dared”.
Julia’s journey to understanding and taking control of her life after a series of
devastating events reminded me that there are those who control their life and those who
let life control them. I strongly identify with that.
by Angie
on June 22nd, 2006 at 9:18 am
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Happy birthday!!! Have a wonderful day, dessert and all.
I’ve been enjoying some of the books in the NEXT line because they are older heroines closer to my own age of fifty-mumble. Not that I haven’t devoured countless books with young heroines and loved every one, but I’ve enjoyed really identifying with the woman who has an empty nest or the woman whose mother is getting on up in years and can’t live by herself any more.
I suppose I like all sorts of heroines, but those whose character journey resembles something in my life just seem to strike a chord and resonate.
Sending cyber-champagne for your birthday celebration!
by Marilyn
on June 22nd, 2006 at 9:44 am
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happy b-day enjoy it, yeah
by KIM H
on June 22nd, 2006 at 12:03 pm
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Happy Birthday!
I like all kinds of characters! So they can be like me or not, it doesn’t matter.
One character that really touched me was Annie in Catherine Anderson’s book Annie’s Song. I LOVED that book and felt for Annie and all that she had been through.
by Jennifer Y.
on June 22nd, 2006 at 12:54 pm
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Happy Birthday. :D:D
by Kris
on June 22nd, 2006 at 2:01 pm
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Happy birthday to you Julie! As for characters, I think everything you asked is true for me at one point or the other. For example, I adore reading Dean Koontz’s books because he’s able to get into the heads of so many different types of people. The heroes or heroines in his books are so real and they manage to touch on several aspects I can often recognize within myself. Yet, he presents them in very unique ways.
Denise A. Agnew
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As my son would say, “Happy BIRFday!”
I like characters not like me. I’m me all the time. Reading aobut me is boring. Then again, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of characters who have been at all like me that I’ve ever read… :-)
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Angie, her older romance books are not like Three Wishes; read them, they are great. You wont be bawling your eyes out. And I did love that book like I said. Her Dream series was particulary good. Off to dentist now.
by Pat
on June 22nd, 2006 at 6:22 pm
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Happy Birthday! I like characters I can relate to. They do not have to be exactly like me but have some traits that I can respect.
by Cherie Japp
on June 23rd, 2006 at 10:50 am
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Changing subjects… The woman on your cover is wearing ballroom dance shoes. I’m madly curious. Does this relate to the book, or is it a fluke of cover art?
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Thanks for all the birthday wishes! It was a great day. Interesting to read about how differently we all look at characterization, and yet, share the common need to connect with the character. That doesn’t suprise me…but it gives me hope for when I create a character who isn’t at all like other women I personally know, like Marisela, for instance.
Lydia, the dancing itself is from the book. It’s the opening scene. The shoes, however, are not. In fact, if not for the fact that the clunkiness of them gave the publisher more room to put on the foil, I would have objected to them. Marisela would never wear shoes like that. Though come to think of it, ballroom shoes would be much sturdier and therefore much more reliable for kicking *ss. :)
by Julie Leto
on June 23rd, 2006 at 11:36 am
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Never say never. My husband and I took ballroom classes over the winter and never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined myself in a pair of sparkly ballroom shoes with 2 inch heels. Guess what I own now? Yep! And I love ‘em. My husband said the first time I wore them my whole demeanor changed on the dance floor. It’s kinda hard to NOT be a kick-ass dancer when you’re feet are encased in pure heaven.
by Marilyn
on June 23rd, 2006 at 4:46 pm
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Ooh,
by Helen
on June 24th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
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Ooh, Marilyn, what fun that must have been and now be! I loved watching DAncing with the Stars. And those shoes are so uncomfortable and how can you ever dance in them, but boy they look so sexy and you must feel so sexy in them.
by Helen
on June 24th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
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I don’t think they’re clunky! Though I do think it’s funny that it looks like she has on plastic heel protectors. They look a lot like this design:
http://www.supadance.com/acatalog/Supadance_1066_125.html
Or this one:
http://www.supadance.com/acatalog/Supadance_1329_132.html
Ballroom latin shoes hug the feet and have a steel shank down the arch. The heel is also balanced directly down the foot, and they end at the end of the toe–no point. I can sprint in them without thinking about it. They are SO comfortable that I’s rather wear ballroom shoes than a pair of street dress flats. So they would be very good to kick butt in! *g* Especially the steel shank. Normal shoes would snap. Ballroom shoes would HURT.
These are my pair for latins, with the 2.5″ flare heel:
http://www.supadance.com/acatalog/Supadance_1616_15.html
(I met my husband on the college ballroom team.)
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Hope you had a great bday.
by Pat
on June 28th, 2006 at 9:13 am
