I would like to introduce you to a new author, Abbi Glines. She recently had her debut young adult novel released by Wild Child Publishing. I'm looking forward to reading Breathe
. Since my TBR pile is quite tall right now, I was so happy Abbi offered to share about her characters in today's guest post. Give a big Girl Who Reads welcome to Abbi Gline
. Since my TBR pile is quite tall right now, I was so happy Abbi offered to share about her characters in today's guest post. Give a big Girl Who Reads welcome to Abbi Gline
A fabulous idea never becomes more than a spark in a writer’s imagination without riveting characters to back it up. The reader has to feel some sort of passionate emotion toward the characters in a novel in order to be interested in the plot they are playing out. So when a writer is typing out the next bestseller, the characters they create need to take on a life of their own. When a character begins to change the idea and twist the plot you know you’ve got yourself a strong personality unfolding. My debut YA novel, Breathe, had three main characters who evolved in my head before I typed the first word.
Sadie- She would tell the story. It would be her story. Her life. She would be strong but reserved. Her life would make her different than other girls her age. She would need to stand out to catch the attention of a rockstar. She couldn’t just be a pretty face.
Jax- The rockstar, the heart throb, the unattainable, he would be larger than life yet once the reader saw him through Sadie’s eyes they would realize he was just a guy. He would have feelings that no one expected. He could hurt, love, cry and still be famous.
Jessica- Sadie’s mother and the oh so easy to hate character in the story. I knew this mother. Maybe not literally but in general. She was the aging beauty queen, selfish and needy. Depending on her teenage daughter who she’d forced to grow up too soon. I never meant for the reader to love this woman. Unfortunately she wasn’t a creation of my imagination. She was a mixture of bad mothers I’d had the displeasure of meeting.
Once the story began pouring out my thoughts and developed on the computer screen in front of me, other characters showed up. Marcus for example. He is obviously well loved by readers but he hadn’t been in the original plot. He just appeared one day in the kitchen with Ms. Mary. I was just as surprised to meet him as Sadie was. He was easy to write. I had known guys like him when I was younger. The friend who wanted more but knew they’d never be given a chance. The good guy who falls for a girl whose heart is otherwise taken.
Maybe some authors sit down and map out every character in their story before they write the first word but I don’t. I start with my core characters and let the others show up. You never know who will walk in the door next. It’s all part of the ride.
Find Abbi Glines and Breathe on the web:
Website: www.abbiglines.com
Twitter: @AbbiGlines
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Wild Child Publishing
Read my review: Summer Fun
Once Upon a Read-a-thon Update: Yesterday wasn't a good day for books. I was on the phone most of the day at work so I didn't get to listen to Room. I did get some reading done on Tribulation Point (now on page 95) and Convergence (page 87).
Mini-challenge: I did the YA Bliss blog challenge of naming best love triangles. This was harder than I thought (I don't read a lot of romance with love triangles), but here our mine:
Dicken's Tale of Two Cities: Darnay - Lucie - Carton. You could make it a square and throw in Stryver as he wants to propose to Lucie.
Schneider's Blind Faith: Chase - Karsyn - Gabriel
Meyer's Twilight Saga: Edward - Bella - Jacob.
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Congratulations on you debut novel, Abbi and you're so right about those characters having to be riveting.
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