A letter to my characters

This may sound entirely strange, but sometimes I write my books, and sometimes they write me. Mostly I'm talking about my characters. Sometimes I think them up, but sometimes they come and find me and pound on my head to be let out.

Really weird, I know.

And even stranger: I feel like writing them a letter. So here goes.

First, with love to Morgan and Elsie (aka Grandma): WOW! You are doing all sorts of cool things and going places I never knew you'd go. Someone called you "contrived and unconvincing," but someone else called you "funny, frank,[and] profane-but-literate," so we'll keep the second comment and throw out the first. You guys rock. And I owe you.

Second, with deep deep belief to Gabe, John, and Paige: hold on. Amy and I love you. Keep listening to music. Hold on to Elvis (well, not you, Paige, you hold on to Gabe).

Third, with happiness to Ray and Callie: stop making me crazy! Your story is going in seventyeleven simultaneous directions, and I can't hold it together. But you two are awesome (even in the face of Evil Keisha). I can't wait to see what's next, even if I can't control you.

Fourth, with great anticipation to Haven and Marty; Ian, Ivy, and Darcy; and Taliesin: I know it sucks to wait, and I'm getting there, I promise. Ray and Callie sort of cut in line. : ( But your time is coming, swear to God.

Fifth: Ed! Martha! I know you're in there--I see you. I need an artist to deal with you, and some idea of how a graphic novel works as well how as a middle grade novel works (or maybe a chapter book). I'm a little stuck in YA right now. Sorry.

OK, my imaginary peeps: I love you. Thanks for sticking with me. Thanks for making my life incredibly fun.

Kirstin

Friday fun: character names

In whatever I'm writing, characters are always driving the bus. If I don't have a handle on my character, nothing goes very far. Names are one of the ways I get in touch with my character--a name says a lot, of course. Mystery Manuscript (my work in progress, hereafter referred to as MM or WIP) has two alternating points of view/characters, and both are named, but one character is proving veeeery elusive right now. It's making things hard.

In the interest of learning more about YOUR favorite characters, I thought I'd post a couple of my favorite character names.

Minty Fresh--a side character in two of Christopher Moore's books, COYOTE BLUE and A DIRTY JOB, one of my fave books of ever. He's not what you'd think.

Stanley Yelnats--probably the best character name ever, because it's so simple but so clever, from Louis Sachar's HOLES. Stanley's one dedicated kid.

Dwight Schrute--from THE OFFICE--I'm not sure why, but his name just sums him up for me.

Furious Styles--Laurence Fishburne's character from BOYS N THE HOOD, John Singleton's 1991 debut film. If you haven't seen it, get thee to your Netflix queue! It's incredible (and there are heaps of stars in it).

So who are *your* favorite charcters?

AAAAAAAANGST, or stereotypes will get you every time

A recent reviewer of SKY ALWAYS HEARS ME called the book "a dog's breakfast of angst." If you've not heard that expression, "a dog's breakfast" is British slang for a huge mess.

When I read the review, I thought (of course): really? That much angst?

Then I went back and looked at my ARC, and thought: whoa. This reviewer is right. Crap-ola!

I never set out to write an angsty girl--I set out to write a smart girl, one who wanted to engage the world on her own terms. However (of course!), her world has lots of minefields in it, and there are lots of reasons for her to get a little loopy. She has her knickers in a twist (more British slang) from time to time. So what?

Here's the stereotype --> she's got her knickers in a twist ALL THE TIME!

I don't think it's true that all teenage girls are angsty-crazy all of the time. Most teenage girls I know can be pretty rational. Not Morgan. : \ It it BAD that Morgan's so angst-ridden? Not really. She'll be recognizable to her readers. Truly, the joke is on me. What does the situtation point out about my ability to identify over-the-top emotion?

My family is laughing their ass off (if they had a collective ass) right now.