Liebster Blog Award

It's always a joy to receive an award. For me, it shows others are listening and enjoying what I have to say. This award was presented to me by Joylene Butler, a wonderful woman and author. Thank you, Joylene!

The rules:
1. Thank the giver of the award and link back to them.
2. Give the Liebster to five bloggers and let them know with a comment to their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award onto your blog.
4. Have faith your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. Have blogging fun!

I present this award to the following bloggers. Thank you all for sharing with me and others a little piece of yourself.

1. Aubrie Dionne - http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com/
2. Cherie Reich - http://cheriereich.blogspot.com/ 
3. Michelle McLean - http://michellemclean.blogspot.com/
4. Kalayna Price - http://kalayna.blogspot.com/ 
5. Lynnette Labelle -  http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your moment of fame ladies!

Escape to Love Review

Asandra, Spiritual Guidance Examiner, recently read my novella, "Escape to Love", and gave it a glowing review on her Examiner page.

"Green writes with a brisk style that keeps the reader glued to the page. We are drawn into the protagonist’s dilemma; will she be pronounced guilty of witchcraft, or will Lawrence Wilder, the sole council member who wants to save her, be successful?"

Visit http://www.examiner.com/spiritual-guidance-in-national/escape-to-love-a-review-review-1 to view the complete review.

Other reviews available at Goodreads.

Bad Attributes by Guest Poster Aubrie Dionne

I'd like to welcome author of Paradise 21, Aubrie Dionne to the blog.

She's stopped by to talk a little about characters and some of their bad attributes. Before I hand the floor over, here's a little about our guest.

Aubrie is an author and flutist in New England. Her stories have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, A Fly in Amber, and several print anthologies including Skulls and Crossbones by Minddancer Press, Rise of the Necromancers, by Pill Hill Press, Nightbird Singing in the Dead of Night by Nightbird Publishing, Dragontales and Mertales by Wyvern Publications, A Yuletide Wish by Nightwolf Publications, and Aurora Rising by Aurora Wolf Publications. Her epic fantasy is published with Wyvern Publications, and several of her ebooks are published with Lyrical Press and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she’s not writing, she plays in orchestras and teaches flute at Plymouth State University and a community music school.

http://www.authoraubrie.com
http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

Please welcome, Aubrie Dionne (applause)

Bad Attributes for Heroines and Heroes

I thought for fun today, I’d make up some of the worst attributes you could ever give your heroine or hero. I try to stay away from these character traits at all costs, and make sure my characters are one hundred percent the opposite!

1. Boring- Characters have to have a personality. They have to have their own motivations, and things they like and dislike. They have to yearn, to fear, to love. They have to have a past that’s shaped who they are today. They can’t be one dimensional line shouters based on common archetypes that only move the plot forward.

2. Inactive- Characters have to do something. They have to be “make it happen” type people. They can’t wait around and let life breeze by. Or at least, not for the whole book! They have to make conscious decisions, to get up off their feet and change their world in some way.

3. Mean- I’d leave this trait for the bad guys. Your main character has to be likeable. They can’t go around picking on those weaker than them, or talking behind their friend’s backs and calling people names. It just doesn’t work. Unless, they start this way and change very fast, before you lose your reader for good!

4. Ineffectual- Main heroes and heroines have to make a difference. Their actions have to have consequences. They have to strive to better their situation, to save the one they love, or make the world a better place. They can’t continue to fail to the very end in everything they do. What a downer that would be, heh?

5. Self loathing- Too much whininess can drive a reader crazy. Sure, your characters have to have modesty and fear. They have to question their actions at times, and experience remorse and regret. But not on every page. A main character has to develop confidence, and they have to begin to believe in themselves.

6. Arrogance- There’s a fine line between a confident hero/heroine, and an arrogant one. Sure, they can believe in themselves and their cause, but they also have to have faults. They have to be human, and they have to wrestle with their own flaws. Or else, they have nothing to overcome. They can’t have an arc, they can’t develop.

7. Whishy washy/Ambivalent- Characters can’t keep going back and forth and changing their minds. They have to act definitively. They have to make choices and either stand by them, or regret them later on. You have to explain why they change their minds (if they do) and have a good reason for it. Or else, why fight for something you don’t care strongly about?

What do you think some bad character traits are?

How well do you know your characters?

All through the how to books, you will find some writers put plot over character development and some the other way around. In my world, the two go hand and hand. The characters create the plot; the plot creates the characters.

When I begin a new project, my first step is to capture an idea germ. These little creatures come in many shapes and forms and can appear anywhere. My next step is to brainstorm around the idea germ. Who is the character? What does she want? How will she reach her goal? Who will stop her? What if the villain turns out to be a nice guy? And on and on goes the questions.

Then it’s time to get to know my characters. Usually through the brainstorming session at least 3-4 characters will show themselves and volunteer to be participants in the story at hand.

In short stories and novellas, the characters usually grow in my head. But with my work-in-progress, a novel, I’m feeling a need to really get in touch with these characters and what motivates them. The story is on the complex side and the better I know these people I’ll be spending so much time with the better we’ll all be.

I believe the information needed about your characters may depend on the story at hand and how long you anticipate on spending with them. That’s not to say knowing your character is any less important with a short piece.

Through the years, I’ve read many suggestions on getting to know your characters. From information sheets, to character interviews, and even producing scenes just to see how they react. I believe the depth and technique you use will depend on you as an author. You may not need to know your character’s favorite color or her favorite food. But, knowing such things can give you added insight you may find useful during your time with your new family.

Ask yourself, “What is my favorite color? In what way does this affect my everyday life?” Does it?

I’m partial to blues, maroons, and browns. I feel this aspect of me does affect my life to a certain degree. I find these colors to be earthly colors, but others may find them boring. What does this say about me? I think it has to do with my down to earth nature, my mature and responsible attitude. Not to say anything’s wrong with hot pink. It’s a fun color, but you probably won’t see me wearing it, at least not on a normal day.

Did your character have a happy childhood? Did you have a happy childhood? How did this affect you during your teenage years, your adult years? If you really think about it, a person’s likes, dislikes, childhoods, parents, and so on, make us who we are. So, why would it be any different for our characters?

Some authors take it further by producing birth charts, reading tarot cards, and even shopping as their character.

How well do you know your characters? How deep do you go?