Kate Thurston, from my novel North Star, is one of my favourite characters for many reasons, but primarily because she represents a thirty something year old woman, most women can relate to. She’s a single mum with a teenage daughter, and small son, struggling to juggle life and make the right choices for her children.
What kind(s) of character do you consider this character primarily to be, or how would you describe this character?
Kate is a character who has had a terrible childhood and understandably has quite a lot of unresolved baggage—but she is unique in that her determination and strength of will when it comes to maintaining a normal life for her children, overrides much of her inner turmoil.
Kate is a character who appeals to those who want to fight for the underdog. The classic hard worker, that you want to see win. Had it not been for that one stable, good influence in her childhood, she could have easily followed the same dysfunctional road her mother had, but instead, and perhaps in spite of these bad influences she is determined to provide the kind of loving home for her children she yearned for as a child.
What is a character from a published fiction story by another author you would compare this character to and why are they similar?
I had to ask some friends about this question as I couldn’t think of one, and the general consensus was that Kate must be unique because no one else could come up with an example either!
To what extent did you use any pre-existing character formula, template, paradigm, character design, archetype, or theory or principles of making or analysing character in planning, writing, and refining this character?
I didn’t use any plan for this character-I literally developed her as I wrote the story—to the point of not even knowing what her ‘secret past’ really was until toward the end of the book.
How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?
The opening scene pretty much sets up the story. Here, you can feel Kate’s anxiety over the choice she’s made, you see the hostility in her teenage daughter and what she’s dealing with, you see the sad and frightened child her son has become and you know that Kate has a big job ahead of her to repair her broken family.
Pick one of your published stories. How would you describe the introduction of the main character, or one of the main characters, in this story?
John Cafferty wasn’t supposed to be in this story—I was supposed to be writing a story about a woman and her children, starting a new life, but this rather insistent character continued to push his way into the story, insisting he could help make Kate’s life even more complicated that it already was—so really, how could I refuse him a part in the story knowing that?
What makes this an effective character introduction for this story?
His occupation as a police officer unsettles Kate as she continues to protect the secret in her life, and John being the protector and alpha-like male he is, provides another layer and complication to Kate’s life. By the end of the story, he will be forced to rethink his principles and risk his career or lose Kate forever—a tough ask for a simple country cop who prides himself on his morals and steadfast belief in right from wrong.
What major changes does this character go through, or what major challenges does the character encounter and how does the character respond to them?
John is the quintessential bachelor—content with his life and committed to his career. However, with Kate’s arrival in town, his entire world is turned on its head. He finds himself drawn to Kate, and his instinct to protect and save is met with resistance, which frustrates him. He faces an enormous personal challenge in the story when he is forced to make a choice between the law and the woman he loves.
How would you describe the most important minor characters in this story and the changes in their character, or the challenges they encounter and how they respond them?
The two children in North Star are great examples of character growth. They’re struggling with the realistic fallout of divorce. They’re confused, angry, and adjusting to a new way of life which they have no control over. Georgia in particular provides a great insight to the mind of a fourteen year old girl in today’s society. Her freedom has been curbed by Kate taking her away from the bad influences of her old friends and the environment she was living in and being a fourteen year old girl—makes life a living hell for the entire family in return. Hormones, combined with a deep hurt and sadness over her parents divorce makes for one very angry teen.
Georgia’s character is a complex, yet highly realistic one, and parents of teenage daughters everywhere will be able to relate to this particular character extremely well.
What does the story gain from the minor characters?
Georgia and Liam, the two children in North Star, are Kate’s entire reason for moving back to her home town. So in this regard they are central to the plot of the story. They are Kate’s entire universe and everything she does revolves around ensuring her children are happy and safe—or in Georgia’s case, at least safe, since happy seems to be an emotion a fourteen year old girl is incapable of!
To what extent would you describe the characters in this story as typical or atypical of characters in your fiction stories?
All my characters in some way, shape or form return to the small rural town they grew up in. I’ve always found this aspect of life fascinating. Things we experience—views we have about life, as children and teenagers are vastly different when viewed through those eyes, as adults.
Author website: http://karlylane.com
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