Our heroine from The Greyfriar, Vampire Empire Series, Book 1, is Princess Adele. Right off you can see she is not a damsel in distress but someone with a logical head on her shoulders. She longs for adventure but is relegated to a life of duty. As a young woman coming of age she is pulled in many directions, both by her own conflicting emotions and from outside sources. But despite this she struggles to remain true to herself and not be buried under the will of others.
She is a forthright character that you want to see evolve and grow up to become the type of woman you can respect and cheer.
What kind(s) of character do you consider this character primarily to be, or how would you describe this character?
Adele is a young woman caught between two worlds, one of duty and one of freedom far from the shackles of court obligations. She longs for adventure, enjoying what life has to give her in all forms, rather than being dictated to as a princess of the court. She is fiercely protective of her family and friends, although she has too few around her after the death of her mother and, a father who is too caught up in the political turmoil of the time to notice the intelligent young woman she is becoming.
What is a character from a published fiction story by another author you would compare this character to and why are they similar?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Joss Whedon. Beyond the obvious similarity as a vampire slayer, there is also a coming of age story, of a young girl who doesn’t want to become what she is destined to be. She wants to be free to love and live as she chooses, not a life that dictated to her.
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?
Adele is definitely an archetype. She is drawn from the types of characters that resonate strongly with me. An independent woman but flawed at first in her worldly perceptions. Those perceptions are constantly challenged and remade through the course of the book, but once her views are altered, she rarely goes back. She constantly moves forward, ever evolving.
How would you describe the first chapter, scene or section of this story in one paragraph?
The action begins when vampires attack an airship of the Equatorian Empire on its way to forge good will among the frontier human states before the start of a great war to reclaim northern Europe now in the hands of the vampires. As the ship is lost, the vampires target Princess Adele, a member of the Equatorian royal family. Adele tries to save her younger brother, but fails. Before she is overwhelmed she is rescued by a mysterious masked figure known only as the Greyfriar. Together they must flee through enemy territory.
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?
In The Greyfriar: Vampire Empire Bk. 1, we meet our heroine, an heir that no one deems capable of ruling an empire. They dismiss her as a woman and they intend to marry her off in order to place a man on the throne. But she is guarded by the staunch soldier, Col. Anhalt, who would lay down his life for her, not simply out of duty but because he respects her and loves her like a daughter. Immediately you understand that there is more substance to her than meets the eye. When disaster strikes, you see she is devoted to others more than herself.
What makes this an effective character introduction for this story?
At once you see a young woman, hesitant about her future, but dedicated to those she loves. Her decisions in the face of danger offer glimpses of the empress she is destined to be, capable of forward thinking and selflessness, needing no man at the helm to tell her what to do. She demonstrates her resourcefulness and determination and those traits guide her through the remainder of the story and clarify why people like Col. Anhalt would defend her so completely.
What major changes does this character go through, or what major challenges does the character encounter and how does the character respond to them?
Adele is forced to make decisions that will change the course of history. When she becomes a prisoner of vampires, she is the first human in a hundred years to see what goes on it the heart of their vile empire. But when she falls in love with the mysterious Greyfriar she must make a decision to stay with him or return and marry another out of duty to her own empire, as well as bring back knowledge that could save her people.
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 the respond them?
Minor characters are there to enhance and support both your plot and your main characters. Their story should reflect the themes and plot points in some way.
Colonel Anhalt is one of the most vital of supporting characters in relation to our main heroine, Princess Adele. He is her one constant in a world full of strife and lies. His devotion to her is unwavering, a steady shoulder she can lean on when all else around her is crumbling. But his loyalty comes into question as Adele makes choices that effect both his ability to protect her and his relationship to the government to which he owes allegiance. His life and career rest with her as she attempts to change the course of history in ways that could be counted as radical and heresy. But through it all, his loyalty to her is unquestioned.
What does the story gain from the minor characters?
Minor characters enable or disable your main characters. They can be supportive of your plot or destructive. But they must enhance it in some way, either to get your characters from point A to point B or to provide a moment’s respite before characters and plot can continue.
Colonel Anhalt provides Adele with the steadfast protection she needs. He is the true father figure for her, and offers her the reassurance that she can continue to trust her instincts.
To what extent would you describe the characters in this story as typical or atypical of characters in your fiction stories?
I admire strong characters that grow organically from their trials. Strong female characters are a must for me after a childhood raised on pulp fiction where women were not characters, only tools. Of course, I don’t expect them to be superwomen. They have flaws and they make mistakes, but they are guided by their emotions and their instincts, and by the men that love and honor them.
Author website: www.clayandsusangriffith.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment