Beautiful People - Morgaine

pinterest: tempus regina

This weekend, one particularly grueling afternoon's writing session over and yet another chapter complete, saw Tempus Regina cross 100,000 words.  Of course the business now is to try to keep the wordcount down, but it is still momentous, for I can hardly believe I have (more or less) only been writing this story since November.  I'm not, however, going to posit a date for its completion.  That would be the perfect excuse for the story to rise up in laughter and rebellion.

With the two main-est characters already interviewed, I waffled this month on who would be February's Beautiful Person: the rest of the cast is by no means as forthcoming as the Assassin.  As this character is perhaps the third most important, and at the moment the only narrator besides Regina, it seemed natural that she should be somewhat introduced.

morgaine

1. What does she look like?

Morgaine is a bit too pale to be reckoned a great beauty, but her hair, thick and black and not without waves, is a great asset.  She is fine-boned to the point of looking like a wastrel; her chin and mouth are especially narrow and her eyes, well-set and North Sea-grey, are large and uncannily like a cat's.  On the whole, however, she is pretty in a vague, immature way.

2. How old is she?

Morgaine is nineteen or twenty - not far from Regina's own age, but with a young, sheltered air that Regina has never had.

3. In three words, describe her personality.

Giving.  Loyal.  Placid.

4. What is her life's creed?

Ever faithful.  Never forgiving.

5. What element (fire, earth, water or air) best captures her?

She is most fully captured in the element of water - constant, idealistic, and sensitive.  On the other hand, she has ironic streaks of fire and some of the stubbornness of earth.

6. What is her favorite season and type of weather?

If she must be out in it, she has no love for rain; however, if she can be at her own hearthside by the Fisherman's chair, with his arm on her shoulder, she loves a winter gale that shakes the roof and the walls and makes the flames gutter.  She must have warmth - to be cold is to be like the dead - but because her eyes are not strong, she prefers days of thick cloud cover: thin clouds merely reflect the light with a more painful sheen.  Trailing through a fog gives her a sense of secrecy and dominance, and the full moon on a midsummer's night is a good friend.

7. Does she have any habits?

If at all possible, Morgaine washes and brushes her hair every night with a brew of rosemary essence.  When sitting she must always arrange herself tailor-fashion, her ankles tucked up in meditation pose; and when she has found that perfect position, she can stare into the middle distance forever without stirring. 

8. What does she passionately love?

Fire. Warmth.  The moon and moonlight.  Her dignity.  The Dragon. Two men who call her in opposite directions.

9. What does she passionately hate?

Water (ironically) in any form.  The sound of coughing.  Her rival - and the Dragon, because they are linked.

10. If she had a song, what would it be?

"Peasant's Promise" by Blackmore's Night reminds me a little of both her and Regina, but her primary song, also by Blackmore's Night, is certainly "Locked within the Crystal Ball."

fire and water, earth and sky

mysteries surround us, legends never die

they live for the moment, lost in time, I can hear them call

locked within the crystal ball

Beautiful People - The Assassin

pinterest: tempus regina

As with Katie's "Snippets" meme, I have not done a Beautiful People post since October.  It would appear that my little blogging world ground to a halt in October, or at least went into a series of fits and spasms.  I'll try to make it up by "introducing" a main character of Tempus Regina, whom you have already met (rather) via a few random sentences and an old excerpt that I have had to completely overhaul.  He is, unfortunately, so important to the story that I can say only so much about him.  But I'll do my best, and since he is of a gregarious bent, I daresay he will not mind.

the assassin

1. What does he look like?

The Assassin is, quite frankly, a big man.  He is probably around six feet tall, though no more than an inch or two taller than Regina herself, but he is also wide at the shoulders, stocky as an oak tree, and possesses quite enough brawn to knock a man flat.  (Of course he never hits backhanded, because no gentleman would.)  His hair, typical of the Saxons, is hay-blond; he wears it long and braids a long piece before each ear.  He has no beard, however, due to an unpleasant habit of singeing it. 

2. How old is he?

I have not gotten a straight answer on this point, but I should say he is around 24 years old when Regina first meets him.  Like Regina, however, he can seem much older; unlike Regina, he can at other times seem a great deal younger.

3. In three words, what kind of personality does he have?

Flamboyant.  Elemental. Vivid.

4. Tea or coffee?

He can make tea out of nearly any edible plant, but prefers stronger brews.  He has never tasted coffee, but I think he would like it if it were Turkish and black.  I daresay, too, that he would not be adverse to simply chewing on the beans; he is quite fond of chewing.

5. What is his favorite season or type of weather?

The Assassin is fond of a clean, sunny day at the end of winter, where the spring warmth is beginning to seep through and the first flowers are showing.  He likes a light breeze to take the edge off of it, a wide pale sky and a few cirrus clouds, and a sun as broad as can be.  Rain, snow, sleet and slush are all extreme nuisances; nights are good, but only warm ones in summer or, at the very least, early autumn.  He is a trifle picky in this regard.

6. If he had magic, how would it manifest itself?

The Assassin's magic would be of the elemental sort; he could command fire and water, but I believe earth and air would be his primary domains.  He would be, I think, extremely powerful in a raw, unfinished way; however, it is perhaps just as well that he does not have magic.

7. What are his favorite clothes?

The ones he wears.  He is not one to take careful note of what he has on - it's a wonder he has never forgotten clothes entirely.  He has a blue cloak that has been in his possession a long time, smells horrible and is quite worse for wear; I doubt he would comprehend anyone's objections to it, nor would it occur to him ever to give it up.  He is fastidious about his gloves, big leather things that he stitched himself and of which he is inordinately proud.

8. Is he musical?

Good gracious, no. This failing does not, however, keep him from singing and whistling with gusto and no tune.

9. Does he have any annoying habits?  Any habits at all?

Whistling is one of his primary habits, and even the birds find that irritating.  When he has once hit upon a joke that amuses him, he is likely to repeat it often in daily conversation; it will still tickle him six months later, and by the time a year has passed it will have cemented itself in his vocabulary (but he'll have forgotten its origin).  He fusses inarticulately to himself, burns things a great deal, always buys irksome horses, and refuses to bathe.

10. What do other characters think about him?

As a travel companion, Regina thinks him trying but, on the whole, not as bad as he could be.  She thinks he smells, that three quarters of his mind have not matured one jot since he was five years old, and that eight times out ten he has not the least notion what he is doing.  His religion, or lack thereof, is a source of irritation and wonder to her; his macabre jokes rub her fur all the wrong way.  However, she also admits him to be rather clever, in his own way, and not altogether unamusing.

Others tend not to think of him at all, or, if they do, they think him a sort of bodyguard or servant - or Saxon.  Animals are fond of him, though, probably because they always manage to extract treats from him.  If he had but one lump of sugar, he would give it to his horse (but it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice, because he doesn't like sugar in his tea anyhow). 

Beautiful People - Kay

pinterest: tempus regina

"I'm so glad I live in a world 

where there are Octobers."

Thus sayeth Anne Shirley of Green Gables, to which I answer, "Ah ha!  I always knew there was a reason I liked Anne!"

October is a beautiful month.  It means the proper beginning of autumn, and preparation for November's NaNo writing, and - best of all - my family and I going on our annual beach trip.  When a month is full of such lovelies, who could not adore it?   It being October means, however, that there are several Announcements.  First off, I already mentioned that I will be on vacation Oct. 12-19, and I doubt I will be posting during that period.  If I am very on-the-ball, I might have posts ready-made to go live; but since I doubt I'll be that proactive, and because last time I tried scheduling a post it didn't work, I don't think you'll see any Scribbles posts that week. 

Secondly, and much more fun for you, Jenny and I are celebrating the second anniversaries of our novels The Shadow Things and The Soldier's Cross this November!  Scribbles will be full of giveaways, chatty posts about the book and publishing and that good stuff, speaking French and German, covering screens and I know not what.  (Kudos if you got that reference.)  There will also be question-and-answer posts, so if you have anything to ask, hurry and send me your questions!  You may post them here, send them via Facebook, or email me, and I'll answer them during November.  It's going to be big, folks!

On now to the subject of this post.  I didn't do anything with Beautiful People last month; Sky and Georgie's meme is on hold due to the busy-ness of their lives at present, but I do like to shuffle the previous questions about and go on with it all the same.  This month I'm bringing in another character from Tempus Regina: Regina's younger brother, who isn't actually present through most of the story.

kay

1. What does he look like?

Kay is very thin and pale, all limbs and sharply-defined bones.  His hair sticks up in odd tufts and, being black, makes his face even paler and thinner; he has large eyes, brown with an odd, heavy coloring of watered gold.  If his mind had grown with his body, he might by this time have been the quintessential Byronic hero.  As it is, he looks something like a ghost.

2. How old is he?

Kay is fourteen - in years, at least.

3. What kind of personality does he have?  Introverted or extroverted?  Cheerful or morose?

Extroverted, despite being mentally ill.  Kay is friendly in the same careless, open way a child is friendly, for he knows no reason not to be.  Living in the slums of Victorian London, such naivete can get him into worlds of trouble, and Regina is often hard-pressed to keep her brother safe.  At the same time, Kay has the usual childish streak of selfishness about him and can be difficult to cope with; he is, in essence, the typical child of four in the body of a fourteen-year-old.

4. What animals does he like best?

Kay is fond of most animals.  He especially likes moths, and loves to watch the light through their wings as they fly around lamps.  Also, some years ago he saw a fawn in a picture book and now talks about it frequently; he is set on seeing one and petting it.

5. Is there something he is afraid of?

Kay is not afraid of much; he isn't self-aware enough to be afraid.  As long as he knows Regina is somewhere nearby, he can cope quite well with darkness and the usual childhood bogeymen.  He doesn't like spiders or beetles, and always makes Regina kill them.   He had croup frequently as a little boy and whenever he coughs, he's afraid he'll have it again.

6. If he had magic, how would it express itself?  (Alright, so that's original to me...)

I've asked the question, and now I'm having a hard time answering it.  His would not be an "elemental" magic - commanding the elements, that is; nor would he read other people's minds, for that wouldn't interest him.  I think he might be an animal-whisperer, with the power to call creatures and command them.  

7. Is he musical?

No.  He has not had access to any instruments in the past nine years, nor is he by nature musically-inclined.  He is, I believe, more of a painter, and would perhaps produce pleasant water-colors if given the opportunity.

8. Does he have any annoying habits?  Any habits at all?

Regina could list a host of annoying habits, but the childish selfishness mentioned before is at the root of them.  He asks far too many questions - why's and wherefore's and when's and who's, and all sorts of things that Regina cannot or would rather not answer.  He is often pushy, and excels at sulking when he doesn't get his way (which is often).  He hums to himself, too, which grates on Regina's nerves after a long day of work.  Sometimes, however, he will brush her hair, and that is one habit she does not dislike.

9. What sort of laugh does he have?

Kay rarely laughs, but he has a wide grin when amused.

10. How do other characters feel about him?

Regina's feelings for Kay are mixed.  He has been her burden for nine years and he makes a heavy load indeed, for it is difficult to care for a child and know at the same time that he will always be a child.  At times she feels herself close to hating him - but perhaps she only thinks that because she is not truly aware what either hate or love is.  But whatever her feelings, she'll still go to any lengths and make any sacrifice to keep him safe.  It's just that those lengths and sacrifices hurt her more than she would care to confess.

Beautiful People - Sunshine

pinterest: sunshine & gossamer

It's August!  Who would have thought it?  July seemed at once very long and far too short, for now the summer is drawing to a close.  Eep!

Anyhow, I thought I would usher in the new month with a Beautiful People.  (Because my brain is such a cauldron of Tempus Regina ideas and White Sail's edits that it's not good for much else.  Oh dear.)  Last month, with Georgie and Sky's free-write edition, I did Regina; this month, still using the free-write, I decided to go with a much lighter subject: Sunshine, of my in-dabbling-progress story Sunshine & Gossamer.  This is the novel I relax with - a dash of whimsy and childhood and kitty whiskers - and while it is not properly "in progress," I thought it about time to introduce the main character.

sunshine

1. How old is she?

I haven't been quite able to pin down Sunshine's age; in some ways she seems older than she really is, and in others she's very much a child.  I would say that, upon her arrival to Farrowdell, Wales, at the beginning of the story, she is ten or eleven.

2. What does she look like?  What color are her hair and eyes?

Sunshine's looks are fitting to her name: she has tawny-blonde hair that bobs in loose curls halfway down her shoulder-blades, long, darker eyelashes, and eyes that are typically blue with a lighter ring around the pupils.  She is naturally pale, but days spent outside give her some color; in the summer she freckles across her shoulders, but not on her face.  Sunshine is not tall, but she has long legs - good for scrambling up trees - and her frocks are always getting too short without her ever seeming to gain much height.

3. Where does she live?  Describe her surroundings.

Sunshine comes from the suburbs of London, where her mother and father owned a small home, but she now lives with her Aunt Katherine on a farm in Wales, Farrowdell.  (At least, that's how Sunshine pronounces it.)  Farrowdell sits on more land than Sunshine had seen in the first decade of her life, so that the house, a cottage surrounded by a wooden fence and a tangle of white roses, seems insignificant.  From the little courtyard, you can look between the fence-slats and see, straight ahead, a rise in the unpaved road that winds to the village; to the left, the "new" barn sitting atop a rise in the grass, and some of the pastures beyond it; and to the right, a tumble of unbroken grass and a stream. 

4. Does she own a pet?

Before he left to join the airforce, Sunshine's father gave her a little black kitten whom she named Gossamer.  However, he's not exactly a pet: he's a friend and a person, with a strong will of his own.  She does eventually have the responsibility of taking care of the chickens, and she considers those her "pets."  She tries to name them all, but they look so much alike that the names get mixed.

5. What is her absolute favorite book?

Treasure Island, by R.L. Stevenson.  She has a great longing to sail the Spanish Main (without quite knowing where or what it is) and engage Barbecue in a naval battle worthy of the history books.  She would defeat him, of course, but she thinks she would be merciful and not have him walk the plank.

6. What does she do on a sunny day?  A rainy day?

There are more things to do at Farrowdell than time in any one day to do them.  On sunny days she might float boats in the pond, or carry an armload of books to the Reading Tree, or tag along behind Aiden, the young man who runs Farrowdell.  On a rainy day she might play in the courtyard and get good and sopping wet, or race down to the Reading Tree because she just recalled she left something important there, or she might go up and play with Gossamer in her room.

7. Is there something of which she is particularly afraid?

The mail.  On the days when she is around to see the mail delivered, she is always afraid that it will have a letter or telegram announcing her father's death.  Depending on her mood, she can also be afraid of thunderstorms.  And wasps.

8. Where is her favorite place to be?

She is very fond of her bedroom, though it isn't anything special; she hauled an empty crate up to the window and can now sit and look out over Farrowdell.  This is how she likes to watch the sunrise, when she can crawl out of bed early enough to see it.  She also enjoys being at the stream or the pond.

9. What are her favourite clothes?

Sunshine does not often pay much attention to her clothes, but she does enjoy a shopping excursion to the village.  Currently she has a grey Sunday dress and three every-day dresses: dark grey, brown, and apple-green-and-cream.  I very much fear that the apple green won't last her long.  Besides these, Sunshine is awfully fond of her black wellies.

10. Besides Gossamer, is she fond of animals?

Very much so.  She enjoys looking at the cows, though she finds them a little daunting; she stays clear of the bull.  The chickens are so fat and fluffy that she frequently gives in to the desire to cuddle them, for which she gets thoroughly pecked.  Farrowdell also has one old sow (very cranky and ugly: she's got warts) and two mice behind the "old" barn who appear but rarely, and seem to use it as a sort of country-home.  There is a spider who lives outside of Sunshine's window, and she's even fond of it (as long as it stays there, on the outside). 

Beautiful People - Regina

pinterest: tempus regina

Sky and Georgie played a sneaky trick on us this month, so for the Beautiful People meme, we get to choose our own ten questions.  I cheated a bit and snitched most of Jenny's, but we won't talk of that...

Having "finished" The White Sail's Shaking, I'm slowly turning Tempus Regina over in my mind.  I have not given it much attention, nor is anything concrete yet, but I wanted to introduce you to my main character Regina.  Many of these questions delve into aspects of her personality that I haven't considered before and which may even change down the road, but here is at least a rough sketch of her.

regina

1. What does she look like? What are her hair and eye colour?

Regina is tall and slender, moves with a grace that fits her name, and can seem, altogether, as lifeless and unapproachable as a statue.  Her complexion is pale, making her eyebrows standing out startlingly, and if she were out in the sunlight more she would have very light freckles over her cheekbones.  Her hair is thick and dark brown, much like the above picture, but her eyes are on the green side of hazel. 

 2. How old is she?

The story begins in 1849, when Regina is twenty.

3. What is her background? Where did she come from?

Regina is English and Welsh, primarily the former, by blood.  Her family was not wealthy, per se, but they had a fair income and no need to worry about money - until it came to light, just after Regina's brother was born, that her father had gambled most of the money away.  At that point he abandoned his family, and his wife was forced to give up their house in the country and take her children to London.  Having lived all her life away from cities, the noise and pollution of the capital quickly took their toll and she died when Regina was twelve.  Since then Regina has raised and provided for her younger brother alone, and that responsibility brought her early to a hard kind of womanhood.

4. What does she do?

Anything legitimate to earn money.  She works off and on in factories, but prefers jobs that allow her to bring her brother along.  At the start of Tempus Regina, she is just about to apply for a place as a maid to an eccentric bachelor.

5. Is there something she is particularly good at?

Regina has tried her hand at nearly everything and can do any business passably.  She once embroidered and played harp and piano quite well, but it has been nine years since she had an instrument on which to practice, and she has no use for embroidery now.  She used also to play with her father's pocketwatch, taking it apart piece by piece and then reassembling it, so she has more than a passing knowledge of clockwork. 

6. Is there something she is afraid of?

Regina does not express fear readily; she keeps it bottled with a tight lid on top.  She is terribly afraid of something happening to her brother, for she promised her mother to take care of him - and, too, if she lost him there would be little purpose left in her life.  To a lesser degree, she fears the dark.  Not that she is afraid to go asleep at night, but pitch-black rooms where the darkness seems sentient utterly terrify her.

7. What is her personality?  Introvert or extrovert?

 She is an introvert, perhaps more from habit than from inherent personality.  Generally she is aloof, often cold, showing little emotion: she cannot afford to.  At most times she is engaged in her own thoughts (thinking, most likely, about how to get food), but she can be filtering what others are saying at the same time and come out of her reverie with a fair idea of the conversation.  The wear of responsibility on her nerves as left her with a quick temper.

8. Is she married or does she have a sweetheart?

Neither.  Whether that changes will appear in the course of the story.

9. What is her favourite outfit?

Her wardrobe is, at the moment, very limited.  Her favourite colour is cream and she once had an old-fashioned dress in just the right hue, bound with a wide blue belt and possessing rather ridiculous gigot sleeves.  Now she keeps to dark colors (which don't do her complexion any favors) and simple cuts.  She is particularly fond of a dress she finds in an old trunk, composed of a chiton-like dress in burgundy over a sleeved, high-collared black "underdress."

10. If she had a song, what would it be?

Although "Street of Dreams" by Blackmore's Night is quite suited to her story, I would probably choose "Memories" by Within Temptation.  While I don't care for the band in general, this song fits not only Regina's storyline, but her personality as well.

all of my memories 

keep you near 

in silent moments 

imagine you'd be here 

all of my memories 

keep you near 

the silent whispers, silent tears

Beautiful People - Christopher

pinterest board: the soldier's cross

The title of this blog post is rather absurd, as readers of The Soldier's Cross will have noticed.  However, this round of Georgie and Sky's "Beautiful People" meme is focused on villains and, since characters from TSC show up around here but rarely, I decided to introduce Christopher.  For those of you who are not aware of what Beautiful People is or how it works, here's a summary for you:

...What is Beautiful People? Beautiful People is a monthly blog event created by Georgie Penn and Sky. It's designed to help you get to know more about your character by asking questions about them. It's simple: every month Sky and Georgie post 10 questions, and you answer them on your blog with your character of choice. To learn more, check out their blogs!

And with that squared away, I introduce you to the villain of The Soldier's Cross:

christopher

1. What is his motive?

Ambition, to some extent, but primarily straight-up greed.  The son of a merchant, landless, and with much too little money, he seeks a higher position and the increased funds that would come with it.  He does not passionately hate his vagrant lifestyle - indeed, he is rather fond of it - but it certainly doesn't provide him with much money to spend.

2. What is he prepared to do to get what he wants?

Christopher prefers manipulation to a trial of brute strength.  Up against Fiona, he will go that route; but against anyone who has the ability to stand and face him, he takes a roundabout path to his own ends.

3. Is he evil to the core, or simply misunderstood?

I don't go in for "misunderstood"; it smacks of that Deist saying that every man has a "spark of the Divine" in him and is "basically good."  Christopher is basically bad.  He is perhaps not so evil as he could be, but given an opportunity I'm sure he would fulfill all expectations in that respect.

4. What was his past like? What about his childhood? Was there one defining moment that made him embrace his evil ways? 

Christopher and his sister Leah grew up in comfort, though not in luxury.  As the only son, a great deal of pressure was put on Christopher by his father to succeed him in trade; Christopher, however, wanted the life of the nobility's sons, who had even more comfort with less work.   There was no single moment in which his heart was blackened, etc., but with his father's death he found it expedient to drop the charade of being a respectful son and get to work making his fortune.

5. Now that he is evil, has he turned his back on everyone, or is there still someone in his life that he cares for?

He had a passing affection for his mother and would sometimes correct his behavior for a few days in a row after she rebuked him, but her early death only served to convince him that the good die young, so why be good?  His father he cordially hated; his sister he regards as his queen - not in the affectionate sense, however; merely in the chessboard analogy.  She is his best means of bringing about a checkmate, and for that reason, and that reason only, he keeps her safe. 

6. Does he like hugs? 

I really couldn't hazard an answer to this question.  

7. Is he plagued by something?

Not that he ever told me; but then, he would be unlikely to do so.  

8. Who are they more similar to: Gollum or Maleficent? 

A slinking beast or a woman...  That's a difficult choice.  Gollum is more cowardly, so I tend toward him; but Maleficent is more impressively evil, so that tilts me back in her direction.  I'll say Maleficent.  

9. If your villain could have his choice of transportation what would it be? 

His own coach, highly gilded and lined on the inside with scarlet; his choice of horse would be three bays and a black, just for the element of surprise.  The difficult part would be whether to drive himself or to have a servant do it.

10. If you met your villain in the street, how afraid would you be? Is he evil enough to kill his creator?

 If I met him on the street, I would pepper-spray him.  And then run.

Beautiful People - Jamie Fairbairn

Confusingly enough, this is actually last month's Beautiful People post.  It arrived a trifle late and I arrived even later, because I had a difficult time deciding which character to do.  Tip and Charlie are interview'd out and Marta had her own extensive Beautiful People post several months ago.  I toyed with the idea of doing Jo Darkwood, but April's set of questions seemed better suited to a female character.  And so, without further ado, I'll introduce you to one of the primary characters in my completed fantasy Wordcrafter...

jamie fairbairn [the vixen]  

1. What is her favourite type of shoe? 

Stilettos, to be sure!  The thinner and taller the heel, the better.  Jamie loves fashion and loves to be fashionable, no matter what pain she has to go through.  She particularly likes flashy colors, and although she'll wear black, she prefers setting off a simple get-up with something wildly eye-catching; lime green is a favorite.  She also has a pair of black highheeled boots (fur round the tops) and has been caught wearing Uggs. 

2. Does she journal? 

Goodness, no; it would take too much perseverance.  She will occasionally pull out a notebook to jot down an absurd poem - her way of laughing at people without doing it aloud.

3. What is her favourite animal? 

Jamie has an arthritic English sheepdog of which she is passing fond, but, as with most things in her life, he is little more than an afterthought.  She has an affinity for foxes, so her title of "Vixen" is apt.

4. What does her average day look like? 

There are few real responsibilities in Jamie's life and she can afford to be careless with her time.  She will get up at about eight, nine on a Saturday, and start off the day with coffee (cream, no sugar) and one piece of toast (orange marmalade - take it away from her at your peril).  Then she'll get a bath or shower, emerging at 9:30 sharp.  She'll spend about fifteen minutes puzzling over what to wear, digging up clothes from her sisters' closets if she doesn't like any of her own wardrobe's options.  Another cup of coffee if it begins to look like That Sort of a day. 

Jamie usually spends the rest of the morning frittering about the house, redesigning a room here or a windowbox there, trawling through dusty heaps of books and pretending she's going to read them, arranging her father's golfclubs a few times.  If she's feeling industrious, she might even dust the living room or sit down to "play" the harp for ten minutes or so.  If she is in a perfect blaze of creativity, she'll grab a piece of paper and scrawl an essay or scribble a design for a dress, feeling very productive afterwards.

These bursts of energy make her hungry, so about 1:00 she'll grab some semblance of dinner and then take her sheepdog out for an amble in the park.  Shopping or socializing fill up her afternoon, and in the evening she composes herself to listen to her father's haranguing about work.  After this duty is over and done with, she can often be found sprawled on the couch watching a movie.

5. Night owl or morning person? (Optional: What time does she usually wake up? Go to bed?) 

Night owl by nature; she rarely goes to bed before 11:30.  The night feels more companionable to her.

6. Does she have a sweet tooth? 

If you give her anything flooded in chocolate, Jamie will love you for a whole day.  Which is a long time for her to remember.

7. What colours are in her bedroom? 

She changes the look of her room regularly, but it tends to be either white with pale pink accessories (Jamie loves pink but, due to her red hair, can't wear it herself), or an apple-green.  She keeps the furniture fairly neutral and then decks it out in colors and prints that make a statement, regardless of what the statement happens to be.  The design is always as overwhelming as her personality.

8. Can she cook? 

I think she would burn water if made to boil it.

9. What is her favourite household chore? 

Jamie is the favorite child and so manages to sidestep any chores she would rather not be doing.  Sometimes she like to tie up her hair and throw herself into scrubbing the house...until, an hour or so later, she finds herself worn out and vaguely irritated and so gives the business up entirely.  Her eldest sister then follows behind and cleans up the mess.

10. Favourite kind of tea? 

She is not much of a tea connoisseur, being more a coffee drinker herself.  She'll drink anything black if it has been steeped for a good six or seven minutes, but herbal or green offend her sensibilities.

Beautiful People - Charlie Bent

Guess who! Yes, the Beautiful People questions are back for February. I debated whether to do this round, but then Jenny went and posted hers and declared that I was soon to post mine, so here I am. Last month I did Tip; this month I am returning to Charlie. As The White Sail's Shaking draws toward a close, Charlie is more and more involved in each chapter and thus has been occupying the greater portion of my brain. I hope, therefore, that you won't mind seeing him again.

charlie bent, midshipman

1. If your character could be played by an actor, who would it be?

Jeremy Sumpter, if he would go to Neverland himself and stop growing up. I fixed on him after seeing "Peter Pan" (2003), but of course that movie was made nine years ago and Sumpter is now in his twenties. However, he still has a young-looking face and I believe he might be able to pull it off.

2. Does your character have a specific theme song?

There are a number of songs that remind me of Charlie, some more directly than others. I remember I picked Owl City's "To the Sky" and Andrew Peterson's "After the Last Tear Falls" some time ago. "Streets of London" by Blackmore's Night also brings Charlie to mind, although he has never been to London.

3. What's his worst childhood memory?

"I...had a fever. Walked a long way."

4. If your character had a superpower, what would it be?

Perhaps the ability to turn anything he touched into ice, ala Frozone. I never saw much use for the power, myself, but it is the only one I can see Charlie having.

5. If your character [wrecked] on an island with a bunch of other people, how could your character help the group survive?

A second question arises from this one, and that is whether or not he would want to help them survive. As to that, I suppose that, in a detached way, he probably would. However, Charlie has a great deal of the aristocrat in him and is not one to throw himself into any kind of brute labor. I could see him spending the entire time working out the island's exact location and its physical properties. It wouldn't help his companions, but if ever they were rescued it would be interesting information to have.

6. Is he married? If not, does he someday wish to be?

Charlie is fifteen, and he has no thoughts of matrimony at the present.

7. What is a cause he would die for?

Perhaps as telling a question would be, what is a cause he would kill for. But at any rate, I think one answer - there could be several - is that Charlie would die for honor. It would be stupid and he would know it was stupid, but he would do it, all the same.

8. Would he rather die fighting valiantly, or quietly at home?

Fighting. Or at least, he would like to think he would rather die fighting.

9. If a stranger walked up to him and told him he is the child of the prophesy, would he believe them?

If it happened in Boston, ten to one this stranger is going to smell heavily of alcohol. In that case, Charlie would remove them from his way with a wary smile, brush off his gloves carefully, and go on with whatever he was doing. Were the stranger of the darkly-cloaked, mysterious-Druid sort, straight out of legend and not to be denied, I imagine they would still find Charlie a difficult case. He would not like to be a child of the prophesy, and what he does not like he does not accept with good grace.

10. Do they prefer the country, or the city?

The city, if it comes down to a choice between those two alone. Charlie had enough of plantation-life when he was growing up and prefers the bustle and hustle of a place like Boston, although ships and the sea are his first love.

Beautiful People - Tip Brighton

After a hiatus which seemed much longer than it probably was, Georgie and Sky have returned with their Beautiful People series. I have already done Tip, but as he is my main character and The White Sail's Shaking is on the mind (approximately seven more chapters left until the end!), I have decided to put January's list of questions to him. Enjoy!

tip brighton, midshipman

1. If his house burned down and he were left with nothing but the clothes on his back, what would he do? Where would he go?

Tip's first reaction would be total shock, and then he would probably be sick; he tends to be or at least to feel ill in the wake of any sudden news, good or bad. As for where he would go, considering that he considers the Enterprize at least as much his home as the house in Ryton, he would go back to sea and try starting over.

2. Is he happy with where he is in life, or would he like to move on?

He is happier with his position now than he has ever been before; he likes the Enterprize and takes pride in serving under Decatur, and he has purpose in his life for the first time. If he had the ability to go back and keep his family from placing him in the navy, he wouldn't do it. At the same time, however, there are things about his present position that he would change if he could.

3. Is he well-paid?

Tip gets a midshipman's wages - that is to say, not much.

4. Can he read?

Oh, he can read. He is perfectly capable of understanding the words on the page. Does he read is an entirely different matter.

5. What languages does he speak?

English. And...English. Tip was never much good at languages (he was never much good at anything in school), though he can read a smattering of Greek and Latin and speak a few words of French. None of these are of any help to him on the Enterprize.

6. What is his biggest mistake?

Just one? That would be difficult, as Tip seems always to be making mistakes. He has a tendency to stick his nose into other people's business, to land himself in situations where he is not wanted, and to try to correct things and thereby make them worse. And the one time he tried not to do all these things, it resulted in a man's death. I believe Tip would say that that was his biggest mistake.

7. What did he play with most as a child?

Tip has always been most comfortable out-of-doors; inside he is too much of a bull in a china shop, especially as with the amount of fine pieces his mother owns, she could start a china shop. As a child he played mostly with whatever came to hand: sticks, pebbles, mud, water, seed pods, the whole shebang. He often built fortifications in his mother's vegetable garden and played out battles of the Revolutionary War (in which the British always lost, with no regard for historical accuracy). For a while he also played with a very ugly toad who lived near the cucumber patch, whom he simply called "Toad."

This is why he wasn't the one to name Scipio.

8. What are his thoughts on politics?

Tip has never thought much upon the subject of politics. He is fiercely patriotic, and now fiercely pro-Navy, but the inner workings of the government mean little to him unless they impinge upon either of these things.

9. What is his expected life time?

Well, this is a sneaky question! I'll only say that Tip hopes to have a good long life, but that considering how things are going at present, he may very well not get it.

10. If he were falsely accused of murder, what would he do? How would he react?

He has been, actually, and he responded in a typical Tip Brighton manner: flying into a temper. He was, however, clear-headed enough to actually give a defense of his innocence instead of merely getting angry.

A Collection of Beautiful People

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten the rest of the questions on You Haven't Got an Appointment! I'm looking forward to doing them (I believe Yaasha Moriah's first question is next), but I thought I would take a break and do my monthly Beautiful People post.

This month Georgie and Sky, the organizers of Beautiful People, are doing something a little different in preparation for NaNo. Unfortunately I am not participating in NaNo this year, so I took up the other part of the challenge: answering all of the questions to date for one of my characters. I had planned to do Darkwood from The White Sail's Shaking this month, but doing all the questions would have given too much away about him; so instead I'm focusing on the character who has given me the most trouble in this story, Tip not excepted...

marta rais

What is her full name?

Marta Clara Kilpatrick, but she goes by Mara Rais (her mother’s maiden name) or by Roy Martin.

Does her name have a special meaning?

No.

Does your character have a methodical or disorganized personality?

Marta is very methodical.

Does she think inside herself more than she talks out loud to her friends? (more importantly, does she actually have friends?)

Marta has always lived a secluded life with her mother; she spent her childhood playing with rocks, makeshift dolls, and petals from the rose bushes outside her Syracusan home rather than spending time with children her age. Perhaps as a result of this, she is very private and does not confide easily in others; she also has a tendency toward snobbishness.

Is there something she is afraid of?

Seamen. Rats. Ghosts.

Does she write, dream, dance, sing, or photograph?

None of the above, though her mother was an excellent singer.

What is her favorite book? (or genre of books)

Marta likes to read, but she has not had enough access to books while growing up to have a favorite.

Who is her favorite author and/or someone that inspires her?

See number 7.

Favorite flavor of ice cream?

Marta has never had ice cream. If she did, I think she would like black raspberry (gross!).

What type of laugh does she have?

In her current situation she does not have much reason to be amused, but when is she has a very soft, shy laugh.

Who is her best friend?

The only friend she has at present is Tip Brighton.

What is her family like?

Marta’s mother was an actress, but she left the theater to marry Kilpatrick, a British officer, and to raise Marta. Both mother and father are now deceased and Marta is on her own. Her father’s family lives in England, but she knows nothing of them.

Is she a Christian, or will she eventually find Jesus?

Difficult to say…

Does she believe in fairies?

I think not.

Does she like hedgehogs?

Marta has never met one herself, but she has heard about them and finds them far enough away from rats to be acceptable.

Favorite kind of weather?

She likes stormy days when she is safe inside by a fire. Also springtime. Her impressions of each season is formed by her mother’s rosebushes.

Does she have a good sense of humor? If so, what kind? (Slapstick, wit, sarcasm, etc.?)

She does not have a very well developed sense of humor. Tip’s love of irony and his strange laugh confuse her.

How did she do in school, or any kind of education she might have had?

Marta’s mother taught her the basics—reading, writing, and basic arithmetic—as well as how to keep house. She has a studious personality and did well.

Any strange hobbies?

No.

Favorite season of the year?

Winter, until she goes to sea and finds that winter equals storms.

How old is she?

Eighteen and nineteen over the course of the novel.

What does she do with her spare time?

Plays the spy, a very unlikeable pastime.

Does she see the big picture or live in the moment?

Somewhere in the middle, I believe. She is not one of those people who can take something in with a glance, but neither does she fixate on what is happening now.

Is she a perfectionist?

Not wholly, but she is much more concerned with neatness and accuracy than Tip.

What does her handwriting look like? (round, slanted, curly, skinny, sloppy, neat, decorative, etc.)

Marta prides herself on her neat penmanship.

Favorite animal?

Cats.

Does she have any pets?

No, she has never had a real pet. As a child she used to put out crumbs for the birds to eat, and she liked to pretend they were her pets.

Does she have any siblings? How many? Where does she fit in?

Marta is an only child.

Does she have a 'life verse' and if so what is it?

Psalm 4:8 is the best I can come up with on the spur of the moment: “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

Favorite writing utensil?

A pencil stub, but she rarely manages to procure one.

What kind of music does she like?

Marta doesn’t listen to much music, but she has enjoyed the snatches of operatic pieces she has heard.

Does she like to go outside?

Yes, but she likes to know that she can go home whenever she likes.

Is she naturally curious?

No, but she becomes curious by necessity. She would rather keep herself to herself.

Right or left handed?

Right.

Favorite color?

Dark red.

Where is she from?

Syracuse, Sicily.

Any enemies?

She considers everyone to be a potential enemy. And for the most part that isn’t paranoia: just common sense.

What are her quirks?

She is bitter because her father loved the sea (and his family’s good opinion) more than he loved his wife and child and thus thinks of all seamen with contempt, yet she is also proud of the British and looks down on the Americans. Above all, she is fiercely Sicilian.

What kinds of things get on her nerves?

Tip’s laugh, although she becomes used to it, and Charlie Bent’s snobbery. Also, half-answers, seamen, and being called British.

Is she independent, or does she need others to help out?

Marta likes to think of herself as independent, but she really isn't.

What is her biggest secret?

She has two: the first is that she is a girl, a fact only Tip knows, and the second I can’t say.

Has she ever been in love?

No, never. She has never had anyone to be in love with.

What is her comfort food?

Anything but hard tack with worms in it.

Does she play a musical instrument? If so, what?

Marta can play the piano forte, although she has not had a chance to practice in some time.

What colour are her eyes? Hair?

Marta has light brown eyes and very dark brown hair.

What is her favorite place to be?

In her home in Syracuse by the fire.

What are some of her dreams or goals?

Her goal is to get to England and find her father’s family; her dream is for them to accept her.

Does she enjoy sports?

No.

What is her favorite flower or plant?

The red rose.

What is her biggest accomplishment?

She does not consider herself to have accomplished anything yet. Making it as far as Gibraltar was something, but that didn’t end well.

What is one of her strongest childhood memories?

Sitting in her mother’s lap in a big rocking chair on Christmas Eve, listening to the rain outside and her mother’s singing. Also, playing dress-up with trunk-loads of her mother’s old dresses.

Does she believe in love at first sight?

No. Marta regards the idea with scorn.

What kind of home does she live in?

Currently she is living on board the schooner Enterprize, but she has no permanent home.

What does she like to wear?

Playing the part of a seaman means that she is forced to wear uncomfortable, baggy, ugly clothes; her only article that she likes at all is her black cap which she wears all day every day (which gets a little old for her). She likes to think about all the beautiful dresses and hats she will buy in England, and all of her mother’s jewelry and clothing that she might have owned.

What would she do if she discovered she was dying?

She would break down in tears and want someone to hold her as if she were a child again.

What kind of holidays or traditions does she celebrate?

Christmas.

What do your other characters have to say about her?

Lewis would say she is a nuisance, with a few other words thrown in. Charlie says she is pretty much worthless as a seaman and distrusts her instinctively. Tip alternately thinks that she is horribly Mediterranean, a redhead at her core, and rather pretty in her own way.

If she could change one thing in her world, what would it be?

Beneath her bitterness, Marta has too much faith in Providence to truly desire to change anything; but she does sometimes wish that her mother were still alive.

Does she have any habits, annoying or otherwise?

She tends to pull her cap down over her eyebrows, which Tip, who likes to look people in the face while he talks to them (and thinks Marta’s eyes are lovely), finds irksome.

What is her backstory and how does it affect her now?

Marta has always been very close to her mother, a Syracusan beauty, and though she did not inherit Clara’s looks, she does have her Mediterranean blood and her love of Sicily. Her mother’s death has left her withdrawn, for she no longer has anyone with whom to talk freely. Her father’s neglect bred in her a distrust of seamen; she is convinced that when a man falls in love with the sea, it becomes his one obsession.

How does she show love?

Marta’s love is difficult to win, but once it is won she will stand by that person until the day she dies. She isn’t shy or stand-offish, so she doesn’t mind giving or receiving kisses.

How competitive is she?

Marta is quite competitive, somewhat irrationally so at times.

What does she think about when nothing else is going on?

The “ghost” that haunts the Enterprize. What she will do when she is discharged and how her father’s family will receive her. How very irritating Tip Brighton’s laugh can be. And what kind of a name is “Tip,” anyway?

Does she have an accent?

Marta has a very smooth voice and her English is impeccable. If it weren’t for her looks (and her temper) you might not know she was Mediterranean.

What is her station in life?

Neither she nor her family has any pretensions to greatness, although her father’s side is wealthy. She is nothing more than a common seaman on the Enterprize.

What do others expect from her?

Her superiors expect her to do her work and not to desert. Tip expects her to be unexpected, although what he hopes about her is another matter. Lewis expects her to keep her mouth shut, and Charlie expects nothing from her because he rarely thinks about her.

Where was she born and when?

Syracuse, Sicily, October 23, 1785.

How does she feel about people in general?

She considers Americans to be arrogant and crude; she thinks the British are arrogant and refined. Otherwise, she deals with people as they come into her sphere and not in generalizations.

Beautiful People - Charlie Bent

“She’s a little thing, isn’t she?”

Tip turned and found the alcove occupied by another man, who was also observing the progress on the Argus. He was dressed smartly—much more smartly than Tip—in a dark blue uniform and off-white gloves, with ruffled blond hair pulled back in the classic queue that had begun to go out of style in America. His voice was lazy with confidence, but on second glance Tip saw that he was no more than a boy, and a boy who barely passed his shoulder in height. Tip raised an eyebrow, half in distaste, half in amusement, and faced the ship again. “Know a lot about ships, do you?” he asked, mocking the boy’s sage way of talking.

“More than you, I imagine,” the boy replied easily, eyelids partially drooped. “You think she’s pretty big, don’t you?”

Georgie and Sky have written up the September edition of their Beautiful People series - something I look forward to every month, in case you couldn't tell. If ignorant as to how this works, you can take a look at the basics here. Last month I did Ethan Prince from my novel Wordcrafter and the month before that I did Justin King, also from Wordcrafter, so now I feel it my duty (or something) to return to the characters of my work-in-progress, The White Sail's Shaking. September's beautiful person will therefore be

charlie bent

1. Does he have any habits, annoying or otherwise?

Charlie is quick to notice deficiencies in others and rarely bites his tongue; he also has a rather colorful vocabulary and, though he tries to curb it, it bursts out when he is particularly angry. When agitated he pulls his cuff or shirt buttons.

2. What is his backstory and how does it affect him now?

Telling his backstory would give away a great deal of the novel, but as for how it affects him, for the most part Charlie tries to ignore it. When it is forced upon him, he tends to sink into depression.

3. How does he show love?

Charlie is neither good at loving nor good at showing it when he does. He does stand by the people he cares about, and though he will abuse them himself, he would gladly tear apart anyone else who speaks ill of them.

4. How competitive is he?

Extremely. Despite his cool exterior Charlie has the hot blood of Southern aristocracy in his veins, and he is jealous in all aspects of his life.

5. What does he think about when nothing else is going on?

Sometimes his past, sometimes complex trigonometry problems, sometimes how to cook a Barbary macaque. It depends.

6. Does he have an accent?

Charlie has a Southern drawl, but he is capable of turning it down, if not completely off.

7. What is his station in life?

This is a difficult question. Charlie has been at sea for four years, two of them as a midshipman; as such he is at the low end of the totem pole, but you would not guess it from his attitude.

8. What do others expect from him?

Another difficult question! I don’t know whether this question refers to daily labor or what, so I’ll try to answer as best I can. Not much is expected of Charlie as a midshipman; his duties vary, and the most that is asked of him is to obey without question, keep out of fights, learn (preferably), and eventually pass for lieutenant (hopefully). His relationship with his family is tenuous at best, so little pressure comes from that quarter. Darkwood is the one who expects most from him, encouraging him to progress and to both recognize and battle his faults. Tip is never quite sure what to expect of him.

9. Where was he born, and when?

A plantation in South Carolina, 18 January, 1789. At the start of the novel in 1802, he is fourteen.

10. How does he feel about people in general?

"How can anyone love a pebble in their shoe?" Ahem, sorry. Charlie is a firm believer in total depravity; he is also a believer in the Imago Dei, but unfortunately he has a more difficult time making that show in his relationships. He says himself that he is not good at thinking the best of people, and he tends to need proof. His hates are quite as fierce as his loves, but in between there is a cold region of simply not caring, into which most of humanity falls.

Charlie nodded, keeping a hand against his nostril. He held out the handkerchief and Tip pulled back in revulsion, exclaiming, “I don’t want it! I’m certainly not going to wash it for you now that you’ve bled all over it.”

Bent twitched a mirthless smile. “You’re such a girl,” he said faintly, balling the handkerchief in his fist.

Beautiful People - Ethan Prince

It's time for the August edition of Georgie and Sky's Beautiful People! Everyone ought to be on the bandwagon by now, but in case a few people are still jogging along in the dust behind it, here is the point:

Once a month Sky and Georgie post a collection of ten questions for writers to answer about their characters. This can either be for you to get to know the character better, or for others to get a glimpse into the personality of said character. You can answer one question, or a few questions, or all of them; the rules are not strict.

Last month after doing Justin I promised to do Ethan Prince next, since it seems rather unfair to do one but not the other. So here is a little peek into the personality of the other main character of Wordcrafter,

the Hound

1. What is your character's full name?

Ethan Prince, Hound of Tera.

2. Does his name have a special meaning?

Ethan stole his “Christian” name from a little boy in Edinburgh who mistook him for a homeless man and gave him chocolate. He earned the name “Hound” when he brought down a wolf on his first hunt and killed it with his teeth. (Lovely, I know.)

3. What is his biggest accomplishment?

Ethan may be prince of Tera, but Tera is a small world: there isn’t much to accomplish. He does not dream of doing anything particularly grand, and considers his biggest accomplishments to come when he defeats himself.

4. What is his strongest childhood memories?

Ethan has many childhood memories, some better than others. His worst are of his father after an evening of drink. His best are of sitting with his mother in the garden on autumn afternoons, when the flowers were still blooming but the leaves had turned red and golden, and of her voice.

5. What is his favorite food?

I don’t think he really has a favorite food, but if he does I can bet it isn’t Justin’s spaghetti.

6. Does he believe in love at first sight?

No. Ethan is far too clear-minded to believe in something like that, which is perhaps why he took such a violent dislike to Jamie.

7. What kind of home does he live in?

Ethan lives in the Horsemen’s Palace. His room was once his mother’s, and after her death he moved into it; it is one of the upper rooms looking down on the courtyard through a wide stretch of windows, very bright, but not cozily furnished.

8. What does he like to wear?

Ethan wears the traditional clothing of the Horsemen—tunic and breeches—designed for long days on horseback. He also frequently wears a long, sleeveless red overcoat.

9. What would he do if he discovered he was dying?

He would probably withdraw into himself, and there I can’t pry into his thoughts.

10. What kind of holidays or traditions does he celebrate?

The Horsemen celebrate the coming of autumn with their harvest fires and the dance they call the Harvest Knot, which Ethan has taken part in since he came of age. Weddings usually come with a week’s worth of celebration.

11. What do your other characters have to say about him?

Have to say, or have to think? Those are very different things. Jamie calls him “strange” and “different.” Justin stands a little in awe of him, half-terrified at times of his wildness and vivacious personality. Copper, in her grave way, calls him a good man.

12. If he could change one thing in hisworld, what would it be?

He would have Jamie killed, or make her never to have existed. Ethan is not a very patient or forgiving individual, and if there is one person in either world whom he hates, it’s Jamie Fairbairn.

Beautiful People - Justin King

It's that time again! The next batch of questions for "Beautiful People" has arrived. For those of you who are not yet aware of how this works, here is the summary:

Once a month Sky and Georgie will be posting a list of 10 questions for you to answer about your characters. You can use the same character every month, or choose a new one for each set of questions. Your call. You can answer all the questions, just one, or however many you have the time and energy to answer. Just go for it and have fun.

This month I will be combining the June/July and July/August questions, since I did not get a chance to answer the former, and this month's Beautiful Person will be the hero of my novel Wordcrafter:

Justin King

1. What kind of music does he like?

Justin likes a variety of music, but dislikes heavy rock, rap, and heavy metal. He prefers peaceful or cheery songs, and I was just realizing the other day that he would probably like the style of Owl City.

2. Does he like to go outside?

Justin is an outdoorsy person, as long as the outdoors is fairly tame.

3. Is he naturally curious?

No, not really.

4. Right or left handed?

Right.

5. Favorite color?

Blue, very light or very dark.

6. Where is he from?

Justin describes himself as a British mutt: he has a little bit of everything in him. He has some Irish from his mother’s side, Scottish, Welsh, and a little English from his father’s. His family moved around frequently when he was young and he spent most of his first six years in southern Ireland, but when he was seven or eight his parents moved to a farm outside Edinburgh.

7. Any enemies?

As he develops friendships, he also develops enemies. I can’t say any more than that.

8. What are his quirks?

He has a habit of rubbing the side of his right hand, which is always stained with ink and graphite, against his trousers. If under extreme mental strain, he takes to straightening his things obsessively.

9. What kinds of things get on his nerves?

People touching his books and being interrupted during his writing. Also, forward women.

10. Is he independent, or needs others to help out?

Justin is more dependent than independent.

11. What is his biggest secret?

That his father committed suicide.

12. Has he ever been in love?

The first time he has been in love was when he fell for Jamie Fairbairn.

13. What is his comfort food?

Tea. Not really a food, but he loves Ceylon.

14. Does he play a musical instrument? If so, what?

Justin does not play an instrument, but he does have a good singing voice; he used to be in a choir as a boy and the talent stuck around.

15. What color are his eyes? Hair?

Justin has brown hair and coffee-brown eyes.

16. Does he have any pets?

Ram, his horse, is the only ‘pet’ he has. As a child he used to have two squirrels.

17. Where is his favorite place to be?

Justin has a lot of comfort places—the park; the library and his bedroom in Tera; the pastures. He likes quiet, meditative places.

18. What are some of his dreams or goals?

Before meeting Ethan and going to Tera, Justin’s biggest dream was earning enough money to leave the plant at which he was working and write for a living. He wants very much to be married, a dream he very rarely talks about.

19. Does he enjoy sports?

Justin is not cut out for sports—physically or mentally—and has no interest in participating in or watching them.

20. What is his favorite flower or plant?

He is fond of honeysuckle.

Beautiful People and...

...an update on The Soldier's Cross! For those of you who love those little technological gadgets that would make my eyes bleed out of my head, I'm here to announce that both The Soldier's Cross and The Shadow Things are now available for Kindle downloads from Amazon. Both are only $9.99. You can also read the first chapter of each for free on your computer by checking out the green Kindle gadget over on the right. Or is that a widget? Oh well, you get the idea. You can now cart our novels about on your Kindle, Android, Blackberry, iPod, iPhone, and iDon'tKnowWhatElse, so enjoy!

And now, because it's still June, and because I love these questionnaires, and because poor Scipio has been sadly neglected of late (seeing as I'm editing the beginning sections of White Sail's and he, unfortunately, doesn't arrive until Much Later), I'm doing another Beautiful People Post. These questions have been pulled together by Georgie Penn and Sky:

Once a month Sky and [Georgie] will be posting a list of 10 questions for you to answer about your characters. You can use the same character every month, or choose a new one for each set of questions. Your call. You can answer all the questions, just one, or however many you have the time and energy to answer. Just go for it and have fun.

As with Tip's questionnaire, this one will be a compilation of the questions to date. And so let me introduce you to Scipio, the Barbary macaque.

1. What is your character’s full name?

Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Numantinus. Scipio the Younger.

2. Does his name have a special meaning?

With a name that long, you would think it had a special meaning...but it doesn’t.

3. Does your character have a methodical or disorganized personality?

Quite disorganized. Scipio’s favourite pastime is wreaking havoc.

4. Does he think inside himself more than he talks out loud to his friends? (more importantly, does he actually have friends?)

Scipio doesn’t speak, but I’m also not sure he thinks very much.

5. Is there something he is afraid of?

Blood. Scipio is terrified of the sight of blood.

6. Does he write, dream, dance, sing, or photograph?

None of the above, although I would love to see a monkey singing.

7. What is his favorite book? (or genre of book)

The ones that taste the best. He likes that particular dusty taste that old books get, and prefers leather covers to cloth ones. Cloth gets stuck in his throat.

8. Who is his favorite author and/or someone that inspires him?

Those that inspire him to keep going to the back cover.

9. Favorite flavor of ice cream?

Thank goodness, Scipio has never had it; if once he had tasted it, he would probably pine away for lack of it.

10. Favorite season of the year?

It’s all the same to Scipio.

11. How old is he?

Scipio is only a few months old when he comes into the story.

12. What does he do in his spare time?

Tries not to get into trouble, gets into trouble, and tries to look as though he didn’t get into trouble. Story of his life.

13. Does he see the big picture, or live in the moment?

Scipio definitely lives in the moment.

14. Is he a perfectionist?

Yes, he likes his world to be a certain way and gets quite confused when things change.

15. What does his handwriting look like? (round, slanted, curly, skinny, sloppy, neat, decorative, etc)

Well... I should think a monkey’s handwriting would be very sloppy indeed.

16. Favorite animal?

Scipio is fond of the ship’s cat.

17. Does he have any pets?

At least two: Tip and Charlie.

18. Does he have any siblings, how many, and where does he fit in?

Scipio remembers nothing of his family (so touching, isn’t it? I love that angst aspect).

19. Does he have a "life verse" and if so what is it?

Proverbs 12:10—“A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”

20. Favorite writing utensil?

I refer you to number 15.

21. What type of laugh does he have?

Scipio shrieks when amused. It’s quite deafening.

22. Who is his best friend?

Tip Brighton.

23. What is his family like?

We’re sorry, the answer to this question is not available now. This page will redirect to number 18 in five (5) seconds.

24. Is he a Christian, or will he eventually find Jesus?

As he is an animal and has no need of salvation, this question is not applicable.

25. Does he believe in fairies?

I don’t think Scipio has ever heard of fairies, poor dear.

26. Does he like hedgehogs?

If he met one, I have a feeling Scipio would be scared out of his skin.

27. Favorite kind of weather?

Anything without rain. Scipio dislikes rain.

28. Does he have a good sense of humor? If so what kind? (Slapstick, wit, sarcasm, etc.?)

Scipio has a very good sense of humor. He probably has the best sense of humor of anyone in the book.

29. How did he do in school, or any kind of education he might have had?

Scipio is enrolled in the School of Hard Knocks.

30. Any strange hobbies?

Playing with or eating Charlie’s buttons; playing with or eating Charlie’s queue; playing with or eating bugs; playing with or—well, he doesn’t eat the ship’s cat. His life basically revolves around either playing or eating. Or sleeping. But mostly playing or eating.

Beautiful People - Tip Brighton

Hurrah, it's June! Not that I'm fond of summer, but I am very fond of summer break and am glad to have term papers and exams behind me. In honor of that, I am (finally) posting one of the Beautiful People sessions that Georgie Penn and Sky have been putting together.

Once a month Sky and [Georgie] will be posting a list of 10 questions for you to answer about your characters. You can use the same character every month, or choose a new one for each set of questions. Your call. You can answer all the questions, just one, or however many you have the time and energy to answer. Just go for it and have fun.

This is a collaboration of all the sessions up to now instead of just the May/June edition, and I'm letting Tip Brighton, who has been behaving remarkably well recently, take the limelight. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce the main character of The White Sail's Shaking.

1. What is your character’s full name?

Edward “Tip” Brighton

2. Does his name have a special meaning?

Nope.

3. Does your character have a methodical or disorganized personality?

Disorganized, although living on a ship doesn’t afford him much room for this.

4. Does he think inside themselves more than they talk out loud to their friends? (more importantly, does he/she actually have friends?)

He has no friends at the start of the novel, and even as friendships develop, he is more comfortable with thinking inside himself than talking aloud.

5. Is there something he is afraid of?

Scorn and rejection. Branches of his family were Loyalist during the American Revolution, and he fears having that tarnish his reputation.

6. Does he write, dream, dance, sing, or photograph?

None of the above. He is a very practical sort.

7. What is his favorite book? (or genre of book)

Tip is not fond of reading, and was more than pleased to get out of it when he left school.

8. Who is his favorite author and/or someone that inspires him/her?

No favourite author; he looks up to Stephen Decatur, the lieutenant who commands the Argus and the Enterprize, and is also influenced by Darkwood, a fellow midshipman.

9. Favorite flavor of ice cream?

He has never had it.

10. Favorite season of the year?

Springtime.

11. How old is he?

Seventeen at the start of the novel.

12. What does he do in his spare time?

Spare time? What’s that? When he can get any privacy, he likes to sit alone and think. On land, he is fond of touring market places and, on occasion, ancient ruins.

13. Does he see the big picture, or live in the moment?

He lives in the moment. Seeing the big picture is an effort.

14. Is he a perfectionist?

No, it makes little difference to him whether something is perfect or not.

15. What does his handwriting look like? (round, slanted, curly, skinny, sloppy, neat, decorative, etc)

He dislikes writing, but when he does it, he usually labours to make it look half-decent. His letters have a tendency to be too thin.

16. Favourite animal?

Dolphins.

17. Does he have any pets?

A Barbary macaque named Scipio, picked up in Gibraltar.

18. Does he have any siblings, how many, and where does he fit in?

He is the youngest of four sons, and the least important.

19. Does he have a "life verse" and if so what is it?

Life is too variant to pick a single verse for the whole of it.

20. Favourite writing utensil?

Since “favourite” implies that he likes it, none. He generally writes with a quill.

21. What type of laugh does he have?

Tip has a sudden laugh, like a cork being pulled out of a champagne bottle.

22. Who is his best friend?

He makes no claims on having a ‘best’ friend; at the beginning of the story, he doesn’t have any friends at all.

23. What is his family like?

His father is good-natured but negligent and his mother is of what one would call a ‘weak constitution,’ prone to fretting. Tip has three older brothers; the eldest, William, is a steady, unremarkable chap and the second oldest, Charles, is good-natured and idle like his father. James, Tip’s closest in age (they are three or four years apart), is termed ‘a bit of a genius’ and outshines all his brothers.

24. Is he a Christian, or will he eventually find Jesus?

This is a bit of a troublesome question, as I’m not sure how much of a redemptive thread will get into the story.

25. Does he believe in fairies?

I would have to say no, he does not.

26. Does he like hedgehogs?

Tip has a soft spot for most small animals, though he would deny it, but he has never met a hedgehog.

27. Favorite kind of weather?

Cool, clear weather. He hates hot summer days and has an aversion to fog.

28. Does he have a good sense of humor? If so what kind? (Slapstick, wit, sarcasm, etc.?)

Tip’s sense of humour is still developing; right now it tends to be a little dark.

29. How did he do in school, or any kind of education he might have had?

Poorly. Being overshadowed by his older brother James, Tip saw no reason to try hard in his academics. If he tried he would probably do well, but the first time he has ever really tried is on the Argus.

30. Any strange hobbies?

None.

And there is Tip Brighton. A rather unlikeable-sounding fellow, isn't he? But I suppose I shouldn't say that; he's been so good the past few weeks, and I would like him to stay that way. He's a decent chap, once you get to know him.