Ten for Tuesday: Introduce Your Characters

Here we have over 10 centimetres of snow and the blizzard isn't over yet!




It's the perfect weather to stay indoors, wrap up in a blanket, have some cocoa... and think about your novel. More specifically, think about the story, and the characters (not the other kinds of thoughts, the when-am-I-going-to-find-an-agent and let's-see-what-Tahereh-has-to-say-today procrastinatory thoughts. She has a new website, by the way).

Here are ten of my characters from Out of the Water, a historical romance that takes place in 1492-93 (credits for the photographs are here, along with a discussion on anachronisms):

Rosa Magdalena: The heroine; bold, daring, outspoken yet demure. She leaves Spain with her family, becomes separated from them by misadventure, and then learns the truth of her parentage. Captured by the Inquisition, she manages to escape, only to run straight into the arms of another man. Does she have a flaw? She's slightly head strong, and doesn't take advice very well.


Baha: The man who finds Rosa after her escape, and arranges a ship for her to Constantinople - helping rescue some of her other relatives along the way. Unfailingly charming with everyone, with a strict code of conduct; if he has a flaw it's his strong sense of individualism, which sets him at odds with nearly everyone he meets.


Brother Arcturus: The Cistercian monk who befriends Rosa after she's separated from her family, and leads her to the town of Palos, then continues to journey with her as her guardian, all the way to Constantinople. Arcturus is impulsive and generous, yet struggles to align his wishes with the actions that are expected of him.


Santiago: A close friend of Rosa's family, who confesses - on the day of his departure with Admiral Columbus - that he's actually her father. Santiago is adventurous and kind; his one flaw is his tendency to run from a problem rather than stay and work it out. This is the first time I'm posting a photograph of Santiago, and I'm not 100 per cent certain that this is him; the expression comes close, but the hair is too tame. Anyone recognize who it really is?


Salvatore, Estrela, Rafael and Jacob: Rosa's parents and two brothers, whom she's attempting to reunite with in Constantinople, even after she's found out the truth about her parentage. When she confronts them with her knowledge, however, she is forced to leave their house. Where does she turn? Why, to Baha of course.

Eight out of ten isn't so bad; I do have others, but they're definitely not main characters. When NaNoWriMo started, I made a list of all the scenes I still had to write; now that we're a week past, I've got all of those scenes written (!), yet a few still loom (sigh), so let's round off the list with those:

further details on Santiago's voyage with Columbus, when he returns and proper descriptions of first impressions of Constantinople

the action packed ending, which sees Rosa and Baha at odds with everyone else as they try to rescue her father - and Arcturus - from the Ottoman palace...

If you're reading this, consider this a meme and yourself tagged! I'd love to read about everyone else's characters.

Also, congratulations to Solvang and TerryLynn for winning my Middle Grade giveaway! Please email me your addresses.

Comments

Talli Roland said…
Your characters sound fascinating!

Hope you're keeping warm and cozy during the blizzard!
oh you changed your profile picture nice i like it.
I am just beginning to develop a character who has got some serious psychological issues, she might turn me into a shrink by the time am done with the story.
AYDIN ÖRSTAN said…
It's cold here, but no snow yet. Beysun, on hte other hand, is dying for some snow. Send us some pics of yours.
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks guys!

The snow is lovely, but I haven't been taking photos of it, will do so tomorrow morning - it hasn't stopped yet.
Deniz Bevan said…
I knew you'd pick up on the Baha.

I can't help it - I gave him that name when he first appeared, this time last year, and now it's way too late. I'll start posting scenes with him, so you get to see what a wonderful man he is :-)
10 cm of snow?! I'm so jealous! And wow, I had no idea I won! Thank you!

BTW, I love that you have pictures of all your characters. I do that for the characters, where they live, floorplans of their houses...yeah, maybe a little overboard :)
Al said…
It is so hard finding pics for characters in historical fiction.
Your selections are great
Deniz Bevan said…
Hi Sherrie,

Actually, it must be much more than 10cm now - it snowed for 36 hours straight!

lol on floorplans - sometimes I have to do those just to keep my characters' movements straight. And I'm not even writing a mystery!
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks Al, it doesn't always work if I go looking, sometimes I have to wait for the right image to strike me. Found Santiago only a few days ago, actually.
Carolyn Abiad said…
Nice cast of characters! And you're so right...they need to find us, not the other way 'round!
Deniz Bevan said…
Thank you Carolyn!