Posts Tagged "Character Development"

• Malcolm MacCabe, earl of Carnach

  Malcolm MacCabe, earl of Carnach

  Birthday: 7 November 1781

  Age (in AN INCONVENIENT MARRIAGE): 30

  Physical characteristics: Dark, longish hair; grey eyes; muscled build; slightly crooked nose from a brawl with his brothers.
  

  Occupation/interests: Earl and laird of Clan MacCabe; enjoys estate management, tormenting his butler, and reiving.
  

  Home: Castle MacCabe, Scottish Highlands

  Malcolm inherited the title and the estate five years earlier, but due to a stipulation in his father’s will, he cannot inherit the unentailed funds necessary to keep the estate afloat until he marries. Malcolm is furious when he hears the will; he vowed never to marry after Ellie Stafford (his best friend Ferguson’s sister) turned down his proposal and became the marchioness of Folkestone instead. His vow hardened over the years, especially as the clan began to test his leadership just as they had tested his father for so many years. As laird of one of the most ungovernable clans in the Highlands, Malcolm can barely control his own family, let alone face the added challenge of marrying a woman who might try to change him.

  Luckily for him, his inner barbarian is rather easy to unleash. He just has to hope that his new wife will be appalled by his medieval behavior…

  
  | Character Development |
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  Posted 9 June 2009, 9:41 pm

• Lady Amelia Staunton

  Lady Amelia Staunton

  Birthday: 12 May 1787

  Age (in AN INCONVENIENT MARRIAGE): 24

  Physical characteristics: Blonde hair, blue eyes, medium height; tends to pace and talk to herself when angry or upset.
  

  Occupation/interests: Public persona: debutante. Private persona: anonymous Gothic novelist. Also likes gardening and riding.
  

  Home: Grew up at Whitworth, near the Rossendale forest in Lancashire, England; spends most of her time in London.

  Amelia started writing Gothic romances when she was seventeen. Her first Season was delayed when her father passed away, and she spent the year in mourning at her family’s estate in Lancashire. Writing filled her time, and when she debuted the following year, she found that the pleasures of the ton paled in comparison to her own characters. Now, at twenty-four, she has earned the nickname “the Unconquered” after turning down scores of proposals — and she is hopeful that she’ll soon be allowed to sink gracefully into spinsterhood.

  All she wants is to write full-time, but her mother is convinced that she should marry to secure her future. Amelia is devastated, but she quickly turns her fear into a battle plan. If she can just convince her husband that she’s not suitable to be his countess, she’ll be able to set up her own house. She just has to hope that she’ll succeed before her husband drives her mad…

  
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  Posted 9 June 2009, 8:17 pm

• Checking In on Ferguson and Madeleine

  Blog

  I am absolutely wrecked. I wrote ~5500 words today, which translates into almost twenty-five pages. I love some of it, I’m struggling with other parts of it — and now that I’ve hit page one hundred (!), I need to start figuring out where this story is going and how Ferguson and Madeleine are going to get there and fall in love at the same time.

  One of the issues I’m currently concerned about is Ferguson himself. I adore him, the people who’ve read AN INCONVENIENT MARRIAGE seemed to adore him — in short, he was the logical hero for my second book. But, I sometimes wonder if the very things that made him adorable do not make him good, stereotypical “hero” material. In essence, he is an alpha male masquerading very successfully as one of the Regency’s prototypical metrosexuals — he feigns a lot of concern for his wardrobe, to the point that even other Regency dandies would find him a bit ridiculous. For example, at one point in today’s marathon writing session, Ferguson showed up at a ball with a fan — a completely over-the-top affectation that amuses Madeleine even as her more serious guardian is appalled by Ferguson’s behavior.

  I personally find this all very entertaining. But perhaps that’s to be expected — my best friend from high school and I still occasionally send postcards to each other from a sexually-ambiguous globetrotting spy who enjoys both dangerous situations and really great sex. Strange insight into my teenage years, given that we came up with this character to alleviate the excruciating boredom of our typing class, but I digress.

  What do you think? Do you want your heroes to be the strong, silent (or grunting, Viking) type? Or are you willing to accept someone who spends too much time tying his cravats and who wears better clothes than the heroine?

  
  | Character Development | Ferguson and Madeleine | Writing Process |
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  Posted 8 February 2009, 10:19 pm