Do characters spring from the lives of authors? In my case, yes. When I started writing Snow Blood Book 4, for my Snow Blood Series, I drew upon my love of horses and specifically the Friesian breed.
When I began outlining the plot for Book 4, a new character presented himself. My brain was filled with him, so I thought I would take you inside my writer's mind as his character unfolded. He came to me by way of my son-in-law who posted him on my personal Facebook page. So, thank you, Donald.
After seeing his picture and its significance, I wanted to share my journey with him so far. It wasn't a coincidence, you see. Most of you know I own, ride and compete with my Friesian Okido I.T.. The horse in the photo above is a Friesian, a winged one at that. At first, I thought he should be named after my own horse. But he quickly corrected me and shared that his name was Mathias. Some of you are probably shaking your heads right now and calling me crazy. Probably. But I firmly believe in a hypothesis that William Faulkner set forth about his own writing. He said, "It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does."
So it has been with all my characters - from Luke to Snow Blood, Ashlundt and Sara to Brogio and Selene or Tim and Corky to Kane and Scrawny.They take on a life of their own.
Because I introduced a new character in Snow Blood Season 3 called Seth, it only seems fitting that Mathias join Seth in Season 4. What you won't know in Season 3 is that Seth is much more than he appears to be. Once his true nature is revealed in Season 4, Mathias will become Seth's natural companion. Or, at least, that is what Mathias revealed to me in the beginning.
He's a winged horse, like Pegasus, but unlike the mythological horse, Mathias' nature and origin will be unclear at first. As the story progresses, readers will come to know much about him. He is a teacher, like all horses. He is a companion and adviser, like horses. He is dedicated and willing to work hard. You don't think so? My horses have taught me patience, persistence, strength and how and when to use it. They've taught me to live in the moment, to seize the day, and to be demanding when necessary always followed by kindness. They have further developed my sense of responsibility. Mathias will show us all how to be more honest with our friends. I know that I can never fake it with my own horse. He always knows what's going on with me. Oh, one more important thing. Horses have taught me how to be gentle and to move slowly around them so as not to startle them. A nice thing to do for people as well, don't you think?
Mathias embodies all these teaching abilities and more. He certainly taught me how to wrap him into the storyline. I simply followed him around for awhile to get his entire story.
So those are my thoughts this morning. You probably wouldn't want to live inside my head, because that kind of stuff is always going on! But, if you love to write, you'll probably get it all. If you love to read, you'll probably get it too.
Til Next Time,
Carol
When I began outlining the plot for Book 4, a new character presented himself. My brain was filled with him, so I thought I would take you inside my writer's mind as his character unfolded. He came to me by way of my son-in-law who posted him on my personal Facebook page. So, thank you, Donald.
After seeing his picture and its significance, I wanted to share my journey with him so far. It wasn't a coincidence, you see. Most of you know I own, ride and compete with my Friesian Okido I.T.. The horse in the photo above is a Friesian, a winged one at that. At first, I thought he should be named after my own horse. But he quickly corrected me and shared that his name was Mathias. Some of you are probably shaking your heads right now and calling me crazy. Probably. But I firmly believe in a hypothesis that William Faulkner set forth about his own writing. He said, "It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does."
So it has been with all my characters - from Luke to Snow Blood, Ashlundt and Sara to Brogio and Selene or Tim and Corky to Kane and Scrawny.They take on a life of their own.
Because I introduced a new character in Snow Blood Season 3 called Seth, it only seems fitting that Mathias join Seth in Season 4. What you won't know in Season 3 is that Seth is much more than he appears to be. Once his true nature is revealed in Season 4, Mathias will become Seth's natural companion. Or, at least, that is what Mathias revealed to me in the beginning.
He's a winged horse, like Pegasus, but unlike the mythological horse, Mathias' nature and origin will be unclear at first. As the story progresses, readers will come to know much about him. He is a teacher, like all horses. He is a companion and adviser, like horses. He is dedicated and willing to work hard. You don't think so? My horses have taught me patience, persistence, strength and how and when to use it. They've taught me to live in the moment, to seize the day, and to be demanding when necessary always followed by kindness. They have further developed my sense of responsibility. Mathias will show us all how to be more honest with our friends. I know that I can never fake it with my own horse. He always knows what's going on with me. Oh, one more important thing. Horses have taught me how to be gentle and to move slowly around them so as not to startle them. A nice thing to do for people as well, don't you think?
Mathias embodies all these teaching abilities and more. He certainly taught me how to wrap him into the storyline. I simply followed him around for awhile to get his entire story.
So those are my thoughts this morning. You probably wouldn't want to live inside my head, because that kind of stuff is always going on! But, if you love to write, you'll probably get it all. If you love to read, you'll probably get it too.
Til Next Time,
Carol
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