Characters - Shaken, Not Stirred

Mario, a friend of mine the other day told me that the one problem with my beloved lifelong friends of characters in An Involuntary King is that they were my beloved lifelong friends of characters. He said he would like to see what I did with a whole new slate, as I have with some of the stories on Ghostletters, such a Leona, my ex-Seattle cop who can morph into an African lioness and her various adventures with trickster gods and were-underworld criminals.

I thought about this. I talked to my mystery writing instructor and a classmate. I consulted my own druthers, which always win out in the end. I decided I was gonna do it. So out the window go the clones of my old characters, Shannon and Rory poorly disguised, and Leofric, Rhys, Ystradwell and the others only slightly more so.

I am happy to announce the birth of a new hero and trusted friend duo, dynamic or not. I need to read up on Cornish family naming practices, but for now let's meet Krrick, a traveling musician just as Shannon was, but with a decidedly less quirky and devil-may-care personality. This time the friend, who nevertheless still has a sunlit smile, is Aki Elricsson, not exactly Lenny to his George, since Aki is really quite bright, just remarkably quiet.

I am actually relieved to have come to this decision. I was actually rather looking forward to adding to my supply of imaginary friends.

The group gathered around the long rough-hewn table in the tavern.

"Phew!" exclaimed Aedan. "I wasn't even in the first novel until the epilogue, but I was already exhausted thinking of being in a whole series!'

Leofric nodded and drank from his ale bowl at the same time. "You're telling me. And I wasn't too crazy about the demotion either."

Ystradwell gave them all a wistful look and sighed, "I thought it was going to be nice, so romantic, and getting to be the center of attention again..."

Shannon patted her lightly on the shoulder. "Don't worry. You would be the center of attention in any novel."

The tavern keeper put her hands on her ample hips and smiled. "I get to stay in the book. I'll miss you all."

Aedan reassured, "But think of it, you get to meet Aki and Kerrick!"

THE END

Soemone tell me you are in awe of my courage...

Our Character Panel Reports Some Research

Pictured: Leofwen

Leofwen bustled about the alehouse preparing the potage for the day's guests. At one long table near a narrow window whose shutters were open, ;Rory and Aedan sat with their heads together. Rory looked at her with admiration as she pored over a strip of parchment, reading aloud what was scratched there. Rory had never learned to read.

"There doesn't seem to be anything certain about the date of King AEthelraed's first wedding. The Author can probably choose any year in the early 980s."

Rory nodded. "When was their first child born?" He watched as Aedan drew her finger down a column of text

"Ummm, it doesn't say. AEthelstan was the first. The seond is Edmund Ironsides. It says he was born around 988. They aren't sure though." She looked up into the clear blue eyes that always took her breath away.

"Och, then I imagine the marriage was no more than two years prior. D'ye think we could say 986?"

Aedan considered, her lower lip thrust up against her upper, and nodded. "I think we can say that. The queen's name was AElfgifu." She looked down at the parchment again. "So Sean's mystery would be from about the early to mid-960s..."

Rory admired the way her soft brown hair waved wher it ecaped from her headdress. He knew she had been wed briefly, that her first husband died and there were no children. That was why she wore the headdress. Her sister Ystradwel, unmarried and a maiden, need not cover her hair. He wished Aedan left her hair flowing as well. He longed to touch... "So who was king then?" he quickly censored his own thoughts.

"Oh!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Rory asked, leaning over as if he could see and read what surprised her. Leofwen heard the the exchange and came to stand by them , her broom clutched in two hands.

"Edgar! Edgar the Peaceable." Aedan read.

Leofwen chuckled. "AEthelred's and Edward's father. None too peaceable, though he put an end to the heptarchy peaceably enough."

Rory looked up puzzled. "Wasn't he the one who...?" he began.

Leofwen replied, "Kidnapped the nun? Oh aye. Wulfthryth, she was, a nun at Wilton. St. Edith was their daughter. Got himself in hot water with St. Dunstan, but that didn't stop the old man from letting himself be made Bishop of this and that and finally Archbishop of Canterbrigge.""

"So what was going on in Wessex in say, 960-965? Rory prompted.

"Not a lot of information here..." Aedan began. She looked up at Leofwen. "My family came from Cumbria, but you lived here all your life, didn't you?"

Leofwen leaned her broom against the wall and took a seat next to her. "After I was teleported from Lincolnshire in the lat 8th century, after the first novel, aye."

"Do you remember what went on after 960 here?"

Leofwen reached for Rory's bowl of ale and took a sip before answering. "Hmm, I know Edgar stuck around for another ten year's or so. He got Edward the Martyr on his wife, AEthelflaed, then our noble AEthelraed on his second or third wife, Ælfthryth, depending on who's counting." Rory raised an eyebrow at the mocking tone she used on the word "noble". "Then later on there was a comet and a famine and the Danes came and..."

Aedan interrupted. "Sounds like we need to do more research and another blog post."

The End of My Writing Career.. and the Beginning of my Career As a Temple Priestess

I came to an important conclusion yesterday. I don't really want a writing career as I formerly understood the concept. I thought that because I was able to pull together such a good novel from my mission to gibe the characters from Laura's and my old stories that this meant I was a Writer. I know I can write.. I have known that for years. But what I thought was implicit in my success is that not only can I write other stories and characters but that I should. Now I am not sure that really is what I should do.

My original purpose in writing An Involuntary King was to take the characters that existed mostly only in my own head and make them real to others. I found my old friend who had developed them with me and discovered she had not even thought of them for years. Clearly they were not the life force of their own they were and are to me. My husband knew all about them now, thanks to typing all the the old stories for me, and I got a taste from his reaction to the characters, dear sweet man that he is, of what they could offer other reeaders. I started writing about them, adding a more mature insight into their lives and motivations. Then I realized anew how important they h ad been and always were to me. So I gave them an existence beyond myself. I won't last forever. They can.

Thanks to what I learned yesterday and what I realize today has lurked under the surface of my attempts to write other books is that being a novelist was n3ever the prime mover. The characters and writing about them was. So why do anything else? Why relinquish the role I cherish most, that of being the temple priestess to their lives?

Non-writers may find this all odd. They are fictional! These people never existed! Writers will get it though.. get that there is no lack of reality to these vivid characters, these old friends of mine. It's time for the chanting, the libation in the temple. Sacrifice? It doesn't feel like one.

So Random Acts goes on the shelf to wait for its own time.. since it is almost all written, why toss it? Those who have read it liked it. And Adam and Jacques will be translated almost in the spiritual sense to mix with my archetypes of the strong but thoughtful general, the loving but self-absorbed beauty, the intense and driven mercenary, the too good for his own good bard and the innocent wastrel. Their clones may take ovber the story for a while, in a later time and a real setting, but the originals will never let me shelve them. I have already started telling their story here on this blog. The paranormal mysteries in late 10th century Wessex exist and will be my ne project.. starting today

What sweet contentment I feel, back in my proper role again. And how grateful I am to Jim, who last night heard my plans and smiled and affirmed he had know it all along.

Now I just have to break the news to my characters. I think they will be pleased... and a little smug.