Category Archives: Beautiful People

Beautiful Books 2017 | Introduce the Novel

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Hey peeps and welcome to Beautiful Books, hosted by the lovely Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up & Further In. What is Beautiful Books? It’s very similar to the monthly link up of Beautiful People, but this month it focuses on NaNoWriMo writing projects rather than specific characters in the novels. You obviously don’t have to be participating in NaNo in order to join; it can be any writing project. Click here or the picture to be taken back to the most recent Beautiful Books linkup page!

It’s time to talk about what I’m going to be writing this year and frankly… I needed this post because I’m still working out a few kinks in what I want to write and I’m just a mess. Ha.

Here’s the questions!

  1. What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?
    • I’ve been wanting to write a character with dark powers since I started working on my NaNo novel last year. I had a character who was able to manipulate shadows and use darkness as a power, but it just didn’t fit right with the character and the world (of course I didn’t realize this until later on). And then… well, I wanted a way to cope with my depression, and so I decided to write about a character that uses darkness as a power, but this power controls her and consumes her (much like depression does with me). So… yeah.
  2. Describe what your novel is about!
    • Mahlia is unknown. She blends in with the crowd as much as possible and tries to just go through her day to day life without bothering anyone. But she has a secret that she can’t make known unless she wants to forfeit not only this life that she’s made, but also her freedom. If she keeps this secret any longer, though, it may just consume her – body and soul.
    • Vex is the third prince in line for the throne, and as such he gets away with pretty much whatever he can. As he was forced to choose between priesthood and the military, he decides to join the royal army alongside his second eldest brother. Fire courses through his veins just as it does through his second brother and his mother, but his magic is stronger, different, and one that could ignite a change he hadn’t expected.
    • In a world where elemental magic is abundant, the threat of war is upon the country of Arkin from their neighbors across the sea – Nyrrin, who craves their lands and their very prosperous resources. But these once comrades of Arkin come with weapons unlike that which Arkin has ever seen, and it could change the outcome of the war for the worse for Arkin.
  3. What is your book’s aesthetic? Use words or photos or whatever you like!
  4. Introduce us to each of your characters!
    • Mahlia is a 19 year old apprentice to a weapons maker. She’s been under his care for the last six years and has been learning the ins and outs of how to make weapons suited for the person based on their power: swords that can hold fire for fire wielders so as to not melt the steel; bows and arrows for wind users that are both lithe and powerful and have secrets within them to carry farther than the average arrow; and so on. She has a good sense of humor and is often complimented on her smile. She loves to make others laugh and forget their worries because she knows what it’s like to be so down in darkness that looking for a light is near impossible. Her power is Darkness, a path from Spirit that is very dangerous and unknown to many. She wears gloves often because her hands are tainted with the black mark that signifies a Darkness user. As such, she rarely uses her power because it feels like a living thing, something that will consume her from the inside out – the marks on her hands prove that. She often has depressive episodes as a result, but she doesn’t often speak her mind when she’s in those moods because she doesn’t want to burden others.
    • Vex is a 23 year old prince, the youngest in the line of succession, and is a high spirited young man. He has three elder siblings: two brothers and a sister, and cares for each of them deeply. Family is very important to him and he couldn’t imagine his life without any of them, especially his second eldest brother, Maks, whom is also like a best friend to him. Vex is a Fire user like his brother and mother, and though their flames are strong, his seems to be stronger and he sometimes likes to show it off. He is part of the Royal Army, second to his brother, but he didn’t just earn the spot because of who he is, but he fought and earned his right to be there. He works alongside men and women who have varying powers and he views them as family. He has an easy going smile and attitude, but can be very serious when the situation calls for it.
    • Maks is the second eldest sibling of the four royal siblings at 28 years old. He has a good head on his shoulders and uses logic over emotions in almost all situations. He loves his family dearly and views his little brother as a comrade in arms as well as a friend. He is strong physically and in power, his flames very potent when used. He has a wife, Kema, who is 26 years old, and a two year old daughter named Camile.
    • Tilla is the only daughter of the four siblings and is 25 years old. She is very gracious and loving, but she’s also a fighter. She trained with her brothers with weapons from a young age with both of her parents’ blessings. But she much prefers being in dresses and being a woman of the court than being a soldier. She enjoys shopping and gossip, but she is also an artist and loves to paint and create. She is a Water user and her magic is fairly strong.
    • Berol is the eldest son of Arkin at 30 years old and is a Wood user. He is strong physically and in power and he has a good head on his shoulders. As he is the first heir to the throne, he has been trained in politics, military tactics, and general ruling of the country. He is married to his childhood friend, Sera, and they have three children ages 6, 4, and 1, two daughters and a son.
    • Geron is the king of Arkin and is a Water user who is incredibly strong in power and physically. He is a kind and generous king who truly cares for his people and family. His wife is Queen Sephie who is a Fire user, very powerful, and incredibly warm hearted. She is very family oriented and cares much for the people.
    • Serath is the master weapons maker that Mahlia has been training under and his bark is worse than his bite. He looks like a very bedraggled man in his late fifties, but there are hints of love and tenderness under his skin, especially when it comes to children and those close to him, like Mahlia. In public, though, he is all business and rarely smiles. He is a Metal user (surprise surprise).
    • Jaqar is the king of Nyrrin and a very strict ruler. He believes that power and money are the two things he needs most in life and because of this his view of the world has become warped in ways that have slowly been hurting his people more than helping them. He is an Ice user and is fairly strong in his power, but not strong enough.
    • Lucmer is the eldest son of Nyrrin at 27 years old and is much like his father, but crueler. He was trained under the sword from a very early age, and his power as an Ice user is one that would impress even the tribes living in the northern mountains. He is one that uses strategy and logic in many situations, but he also relies a lot on his power and brute force to get what he wants. He’s short tempered and one not to be crossed.
  5. How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?)
    • Cry a little. I’ve been trying to outline to make sure I have a loose plot that I want to follow. Once I figure out the main point of the story the rest should hopefully fall into place. Other than that, I get inspiration from other writers when they talk about their own work, and I read in the genre I want to write in to really get a grasp on how other writers write their stories and how I want mine to be, too.
  6. What are you most looking forward to about this novel?
    • Just seeing where it goes. I want the story to be about how Mahlia will conquer the darkness eventually, but it’s going to take a lot of trials and heartache to get there, and I don’t know if I’m ready for it. (Also the romance because I’m a super romantic at heart.)
  7. List 3 things about your novel’s setting.
    • Two countries are going to be at war with one another: Arkin, a prosperous country with lush fields, forests, and distant mountains with many homes and villages nestled together, where people come to start over; Nyrrin, a strong country with a thirst for gold and greed and power, with tall, stark buildings, crowded streets, and advancing weaponry.
    • Magic is abundant in both lands and across the world, and it’s elemental magic. As such, there are varying “branches” to the elemental magic, such as “Ice” is a branch under “Water.”
    • Many secrets to unlock (for me, too, let’s be real).
  8. What’s your character’s goal and who (or what) stands in the way?
    • Mahlia’s ultimate goal is to conquer her own power from consuming her. She is what stands in her own way.
    • Vex’s ultimate goal is to make sure his country remains safe. Jaqar and Lucmer stand in his way.
  9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?
    • Mahlia will most likely conquer her demons and feel like she can finally breathe again. But will she still have her freedom? That is the question.
    • Vex will go through a lot in the course of the story, and he might change a bit from what he was at the beginning, but one thing is certain: he won’t take life for granted anymore.
  10. What are your book’s themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over?
    • One theme is going to cover depression, and I’m going to do my best to make it #ownvoices because I’ve had depression for over 10 years now and I want to show what my depression is like through Mahlia. The Darkness is a symbol of that, but she’ll also have it.
    • Sacrifice is going to be another theme and one that I hope readers will understand that tough choices happen in life, especially in unforeseen circumstances.
    • Redemption is also going to be poignant because I want Mahlia to be able to overcome the Darkness and how strong of a hold it has on her.
    • Love is another theme, but not just romantic love. I want to also feature familial love because I just don’t see enough of it in books.
    • When the story is over I hope my readers feel a sense of connection with more than one character and that they, too, will find themselves in one of them.

That’s it for this month’s Beautiful Books! I’m very excited and nervous to start NaNoWriMo, but I honestly hope that it goes well and that this story is what I’ve been needing to write this whole time.

Let’s Chat! ^w^

Are you going to be participating in NaNoWriMo this year? How many characters do you have? What are three points about your setting? How do you want readers to think about your story at the end?

Beautiful People – Parental Edition

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Hey peeps! Welcome to another round of Beautiful People! It’s hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up & Further In. If you want to know more about Beautiful People, you can check out the FAQs page here.

beautifulpeople

This month’s round of questions is all about the parent-child relationship between your character and their parent, or if they don’t have a parent, then their caregiver, guardian, or parent-like figure.

Today I’m going to be talking about the parents of one of my new characters I just created: Penelope. She’s a nerdy girl who is really into anime and manga, and she also cosplays. She’s very fun and has a great sense of humor, plus she’s pretty smart. She’s a bit overweight, though, and deals with mild anxiety. I kind of really like her and so I wanted to explore the relationship between her and her parents, particularly her mom since Mother’s Day was earlier this month.

The Questions

1. Overall, how good is their relationship with their parents?

Penelope is very close to her mom and dad, but more so her mom. She finds that she can confide in her mom with about 95% of any problems she might have. Though her parents got divorced when she was younger, around six, she was of course devastated, but her parents continued to be friends after the divorce for the sake of their daughter. Penelope is also close to her step-dad, but not as close to her step-mom, but they’re still friendly to each other.

2. Do they know both of their biological parents? If not, how do they cope with the loss/absence and how has it affected their life?

Yes, she knows both. She spends the weeks with her mom and every weekend with her dad.

3. How did their parents meet?

Her parents met in high school in chemistry (no pun intended). They were young and in love and had Penelope soon after they graduated, when they were about 19 and 20, respectively (mom is older by a few months).

4. How would you feel if they were told “you’re turning out like your parent(s)”?

Penelope would find that as a compliment because she thinks her parents are two of the greatest ever. Of course they have their differences and squabbles like any teen/parent relationship, but for the most part they always laugh and love each other. (But Penelope hopes that compliment will be more along the lines of she’s like her mom than her dad, but shh, don’t tell him.)

5. What were your character’s parents doing when they were your character’s age?

They were graduating high school, the same as Penelope is, and her father was going into the welding trade, working alongside a family friend to get all of his hours in before he started his own business a couple years later, and her mom was going off to the local community college to earn a two year degree in finance.

6. Is there something they adamantly disagree on?

Not really. The biggest thing is that Penelope wants to get a tattoo but her dad isn’t too keen on her getting one, while her mom says to just wait until she turns 18, then she can put as many on her body as she wants. (Penelope only wants two.)

7. What did the parent(s) find hardest about raising your character?

Her mom thought it was hardest as a recent college graduate, fresh out of school, without a home to call her own. They had an apartment and made it work, of course, but she wishes she had had the home she has now to have raised Penelope in.

As for her dad, she found that all of the girly things that Penelope was into a young girl was hard to get into and play with her, like dress up and dolls and stuff. But he made it work because that’s his baby and he is not about to break her heart. (He’s the fun parent.)

8. What’s their most vivid memory with their parental figure(s)?

Penelope remembers her first day of kindergarten very clearly, as they lived only two blocks away from where she was registered. Her dad had called in to let his work know that he’d be late as it was his baby girl’s first day of school, and her mom didn’t have to go into work for another hour or two. They walked to the school, hand in hand, her flowy pink and white sundress twirling in the light breeze of August as they made their way to the school. Penelope remembers the sunlight streaming through the trees, casting the shadows on the sidewalk, the couple of people walking their dogs, her parents smiling and talking to her about how excited she must be – and how excited they were for her – to be starting school. And then when she waved goodbye to them and they held onto each other and waved, holding back their tears. She remembers the feeling of happiness, and she holds that memory dear.

9. What was your character like as a baby/toddler?

She was a happy baby! Always smiling and laughing, though of course she had her moments. She was difficult to potty train, but once it happened, it was the best thing ever. There weren’t too many problems, though she did have a couple of ear infections and a slight bladder problem.

10. Why and how did the parents choose your character’s name?

Her mom’s grandmother’s name was Penelope, and as a remembrance to her (as she passed away a year before Penelope was born from cancer), they named her Penelope. Her nickname is Nel and she prefers to be called that by her family and friends (though she does love her full name, too).

And there you have it for their month’s set of questions! I actually had a lot of fun thinking about this because I never really think about my characters’ parents in so much detail. Though I’m glad to have done this because it gave me more of glimpse into her life with her family.

Let’s Chat! ^w^

How is the relationship between your character and their parent(s)? Have you given much thought to it before? What’s the best memory your character has with their parent(s)/guardian(s)/etc?

Beautiful Books 2016| Introducing the Novel

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Hey peeps and welcome to Beautiful Books, hosted by the lovely Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up & Further In. What is Beautiful Books? It’s very similar to the monthly link up of Beautiful People, but this month it focuses on NaNoWriMo writing projects rather than specific characters in the novels. You obviously don’t have to be participating in NaNo in order to join; it can be any writing project.

So for today I’m going to be discussing the project I will be working on during NaNo, which is the one I started for Camp NaNoWriMo this past April: The Thief and the Magician. I want to restart this novel because even though I didn’t get very far the first time, I still didn’t enjoy what I was writing almost at all. I love my characters Nara and Mikail, but I didn’t like the way the chapters were coming out. I literally rewrote every single chapter that month to improve it because I couldn’t stand what I had written the day before.

So for NaNoWriMo 2016 I’m going to be working on this story of mine that I really want to tell. With that, let’s jump into the questions:

1. What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?

I honestly have no idea where the initial spark came from. I have a writing journal where I write any idea that comes into my head that I would like to one day use in a novel, and I must have been looking at it one day because I have written in there: the thief + the magician. I don’t know if I wrote it in after I thought about writing it, which looks like the case considering I have more details than I normally write in my ideas area, but that’s probably where it started. I’ve had the idea for it since at least March or April of this year, so not too long.

2. Describe what your novel is about!

Here’s my current working synopsis:

Nara is a thief of the Rising City, and she’s been one since she was a little girl, trained and abandoned by her father. Now, as a twenty year old, she is one of the most infamous thieves in all of the Rising City. But when one mistake almost costs her her life, she is thrown into a life debt by someone she never would have thought she’d ally herself with: a Magician.

Mikail is a Magician, a rare breed that is seldom seen in the world anymore, and he is still honing his skills. When his powers manifested at a young age, he didn’t expect to be in the eye of every powerful person in the Rising City – especially that of the Queen. But when one day his magic goes haywire and he saves a thief from most certain death, he thinks that maybe she is his ticket to freedom.

Though the two cross and their lives mix, neither one could be prepared for what happens to them – or their hearts.

It sounds good, right? That’s the best synopsis I’ve ever written, and even I want to read this novel – but first, I have to write it!

3. What is your book’s aesthetics? Use words or photos or whatever you like!

I was seriously so excited for this question when I first read it, so here is my working aesthetic for my novel:

thiefmagician

4. Introduce us to each of your characters!

Nara is a twenty year old thief who has been on her own for the last eight years after her father passed and her mother left six years prior to that. She learned all she knows from her father, whom she loved and respected greatly, and continues to learn all she can to become the best thief in the Rising City. She’s brave, sarcastic, quick on her feet, intelligent, but sometimes she gets too cocky, which can cause her to get in a bit of trouble. She’s also afraid of thunder storms.

Mikail is an Illusionary Magician, a rare breed of Magician that is rarely, if ever, seen in the empire anymore. His skills have always been desired ever since he was a child. Now, at eighteen, he runs for his life. He may look pretty serious a lot of the time (resting bitch face is a curse, alas), but he’s actually pretty friendly and easy to get along with. He’s smart, kind, and has a compassionate heart, though that may one day lead to his downfall. He’s also afraid of heights and, on occasion, his own illusions.

The Queen is a powerful woman who looks to be in her mid thirties but some think she is much older than that as she never seems to age and she’s been on the throne for a long time. Her game is political ploys and schemes, always looking for the next thing that can continue to increase her power and hold over the Rising City and the empire. She is intelligent, cunning, swift, and full of secrets. Though she does have one fear that she doesn’t let anyone know or get a hold of.

The Lion is the Queen’s top guard, a man who is ruthless when it comes to serving his Queen. And like his Queen, he has very mysterious powers and secrets that none wish to uncover. He’s cruel, harsh, and cunning. He has no known weaknesses, which causes him to be even more of a threat. You do not want the Lion looking for you.

5. How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?)

What is this “preparation” you speak of? I hate outlining. With a passion. I also hate drafting, but I know it’s a necessary process when it comes to writing. I find that when I write out an outline all of my ideas go with it so I feel like I can’t write out what I’ve just written down. That’s why I like to keep as much as possible in my mind to write down for my story itself. I know my characters, what they look like, how old, and general appearances and personality, but it’s the story and how they act in the story that tells me who they are.

But I also do enjoy chocolate. So there’s that.

6. What are you most looking forward to about this novel?

Finishing it. Seriously. I haven’t finished a novel since NaNo 2014, and then I’m very close to finishing another novel I started for Camp NaNo 2015, but I have no clue how it really got to where it’s at in the story and it was turning into a trilogy at that point… So yeah, I’m looking forward to finishing it. If it’s even a one book thing, I have no idea. I have no end in mind, just a general story I want to tell.

But here’s what I hope to do:

  • Reach 50,000 words. (Duh.)
  • Get a nice romance going on. Maybe sexy times, we’ll see. OR just a nice friendship. I honestly don’t know where these characters are going to go in terms of that.
  • Learn all I can about my characters. Their ins and outs and everything in between.
  • Figure out what the hell I actually want to happen in the story.

7. List three things about your novel’s setting.

My novel mainly takes place in a city called the Rising City. I pictured it to have various sections around the city with grand buildings in the Shopping and Elite areas, warehouses and smaller houses in the Commons area, and then the Slums and Port. There’s large, elaborate buildings, museums, stores, a clock tower, beautiful lights, and such. They do have electricity in this world, but their modes of transportation is by horseback, caravan, or walking.

But here’s three general things:

  • The Commons houses the majority of the people in the Rising City, the capital of the Empire. It is also the main thoroughfare and festival celebration area. Parties, ftw!
  • The Elite area does have the Queen’s castle, a large, grandeur structure with opulent windows, details, and finery. It’s truly a beautiful sight, inside and out. Though, like all castles, there are secrets within its walls.
  • Past the Rising City is the Grand Highway, a large, open area of vast valleys and plains where travelers took refuge and could get to any other major city or town in the empire. It’s also wrought with dangerous creatures and mysterious beings and happenings.

8. What’s your character’s goal and who (or what) stands in their way?

Both Nara and Mikail crave freedom, even if both are very different versions of it. Nara wishes for the freedom to come and go as she pleases without having to keep one eye open while she sleeps, while Mikail wants out of the City and into a land where he won’t be hunted and desired for his powers.

For Nara, she’s really her own worst enemy in a way because she holds all the power within herself to change her circumstances, her life, and make different decisions, but thievery is the only life she’s ever known and she feels a connection to her father because of it. There’s something slumbering within her that calls her to it, and she’s not sure she can stop.

As for Mikail, the Queen and the Lion are really who stand in his way. The Lion does the Queen’s bidding, and as the Queen wants Mikail for his power, he wants to get as far away as possible. He’d even be willing to give up his powers, somehow, for a chance at normalcy.

9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?

I’m not sure as I don’t even know where I want my novel to go. But as I’m typing this out, more and more scenes are playing in my head – which is nice! – just not the ending. So I’m anticipating it just as much as everyone else! I do hope that both Nara and Mikail come to terms with something by the end, but I have a feeling they’ll have more to tell than what one novel can hold.

10. What are your book’s themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over?

I feel like the main themes of the book are acceptance, learning to face fears, and trusting in others.

When the book is over I’m hoping readers will feel one of these ways: 1) they’re craving more from these two, wanting to know what happens next; or 2) they feel like the story came full circle and that Nara and Mikail stand out in their own regard.

I want readers to leave the book feeling like they got to know two people who were in very different places in the world, but who came together and made the most of what they could.

There’s plenty I hope readers will get out of my story, but those are the main things.

I’m so excited to get started on rewriting this story. I glanced over the chapters I’ve already written, and there’s some things I’ll probably keep, but a lot I’m going to end up changing. I prefer writing in third person, but I might switch to first person while keeping the dual perspective. I feel like this story is going to be a ride and I am so excited to go on this journey with Nara and Mikail.

Let’s Chat! ≧◡≦

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? In three words tell me what your story is about! What do you hope readers of your story will take away from it? What genre does your story fit under? Tell me all the things!

Beautiful People: September Edition

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Hey peeps! Welcome to another round of Beautiful People! It’s hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up & Further In. If you want to know more about Beautiful People, you can check out the FAQs page here.

beautifulpeople

This month’s questions are an assortment to get to know our characters better. For this one I’m going to choose a character I haven’t talked about yet: a thief named Nara who grew up with her father, who was also a thief, and together they lived wherever their hearts took them in the Rising City. Of course, that’s not to say that they didn’t have their fallouts, but now, as a young adult, Nara is on her own and gets herself into a little more than she can chew when she runs into a Magician – a rare kind of person to find nowadays in the City.

I really like her, but I haven’t gotten to really explore her character yet (or my magician, Mikail) because when I was writing their story I had THE hardest time and nothing flowed and I had to rewrite almost every single chapter I wrote… So now I’m just going to start from scratch because I think I’m starting to get to know them a little better, like they’re ready to tell their story now.

So let’s jump into the questions!

1 . How did you come up with this character?

I came up with Nara when I got the idea for this story I wanted to write back in April for Camp NaNoWriMo. All I had was a synopsis (the best one I’ve ever written) and I instantly wanted to write about this thief and magician. Here’s what I wrote:

Nara is a thief of the Rising City, and she’s been one since she was a little girl, trained and abandoned by her father. Now, as a twenty year old, she is one of the most infamous thieves in all of the Rising City. But when one mistake almost costs her her life, she is thrown into a life debt by someone she never would have thought she’d ally herself with: a Magician.

Mikail is a Magician, a rare breed that is seldom seen in the world anymore, and he is still honing his skills. When his powers manifested at a young age, he didn’t expect to be in the eye of every powerful person in the Rising City – especially that of the Queen. But when one day his magic goes haywire and he saves a thief from most certain death, he thinks that maybe she is his ticket to freedom.

Though the two cross and their lives mix, neither one could be prepared for what happens to them – or their hearts.

2. Have they ever been starving? Why? And what did they eat to break the fast?

She’s never been starving, but she has had days when she hasn’t eaten due to losing her father – her teacher – and having to learn to survive on her own. Though it was difficult at first, she had no choice but to quickly learn what to do to survive if she wanted to keep living the way she had before. She would swipe whatever she could off of vendor stalls, even though she got caught a few times in the process, but always managed to finagle her way out of the situation.

3. Do they have a talent or skill that they’re proud of?

Nara is very proud of her skill of thievery, because she grew up with it and learned from her father, who was one of the best thieves in the Rising City. After her mother left at a very young age, it was her father who raised her and taught her the life skills she’d need to use in order to survive – and to also use her natural born gifts as well. She has a quick mind and a clever way in which she utilizes to get what she wants in certain situations.

4. List 3 things that would make them lose their temper.

-Being treated like a child would definitely get under her skin depending on the situation and who says what. If it’s a friend just goofing around with her, that’s one thing and she’ll jab right back; but if it’s some punk who thinks just because she’s small and she’s a girl she can’t do what she does? Oh yeah, she’ll show them just what she’s capable of.

-If her height is constantly being pointed out she’ll probably lose her cool. She knows she’s short (5’1″), so that’s been both a help and hindrance in her line of work, but when it comes to people pointing out how small she is, like they’re looking down at her? Watch out.

-If she sees children or animals or anyone, really, being abused. She isn’t afraid to go over and defend the one being abused if she’s not stopped first.

5. What is their favourite type of weather? Least favorite?

Favorite: She prefers sunshine, but not hot days. Mostly autumn days make her happy because they’re often sunny, the leaves are changing, and there’s a crispness in the air.

Least: She’s not a huge fan of thunder storms, as she still gets scared by them even to this day.

6. What is their Hogwarts house and/or MBTI personality?

I can definitely see her being in Ravenclaw, but also probably Slytherin. She has the mind of a Ravenclaw, and the occasional arrogance to match, but she can also be cunning and swift like a Slytherin.

7. Are they more likely to worry about present problems, or freak out about the unknown future?

Nara tries her best to live in the moment, so she doesn’t try to worry too much about the future. She savors whatever moment she can and she tries to make the best out of many situations. Of course, she is human and does have worries, but she never shares them because she doesn’t need others knowing her weaknesses or her faults. (Which is, in reality, one of her faults.)

8. What is their favourite thing to drink?

She’s a big fan of ice tea with lemon. It’s one of those delights that she enjoys having on hot summer days.

9. What is their favourite color? Least favorite?

Favorite: Purple, like a lavender.

Least: Probably browns and grays, as she finds them boring.

10. What is a book that changed their life?

If we’re talking books in our real world, I think a book that would’ve changed her life definitely would have been The Mortal Instruments series. I can just see her reading these books, including The Infernal Devices, and being hooked on every word, taking from it the importance of friendship and family, and wondering if her magician was the Jace to her Clary.

And there you have it! I feel like I’ve definitely learned a bit about Nara along with you lovely peeps. Writing about this has made me excited to actually get started on rewriting her and Mikail’s story and telling it the way it should be told.

Let’s Chat! ≧◡≦

What’s one book that changed the life of your character? What talent/skill do they have that they’re proud of? And what Hogwarts house are they in? Tell me all the things!

Beautiful People: Childhood Edition

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Hey peeps! Welcome to another round of Beautiful People! It’s hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up & Further In. If you want to know more about Beautiful People, you can check out the FAQs page here.

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This month’s theme is around childhood, which is interesting because sometimes when you write about characters you don’t always think about what their lives were like as kids, or even what their futures will look like as adult; you think about what’s happening in the present. So this is a chance to take a closer look at the childhood of one of your characters.

For this particular edition I’m going to talk about a character I just created not that long ago, a man named Celezar (sell-eh-zhar). He is a human man who is twenty years old and is a soldier in his father’s army. Oh, and he’s also in love with a Dragon named Talia. Mind you, in this world, Dragons are able to shift into humans, but they often have one telling characteristic that can distinguish them as Dragons. For some, that may be they are unable to shift away their wings, or they can’t shift away the slit of their pupil, or maybe a patch of scales can still be seen. For Talia, her telling characteristic is her eyes.

But Celezar is a young man who grew up the son of the General, so he has had a lot of pressure put on his shoulders to be strong, the be a warrior, and the vanquish the kingdom of Dragons. He has a free spirit and a heart for people, but he also does not want to disappoint his father or his King and the kingdom. Of course, as you can imagine, that is kind of a predicament.

So let’s explore Celezar’s childhood, shall we?

  1. What are their first childhood memory? Celezar was running in a meadow one day away from the small cottage his family called home. He was about four or five at the time, and he went to go play a farther than he ever had before. In the meadow he came upon a sleeping Dragon – an Earthdrake with a massive jaw, dark brown and green scales, and no wings. He remembers going up to the Dragon and putting his little hand against its massive nose and when he looked up he saw that the dragon was watching him. He stood still with fear, but the Dragon just lifted its head and looked down at him, the scales shifting in color from brown to green to a deep blue, and back to brown. He heard his mother scream from a distance away and the Dragon looked up at her before rising to its feet, looked at him one more time, and lumbered away.
  2. What were their best and worst childhood experiences? Best: Getting to pet the Earthdrake. Worst: His mother passed from a different Dragon attack when he was about nine years old as she tried to protect him. Their house ended up burning, and though she managed to get Celezar out of the house, she couldn’t get out herself and burned inside.
  3. What was their childhood home like? It was quaint and cozy with four bedrooms, a large study, a nice kitchen, and a huge yard that he could practice with his father or play games with the other kids in the surrounding area.
  4. What’s something that scared them as child? Close spaces. He’s still claustrophobic to this day, but as a soldier he’s had to learn to handle it; only in extenuating circumstances would he have a problem.
  5. Who did they look up to most? He looked up to his father, for sure. He was strong, intelligent, charismatic, and fun.
  6. Favourite and least favourite childhood foods? Faves: Blueberry pie, roasted ham. Least Faves: Brussel sprouts, pumpkin anything.
  7. If they had their childhood again, would they change anything? He’d definitely make sure his mother would still be alive to this day, that’s for sure.
  8. What kind of child were they? Curious? Wild? Quiet? Devious? He was a happy child, always smiling and giggling at a lot of things. He was also highly curious and wanted to know all about the world around him. He took an interest in medicine and wanted to help out the local doctors as much as possible.
  9. What was their relationship to their parents and siblings like? He was very close with both of his parents, but more so his mother than his father because his father would always be away at war meetings or on the battlefield. He doesn’t have any siblings.
  10. What did they want to be when they grew up, and what did they actually become? He wanted to become a doctor, one that could study medicine for both humans and Dragons, but he became a soldier to please his father.

And there you have it! You (and I) got to learn a little bit about Celezar and who he is as a character. I’m actually really happy that I got to do this because it gets me thinking about his past and how it can affect him now and such.

Let’s Chat! ≧◡≦

What kind of childhood does your character have? Is it traumatic? Happy? Strenuous? What is your character’s best and worst memories?