My special guest today has a duel personality – she’s both Jennifer McKenzie and Jennifer Leeland. According to Jennifer, her Leeland persona was born when she wanted to write erotic romance. She loved reading spicier romances and wanted to take a shot. It turned out that writing erotic was as much fun as reading it.
One other interesting thing about Jennifer – her early reading included lots of Agatha Christie, Ngiao Marsh and Arthur Conan Doyle and now she finds dead bodies showing up in her manuscripts. Today she’s having the opposite problem though – a character who refuses to die.
Note from Shelley: When you visit Jennifer’s website, check out her free stories, None too Soon and The Ties That Bind.
CONTEST: Today Jennifer is giving away a pdf download of Taking Command. All you need to do is post a comment and you’re in the draw. I’ll announce the winner tomorrow, so don’t forget to check back in the comments section to see if you’re the lucky one.
When The Character Just. Won’t. Die.
First, I want to thank Shelley for inviting me to be a part of her guest author spot. I feel completely unworthy since she’s had some really amazing people post here. Thank you, Shelley. You rock.
For all you plotters out there, you can read the following with that warm sense of relief that you must experience when a panster whines about their angst. I hope you enjoy it.
And for the pansters, know that you’re not alone.
Let me tell you about my book “Taking Command”. It’s set in the future on a space craft in the middle of space. Good so far. There’s lots of erotic sex happening in the Virtual Fantasy Room. Fabulous. There’s a plot to stop the colonization of Asberek, the destination of the space craft the Zenith. Stupendous.
But the bad guy won’t talk to me.
Throughout the entire book, Donny Pasquel would give me nothing. No real motivation was forthcoming. No back story to explain his psychotic behavior. Nothing. All of who he was came out only through his actions. Frankly, I found that supremely frustrating. I had a sequel planned in which Donny would be killed.
Then, two things happened. The two people, who were to have their own book, ended up together by the end of “Taking Command” and left the sequel in limbo.
And Donny wouldn’t die.
I did everything I could. I ignored him. I yelled at him (which garnered me odd looks from my husband) and I told him he was going to die. None of that made any impression on this guy. The man finally began to tell me why he did what he did. His back story came out. His angst. His torture. All the things that made him the evil bad guy in “Taking Command” was finally revealed.
The sequel, “Resisting Command”, which will release soon from Liquid Silver Books, is about what Donny revealed to me. Paul Lestrano, a Tribunal soldier from “Taking Command” wanted to fall in love, so I gave him his chance. The trick now was to keep Donny from taking over.
I wrote “Resisting Command” in a short time mainly because the characters were impatient and pushy. But another lovely obstacle cropped up as I neared the end. I didn’t know how it was all going to work out.
Talk about frustrating.
My characters were in the dark. I was in the dark. No one knew how this was going to pan out. As much as my characters were confused (and wrong) about who was really pulling the strings, so was I. Anyone who says the author is like a god has never been in my head. Finally, ten thousand words from the end, the plot in all its glory revealed itself and I was able to see how it was all connected.
But I was sweating it.
After finishing it, cleaning it up and contracting it, I planned to set aside “The Command Series” to finish a book I want to pitch at the Romance Writer’s of America Conference in July.
Now, Donny keeps showing me scenes. He’s giving me a plot and erotic sex and lots of stuff to write. It’s infuriating. He gets a few words here and there, but I’m trying to resist him.
He’s tough to resist though.
Here’s a question for you all. What makes a character stand out to you? What drives you to think about them, talk about them or reread them?
Don’t tell him, but I like Donny. He’s a fighter. He’s a charmer. But don’t tell him. He’ll be unbearable.
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I loved reading about Donny and his refusal to “die.”
I love reading about angsty heroes who have to go through a lot to get their HEA. Many times the characters jump out of the page and become “real” to me. I don’t want to leave them and will reread bits of the book or later will reread the whole book again.
by Ann M April 30th, 2008 at 12:28 amOh I’m glad Ann. When I write a post like this I’m never sure if people will enjoy it or send the men in little white coats after me. LOL.
Angsty heroes are the BEST.
by Jennifer McKenzie April 30th, 2008 at 5:16 amSnicker. I’ve got a similar character. Luckily he’s a hero. Well, as much a hero as a bloodsucking undead creature of the night can be a hero.
In my case he’s rather a cathartic character. Most often I get a story with him in it when I encounter, in life or through some sort of media, a person whose attitude is ‘Oh yeah! I’m bad! I’m scary! I’m tough! I don’t have to care.’
Then Georges shows up and asks them, “You want to see something really scary?”
I love writing about him.
by Rob Graham April 30th, 2008 at 6:32 amYeah Jen! Don’t worry, I’m an arguer/talker/listener to myself (since no one else will!) and hubby has gotten used to it.
I love how you develop such strong bonds to your characters because it truly shows through in your writing. Keep it up!!!
by Sandi April 30th, 2008 at 8:48 amI love that other writer’s have people talking (or stubbornly not!) in their heads. Makes me feel a little less insane
by Wylie Kinson April 30th, 2008 at 9:11 amThanks Sandi!!!
by Jennifer McKenzie April 30th, 2008 at 10:00 amExactly Wylie!!!
My characters pretty much arrive in the middle of their black moments and then haunt me for the entire writing process. And I’m a pantser, so that can meander. I’ve never had a character that didn’t make my heart ache for him or her, so I think that must be my make-or-break stand-out aspect for me.
I love your story about the character who would not leave you in peace. He’s tough!
by julia April 30th, 2008 at 11:30 amOoh, sounds like an erotic Battlestar Galactica. I can’t wait.
by Jane April 30th, 2008 at 12:09 pmI tend to enjoy reading about quirky characters, especially if they’re female and paired with a strong, silent alpha.
I also like dark characers with plenty of angst and great motivation for behaving in the manner they do. They need to be “heroic”.
Jennifer – I really enjoyed your post and sympathize about your stubborn Donny. I agree with Wylie. It’s great to know that other people have the same symptoms as me! And you’re very welcome. You are totally worthy!
by Shelley Munro April 30th, 2008 at 12:36 pmOh angsty heroes are the very bestest kind fo heroes ever.
I had a hero with a walk on bit steal my heart and get his own book. I lurved him. He hurt to write, but I lurve him anyway.
by Gwen Hayes April 30th, 2008 at 12:38 pmI love characters who won’t die! My favorite character in the movie SIN CITY is Marv, the big dumb galoof who loves Goldie so much that he goes through hell to get her killer. I mean, the bad guys do everything they can think of and Marv just refuses to die!
by Sela Carsen April 30th, 2008 at 12:46 pmSee, Julia, mine arrive and keep SECRETS!!! LOL.
by Jennifer McKenzie April 30th, 2008 at 12:55 pmThanks Jane!
Well, Shelley, it really IS an honor to be one of your guest bloggers. I prefer quirky characters too.
Ah Gwen. I think I know which character you mean too.
ME TOO Sela!!!
I had an inverse situation when I started writing The Penitent – I fully intended to kill Halia, the sister of one of the main characters.
My DH read it and said “You can’t do that!” Eventually, for the sake of household peace I didn’t. She survived everything I threw at her and went on to win the hero and live happily ever after.
DH still proudly refers to the fact that he “saved Halia’s life”.
R
by R F Long April 30th, 2008 at 1:10 pmLOL Ruth!!!!!
by Jennifer McKenzie April 30th, 2008 at 1:26 pmYour Donny is a real hero. Strong, stubborn, charmer and eternal. What more can we ask for? Give him another story.
by Mona Risk April 30th, 2008 at 3:17 pmOkay Mona!!! “Regaining Command” is in the works. LOL.
by Jennifer McKenzie April 30th, 2008 at 7:30 pmLOVED your blog. I had one character who started out as a minor in one book and eventually commanded his own book. Stephen in Kiss of a Druid Bard was the result. I grew to love him, but I had no intention of ever doing so. Oh well, that’s what makes writing fun.
d
by Jean Hart Stewart April 30th, 2008 at 8:29 pmHi Jennifer – it seems like everyone has fallen in love with the determined Donny.
BTW – Rob commented above and his comment went to spam. Sorry about that Rob! I’ve rescued you.
by Shelley Munro April 30th, 2008 at 8:53 pmGreat blog, Shelley!
I agree with Mona. I like a hero like Donny who is strong, charmer, and a fighter. He deserves another story.
by Amelia May 1st, 2008 at 12:27 am[...] guest blogging over at Shelley Munro’s blog which is a huge honor! Come say “hi” if you can. Don’t worry. I’m ranting. [...]
by A Whiskey Wednesday Guest Blog « The Redneck Romance Writer May 1st, 2008 at 6:34 amLove your post, Jennifer! OMG I have recently been there, I can perfectly relate!!!!
by Red May 1st, 2008 at 8:12 am********************
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
********************
My husband chose the winner for me:
Congratulations to Ann M who wins a download of Taking Command!!
Email me at shelley munro @ gmail.com (no spaces) and I’ll organize your prize.
Congratulations, Ann!!
by Shelley Munro May 1st, 2008 at 1:08 pmHi Jennifer, I can certainly relate. I had a hero just simply take over when he was just supposed to be the liaison to the hero. Oh well, I think that story turned out great, if I do say so. And I never saw it coming until the words just poured out that way.
by Savanna Kougar May 1st, 2008 at 11:28 pmI’m late and totally out of the loop, but I couldn’t resist my token cheesey quip about Jen’s characters ‘Taking Command’ of her.
by Gwen Mitchell May 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 amLOL Gwen!!!
by Jennifer McKenzie May 2nd, 2008 at 9:29 pm