Hi Everyone,
I have a question. Who is your most beloved literary character of all time? I mean, that one character that you absolutely fell in love with from the moment you were introduced to him or her until the moment you had to say goodbye. Take a minute! I’ll wait…………………………………………………………………….Okay, ready? You’ve got the name in your head. Here’s the next question, why? Why is that character THE character? What is it about that particular character that draws you to him or her. The author has obviously touched you in creating this character, so what is it about the character that moves you? If I ask you to give me three words to explain it, what would those three words be? Maybe there’s a memorable quote the character delivers in the story that stays with you for a long time. If so, what is the quote and why does it resonate? Since I’ve asked you to answer these questions, it’s only fair that I do the same. So, I’ll go first. Who is my most beloved character? Aibileen Clark in “The Help.” What are the three words I would use to describe her: wise, strong, and compassionate. Her best quote, “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” I remember when I finished reading “The Help” Aibileen stayed with me long after I turned the last page. I’ve stolen the words and repeated them time and time again to my granddaughter, they are powerful, especially in today’s society when social pressures, social media, and advertising perpetuates these false unrealistic images of who we should be. Kathryn Stockett, author of “The Help” pulled me into her story and made me fall in love with Aibileen. That’s powerful. An author creates dialogue, conversations, thoughts, vivid descriptions, dramatic scenes through actions, all made up to in such a way that these characters come to life, are believable, real, and in my opinion, the most exciting part of being a writer.
Whether it Atticus Finch, from “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Katniss Everdeen, from “The Hunger Games,” or maybe Kya, the ‘Marsh Girl’ from “Where the Crawdads Sing,” they’re all are powerful characters, born from their author’s pen. I am currently writing my second novel, and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with my characters. It’s kind of crazy how often I think about them throughout the day when I’m not even writing, and before I go to sleep, and when I wake up. They intrude my thoughts. For a period of time, they become my family, and I feel a sense of responsibility to them. To be perfectly honest, it’s kind of eerie how close you get to them, but I guess that makes sense since they are a part of me.
Anyway, I’ll stop rambling and just tell you how excited I am as I write this next book. I’ll keep you posted as it progresses. If you liked “Bird” you’ll like this next one with its local settings, past and present mysteries, and of course, its colorful and diverse characters. Have a fabulous rest of the week. Until then…
Cheers!
Kim
