Fictional friends make you laugh and cry. They invite you along on their adventures. They share their most intimate thoughts and moments with you, and become lasting friends whose lives matter to you. Once acquainted, who can ever forget Anne (of Green Gables), Oliver Twist, Tess (of the D’Urbervilles), Jane Eyre, Heathcliffe, Miss Marple, Bertie Wooster and Jeeves to name just a few. But they don’t have to be legendary to impress you. For a multitude of reasons, they touch your heart and soul and linger in your psyche.
As an author, I have an even deeper relationship with my characters. They are constantly in my thoughts, and a part of me resides in each. Once formed, they take over the story, changing the plot to suit their whims. One of them even has a blog, of sorts, which you can visit at InMyLife.
My characters are constantly pestering me to get on with their lives in Book 3 of the Muskoka Novels series. I’m delighted that fans, too, are enthralled with them. Here are some of their comments:
"Through The Summer Before The Storm, and now Elusive Dawn, we have come to know a whole new family - characters that are so real we can't help but be affected by their lives. We've laughed with them, cried with them, felt their fears, anxieties and pain, shared their joy and their sorrow. You have a great talent, combining fact and fiction into a fascinating, engrossing tale of love, loss, inner strength, hope and the power of faith.... I often find myself thinking about 'our new family' and what you may have in store for them. You always leave us wanting more!"
"Turning the final page of [The Summer Before The Storm], I was left wondering what was to become of the rich cast of fictitious characters who had become my friends over the previous 500 or so pages."
"Your fascinating and intriguing characters are so real, so believable, each one unique and passionate in his/her own way, I couldn't help but be drawn into the emotions and circumstances of their lives."
"It is impossible not to be drawn into the lives and emotions of the eminently believable characters."
More comments can be seen on the MuskokaNovels.com
I know exactly how you feel. I'm obsessed with my fictional characters, too. They seem as real to me as my own family, which they are, in a way. My problem is writing the stories that obsess me. You have no such problem. You are disciplined and dedicated. I should follow your lead and write out my obsession; write my stories down on paper. Writing is hard, but it's better than living with fictional characters running around in your head all day long.
ReplyDeletePS Where can I buy your books? They sound exciting! I would love to read them.
I start with an idea, but it's the characters who actually write the story. So sitting down at the computer every day is an adventure, as I'm never quite sure where they will take me! : )
ReplyDeleteMy books are available online at Mindshadows.com (see the link at the top right) and at select stores which are also listed on the website. Thanks so much for your interest, LadyJane!