Beyond the Book: Bringing Your Characters To Life

Bringing Your Characters to Life

If you’re an author, you hope to create memorable characters who will help your story come alive and captivate your readers.  Most authors get to know their characters inside and out before they even begin a book, but how do they reveal their characters to the reader so that the reader understands the character too? 

First, we learn about characters through their speech.  What do you learn about Fred Emerson in this excerpt from A New Dream?

“Who brought you home?” demanded her father, Fred Emerson. “Where’s your car?”

“Alternator failure. It’s in the parking lot at work. The new manager, Matt McCallum, brought me home.” Violet hugged her mother Beth and her sister Jessie who both had a big pile of beans in front of them.

“You could have called me,” her father insisted.

Violet hung her purse on the coat rack near the door. “I knew you were busy with the garden stuff, Daddy. He offered, and I didn’t see any reason to turn him down.”

Fred snapped a bean with more vigor than necessary. “McCallum acted like a gentleman, I hope. Some of those pro-ball players don’t behave too well.”

Violet frowned. “He was a perfect gentleman, Daddy.”

“Good.” Fred tossed a handful of beans into a dishpan.  “He’d better continue to be. I won’t tolerate anybody messing with my daughters. I don’t know what the world’s coming to these days.”

Right off the bat we know that Fred is an old-fashioned, maybe overly protective father.

We also learn about characters from their appearance.  What do you learn about my bad girl Stacey?  She’s also from A New Dream.

Her style hadn’t changed much since she ran out on him. She still dressed to attract attention, and judging from the expression on several nearby male faces, she hadn’t lost her touch. She was wearing a short skirt, knee boots, and a sweater that was probably half a size too small. She looked as chic, expensive, and sexy as she ever had, but the sultry, come-hither look he’d always loved didn’t do much for him now.

So, Stacey’s an extrovert, sexy, likes men, and probably uses her looks to get what she wants.  We also learn that when the going got tough, Stacey ran out on my hero.

A character’s private thoughts also tell us what he/she is like.  What do you find out about my New Dream hero Matt McCallum?  Matt was a pro-football player who lost his career when he lost a leg in an accident.

He had worked like a dog on that leg, but he still limped, and it felt like knives stabbed him with every step he took. His career was over, and he had lost almost everything he had loved and valued. Yeah, he felt drained.

Nevertheless, he always kept such dark thought to himself. God forbid he should invite anyone’s pity! He’d rather be dead first.

We see that Matt is depressed over the changes in his life.  We also see that he’s a proud man who doesn’t want anyone’s pity.

We also learn about characters from the way others see him and react to him.  In this excerpt, my New Dream hero told my heroine that he won’t leave her porch until she talks to him even though the weather is icy and bitter cold.

Dinnertime came and went, and Matt still sat on the porch.  “I’m going to take him something to eat,” Beth declared. “He has to be starving.”

Violet guessed her mother was right. Matt had once told her that the effort of walking with a prosthesis burned additional calories, but the picture of Stacey etched in her brain hardened her heart. “He isn’t your problem, Mother. Leave him alone.”

Nerves on edge, Violet started to cry, and when she did Beth tackled Fred. “Fred Emerson, you do something right now! I’m not having it on my conscience if that young man freezes to death on my front porch, especially since I believe he’s telling the truth.”

“Mother! I thought you were on my side!”

Fred pounced on her statement like a cat on a catnip mouse.  “I knew it! You’ve always liked him.”

“Well, you do something, and I mean now!”

Don’t you think it says a lot about Matt’s character that my heroine’s mother believes he’s innocent of betraying her with another woman? 

A character’s actions will reveal a lot about them too.  What do you think this excerpt says about Matt?

 Matt patted old Mrs. Watson on the arm. “I’m sorry for the confusion, ma’am.”

Bristling with indignation, the woman nodded her head.  “See to it that it doesn’t happen again.”

As she stalked away, the red-faced cashier blurted out. “I wasn’t wrong.”

“I know it, but she’s old. Make a note of the amount, and I’ll put it in the register.” He winked at the cashier who no longer looked upset.

He smiled when he turned around and saw Sam Dickson watching him. “Coffee in my office?”

“Well, we aren’t going to drink it in the produce section are we?” Sam quipped.

 He’s kind to old ladies?  This is a nice guy!  A keeper!

If you're interested in A New Dream, you can get it at http://www.amazon.com/Rest-Thy-Head-Elaine-Cantrell-ebook/dp/B00NTAXTOC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439259054&sr=8-1&keywords=rest+thy+head

Beyond the Book: A New Dream

What’s your dream?  Have you achieved it yet?  As an adolescent most people formulate grand dreams, some of which aren’t based on reality, and this is a good thing.  During adolescence we should explore all the possibilities before our values and talents dictate what we ultimately become in life.  For some people reality dictates that we settle for something less than what we wanted.  Luckily, most of us find happiness in our new, revised dreams and have a fulfilling life.

Guess what I wanted to be when I was a child?  I wanted to be Miss America.  My family made a big deal out of watching the Miss America pageant every year.  My aunts and girl cousins would all come over, and we’d eat snacks, criticize the talent competition, and try to pick the winner.  Well, I didn’t become Miss America.  Instead, I became a social studies teacher, wife, mother, grandmother, and finally an author.  Am I content?  Yes, I am.  My life is full and happy.

But what would happen if you had a huge dream that came to pass and gave you everything you’ve ever wanted, and then you lost it?  Could a replacement dream ever take the place of the first one?

That’s exactly what happens to Matt McCallum, my hero in A New Dream.  Matt achieves his dream of playing for the NFL.  He was a first round draft pick for the Green Bay Packers, and during his rookie year, he kicked the winning field goal in the Super Bowl.  He has fame, money to burn, and a sexy fiancée.  For Matt, life doesn’t get any better than this.  And then he loses it all when a car wreck takes his career away.  All that self-discipline, focus, and hard work counts for nothing now.

My husband sometimes reads for me, and when he read A New Dream, he threw a fit.  We share a home office so I spun my chair around to see what was wrong when he snarled, “I hate this book.”  

“Buy why?” I asked.  “I like it.”

“You shouldn’t take his career away,” he answered.  

I ignored him.  Matt was going to lose his career no matter what.  My husband didn’t understand that I was tired of perfection.  I mean, come on, how many times have you read that a hero has sculpted abs, craggy features, and makes the heroine’s knees go weak the minute he walks into the room?   

 Yeah, I hear you.  You like drop dead gorgeous heroes.  Matt McCallum has all of the above qualities, but I wanted do a little something extra, something that would make him stand out from the pack. 

I wanted to show how Matt’s rather superficial life gives way to something deeper, stronger, and more fulfilling, and to do that he had to lose everything.  As one of my readers said, “Sometimes you have to lose everything to make way for something better.” 

The second edition of A New Dream is now available for $2.99 at Amazon and most all online retail outlets. You can buy it in either electronic or print format.

Check Out the Second Edition of A New Dream

The second edition of A New Dream is ready for purchase. Don't you love the cover. A New Dream was one of those books that grabbed me and wouldn't let go. As I made a video for the book, I started to sympathize so much with my hero that what I'd done to him almost broke my heart!

Here's the first part of the prologue.

Prologue

The red convertible cut a path through the moonlight, its headlights dancing along the arched limbs of the trees above the road.

“Oh, Matt, it’s such a beautiful night,” Stacey declared with a sigh. “I’m going to miss you when you leave tomorrow.”

Matt reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’ll miss you too, but if I don’t report on time, I’m in trouble with the coach.”

“That’s what I get for falling in love with a pro football player,” Stacey teased, her blonde hair turned to frosted silver by the light of the full moon above them.

Matt squeezed her hand that wore his engagement ring. “It’s too late to back out now,” he said with a smile. “You’re mine.”

“Mmm, do I like the sound of that!”

The car rounded a curve, and without warning a deer bounded across the road. “Look out!” Stacey screamed.

Matt braked sharply to avoid the animal. The tires slid on a patch of loose gravel in the road, and he lost control of the convertible. It fishtailed and started to spin in the road.

Matt hauled the steering wheel to correct the slide, but it was useless. The car turned around once more and skidded backwards for a short distance before it charged off the road. It jumped a steep ditch and went airborne. All Matt could see was a blur of trees and darkness as the car careened into the woods. It made a lazy turn in the air and came to rest bottom side up.

The last thing he remembered was the sound of Stacey’s screams. 

Buy link:   http://www.amazon.com/New-Dream-Elaine-Cantrell-ebook/dp/B004TAWHO4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435249589&sr=8-1&keywords=a+new+dream

The book is also available at most all online retail outlets.

First Position

First Position

by Prescott Lane

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

Emory faces life’s challenges at the one place that’s never failed her, the ballet barre.  But even the barre can’t steady her when fate brings her face-to-face with her old college flame, Mason, who’s hoping to return to the NFL after a career-threatening injury.  Before they can surrender to their sexual desires and find salvation in each other’s arms, they need to come to terms with their past.  Mason must confront the demons that have set him on a path of self-destruction, while Emory must decide whether to keep her painful secrets locked away, or expose them and risk losing the love of her life.  But nothing can prepare Mason for what Emory has kept hidden, or the possibility that he himself may be to blame for the very secrets she keeps – and why they continue to haunt her.

 

 

Excerpt:

 

 

“So, little miss, want to fess up to what you were doing yesterday?”

“Well, it depends,” she said.  “Before or after, I threw my half-naked body at Mason?”

Wesley dropped the knife.  “Excuse me?”

 

Tomás raised his eyebrows and gave her a smile.  “It was just for a little while,” she said playfully.

 

“How little?” Wesley munched on his biscuit.

“Not too long.”

 “How naked?”

“I told you -- about half.”

“Which half?”

“A little of both.”

“Both breasts?”

“No.  Top and bottom.”

“Is that so?”  Wesley took a sip of his drink, thoughtfully considering what she’d said, like he was some kind of philosopher.  “Any action?”

“I tried.”

“How hard?”

“Pretty hard.”

“Was he?”  Wesley grinned at Tomás and took another bite of his biscuit.

“Shut up,” she said blushing.  “We decided it was best to take things slow.”

“That’s too bad,” Wesley said, and Tomás slapped his arm.  “In all seriousness, I’m happy for you.”

“Me too,” Emory said, rising from the table with her and Tomás’ plates. 

Wesley grabbed her shoulder and whispered in her ear, “Did you tell him?”  Emory shook her head walking to the sink, and Wesley shot her a disapproving look.  Tomás eyed them both curiously.  “He deserves to know!”

 Tomás mouthed to Wesley, “Know what?”  Wesley shook his head that it was none of his business.

 “No lectures, Wesley.”  She scrubbed the plates.  “Let me enjoy myself and Mason before I ruin it.” 

 “You need to stop running,” Wesley said.

 “I’ll stop when you stop.”

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Prescott Lane is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and graduated from Centenary College in 1997 with a degree in sociology. She went on to Tulane University to receive her MSW in 1998, after which she worked with developmentally delayed and disabled children. She currently resides in New Orleans with her husband and two children.

 

Social Media

 

https://www.amazon.com/author/prescottlane

 

facebook.com/PrescottLane1

 

www.twitter.com/prescottlane1

 

 

 

The author will be giving away 5 electronic copies of First Position to randomly drawn commenters, so follow her tour and comment often.  You can find her schedule at

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/11/virtual-super-book-blast-tour-first.html

 

 

Saturday Sample: A New Dream

Welcome to Saturday Sample. My excerpt today comes from A New Dream. In this excerpt, my hero and heroine have just attended their friend's wedding.

Violet gasped as Matt’s blond head bent over hers. Their lips

met in a searing kiss that made Violet tremble. Need threatened to

swamp her.

 

She felt her face turn pink and gave thanks for the dark,

which hid her reaction. All Matt had to do was touch her, and she

turned into a quivering mass of Jell‑O!

 

As Matt’s arms firmly encircled her shoulders, he kissed her

again. When she felt his lips against her throat, Violet made a little

sound somewhere between a gasp and a groan and clenched his

shoulders. Cold chills raced up her arms.

 

Matt raised his head and tilted Violet’ chin upward.

 

“What’s wrong?” Violet whispered. She shut her eyes and slid over

in the swing so she could get closer to him. Thank goodness he had

removed his jacket. She could feel his shoulders so much easier that

way.

 

“Violet, look at me.”

 

 

Violet sighed and opened her eyes. “What is it?” she

whispered again.

 

Matt stroked the side of her face with a gentle hand. “You’re

the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.” He dropped a kiss on her hair

and settled her head against his shoulder. You don’t act like you’re

ashamed to be seen with me, and I …well…thank you for that.”

 

 

“I like the way you smell,” Violet answered, too caught up

in the feel of him against her to pay much attention. “Is it after

shave, or is it just you?”

 

 

“Violet are you paying attention to me?”

 

 

“Hmm?”

 

 

Violet heard a smile in his voice. “Nothing.”  His lips tasted

hers while the moon beamed down upon the lovers on the front

porch.

Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/A-New-Dream-ebook/dp/B004TAWHO4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381542392&sr=8-1&keywords=a+new+dream+by+elaine+cantrell

Beyond the Book: Football Fever

Do you like football?  I sure do, especially since I married a former NFL player.  Violet Emerson, Elaine's heroine in A New Dream, here. 

Personally, I first learned about football when I was in high school.  I didn’t miss a single high school football game until my senior year.  After I graduated from high school, I went off to college and became a Clemson Tiger.  Then I got married, and my husband taught me to watch NFL football on TV. 

So, why do we devote sometimes an entire day going to a football when there are so many other things we could be doing?  First, we do it because we like the game.  We get a thrill out of watching the game and dissecting what everyone on the field should have done.  And of course that includes the coach!

Second, we do it because there’s a social aspect to it.  We get to see our friends and exchange news.  One of the most important social aspects is tailgating.  Have you ever done that?  On the day of my college football game we have a picnic out of our cars, vans or SUVs in the stadium parking lot.  Some people pick up a bucket of KFC, but others bring their grills and cook steaks.  If you can think of a menu, you can find it.  Many local restaurants have picnic baskets that you can pick up on your way to the game.    You see paper plates, plastic dinnerware, and in a few cases nice china.  Oh, and some people bring liquid refreshment.

Third, we get to live vicariously through the team and the cheerleaders.  For a few hours we can pretend we’re a star.

And fourth, it gives us a sense of satisfaction and tradition to participate in a fall ritual that’s been going on for many years. 

The team that I follow most closely is the Green Bay Packers.  It's no secret why. My sweet husband Matt McCallum was one of the best kickers the NFL ever had.

If you’ve never caught football fever, let me get you started.  First of all, buy a team jersey.  Then, pick up some hot wings, nachos, or whatever it is you like to snack on.  Invite as many of your friends as you can accommodate in your home, and then sit back and enjoy yourself.    

Blurb for A New Dream

What do you do when you lose everything?

After an auto accident destroys his pro-football career, Matt McCallum struggles to find a new dream for his life, but nothing engages him the way football did. After a stint in rehab, he takes a job managing a grocery store where he meets Violet Emerson.

Violet works in the bakery department, but her dreams carry her far beyond the doors of Chef’s Pantry. As soon as she can save the money, she plans to open a catering business. And she thinks the new manager’s broad shoulders and blue eyes are simply divine.

Thrown together at work, Matt and Violet find a common dream for their lives, but a loose end from Matt’s past returns to jeopardize their future. Will love be enough to save their new dream before it turns into a nightmare?

Buy Link

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_30?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=a+new+dream+by+elaine+cantrell&sprefix=a+new+dream+by+elaine+cantrell

Reviews

Romance Junkies Read the full review at http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/contemporary/A_New_Dream.shtml 

RJ gave A New Dream a 4.5 and said, A NEW DREAM is a wonderful contemporary romance with heartwarming characters and heartfelt moments. Elaine Cantrell creates a beautiful, believable relationship with old fashioned values that adds sweetness to the story. All of her characters were likable with emotions and reactions that one can relate to. My favorite though had to be the hero Matt, who had to face a very difficult reality. His growth and the way Ms. Cantrell portrayed his struggles with coming to terms with the changes in his life was nicely done. This is one of the best inspirational romances I’ve read in a while.

Romantic Times gave a New Dream 4 stars and said,

Readers will love this touching and inspirational story in which a former football player learns to live his life under new terms after a tragic accident.  As he journeys toward a new dream he meets (Violet) and falls in love.

Me and the small hooman like football 2. I'm a Packers fan.

Spread the Word Contest

Word of mouth is the best advertising for any book, and since I have a new release, I’d love for readers to help me spread the word.  In return, I’m offering a chance to win three nice prize packages.

Package 1 consists of a signed paperback copy of my own Return Engagement, Return to Sullivan’s Island by Dorothea Benton Frank, and Twin Targets by Marta Perry.

Package 2 consists of a signed paperback copy of my own A New Dream, All Other Nights by Dara Horn, and Night of the Wolves by Heather Graham.

Package 3 consists of a signed copy of Return Engagement, Christmas Peril by Margaret Daly and Debby Giusti, and Lip Service by Susan Mallery.

In addition, I’m offering a grand prize, a $10 gift certificate from Astraea Press to the person who makes at least three contacts for me.  (All people who make three contacts will be entered in a drawing for the grand prize.)

Okay, now how does this work?  It’s simple.  Post on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, Goodreads etc and tell people about A New Dream.  You can also write a review to post on Amazon, Goodreads,  Barnes and Noble etc.   (Reviews must be done during the contest dates.)  You get one entry for each unique location you help spread the word.

After you do your post, review, etc, send me an email at admin@elainecantrell.com telling me where you helped spread the word.  Also, leave me your email.  I’ll use a random number generator to draw the winners.  If you like, you can leave your information in the comment section instead of sending the email.

The contest begins today and ends August 31.  Here’s the info you might need to help spread the word.

A New Dream

Publisher: Astraea Press

Author: Elaine Cantrell

Buy Links: http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=2676585  and 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_30?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=a+new+dream+by+elaine+cantrell&sprefix=a+new+dream+by+elaine+cantrell

I'm on cloud nine after reading my review in the August issue of Romantic Times.  They gave A New Dream 4 stars (that means a compelling page turner) and said:

Readers will love this touching and inspirational story in which a former football player learns to live his life under new terms after a tragic accident.  As he journeys toward a new dream he meets (Violet Emerson) and falls in love.

Thanks in advance for helping me spread the word.