WHAT IS IT ABOUT A FICTIONAL CHARACTER
THAT IS MEMORABLE TO YOU?
Does he or she pop into your mind now and then?
Can you feel yourself reacting as she or he would?
Today during a radio interview (link below) we talked about my four books with a focus on the fictional two and their strong characters, which readers have given thumbs up to along with the stories dialogue.
For many if not all, the characters writers create are not just imaginary people, they are real. Writers know everything about them and at times as the story moves on new aspects develop even surprising the writer.
Creating each character was a pure joy to my imagination, using a few people I've met over a life time and at times mixed and matched personalities and characteristics morphing them into one character in the story.
Think of some characters you've met in life. Why would you describe them as "a real character"? What made them memorable? How they spoke? Dressed? Wore their hair? What? Take note - you might at some time describe that character to another.
In the The Skye in June the father, Jimmy MacDonald, is a hardworking, hard drinking dour man, husband and father to all girls. He dominates his family and in return they find ways to deter his control. Readers' reviews comment how they could hear Jimmy bellow and the girls plot how to get rid of their father.
A feather in my cap: "Skye" was also chosen for a college class talk (read below Amazon review.)
In my second novel, City of Redemption, you'll meet a Toni, a smart, gutsy woman in love with her Black Panther man, Bobby, a rather brooding, serious man. Toni's studying to be a lawyer while taking a role in the Panther's cause. A noble woman with deep value for the legal system. She's loyal to those who gain her trust like Liz the stories protagonist. Now there's a complicated woman.
During the interview on Off The Shelf radio show we also talked about my non-fictions - listen to the show here. Please leave a comment here or after listening to the show.
Please leave a comment - word or two and learn more about my books and me at juneahern.com Thank you.
Amazon Review in part:
As a historian and women's studies professor, I often look for books that my students
might enjoy.
I finished this novel yesterday and used it as a jump off point in class today when
discussing witchcraft.
The story is multi-faceted with many threads for different type of readers. You have
the classic immigrant tale of coming to America. Or you can enjoy the context of a
Scottish Catholic family in San Francisco in the 1950s. You have a story of a seriously
dysfunctional family, an abusive father and a depressed mother and how the children
learn to cope.
You have a wonderful story of sisterhood and the constant struggle to create those
bonds even in early childhood. And then there is the story of June, the center of the
novel. June, from her earliest years, was different from her siblings.
She saw and heard things, strange ethereal things. Originally cast off as a child's
wild imagination, her behavior created serious problems with her family, her faith,
and ultimately within herself.
