Hello readers!
Today I thought I’d share some facts about my characters. If you read my book, you might know most of these, but I always love learning more about who I am reading about.
Personalities:
Tor Anderson:
Tor absolutely loves superheroes. He is actually very artistic, and draws his own comics. He collects action figures of the superheroes, and his collection takes up two long shelves in his bedroom at home. He also really enjoys surfing at the beach with his best-friend, Josh Robinson. He’s from California, and hates cold weather. Tor also enjoys making jokes, which don’t always have the best timing. Still, he enjoys playing the comic relief in times of crisis. Tor wishes he could have a power of his own. He doesn’t. Yet.
Athena:
Athena might be the most like me. She loves reading, reading and more reading. If she was a Harry Potter character, she’d be Hermione Granger. Athena talks very fast, while saying a lot of useful information. She also really likes being a goddess, and all the perks that come with it: flying, shape-shifting, reading minds, etc. She has a habit of muttering under her breath. Her favorite expression: “Mortals.” Athena has two magical spears, which teleport her to different places around the world. She’s always battling some sort of monster. Speaking of which, that gorgon just got out. Excuse me for a moment…
Luna Wong:
Luna is a very quiet person, and enjoys hobbies, like riding her horses, or writing letters to her brother, John. She is sometimes very shy, but can easily get along with lots of different people. Luna can also see well in the dark, a given, since her mother is a moon goddess. Luna uses a bag of Moondust, a special powder that obscures the vision of her enemies. Only she and her mother can see through the dust. Luna is a nice, friendly person, but she lacks physical strength. She is determined to get stronger.
Seth Frederick:
Seth is probably the most mysterious of my characters. His background is hidden from the others, and he lives in Chicago, homeless. He also likes reading, and enjoys learning about anything from biology, to mythological pantheons. He is stealthy, observant, and strong. His power is strength. Despite the pain that comes with it, the power of punching through solid materials like cement is a great one. Seth analyzes situations carefully, and tries to decide who to trust. He is cautious around other people. When he does answer questions, he’ll speak the truth, no matter how harsh it is. Sometimes, if you ask him a question, he won’t respond, but that’s because he’s trying to decide all your possible moves.
Analysis:
I love my characters.
I love what drives them, and what makes them unique. They each have individual aspects, and similarities.
Athena and Seth both love reading and clever strategies. Seth and Luna are both quiet and don’t speak up as much as the others. Tor and Athena are more comical characters, who tend to say funnier things. Tor and Luna are the nicest to strangers and random people.
While working on my first book, I realized some of my characters would talk almost identically to each other. I needed more distinction, so I wrote some revised profiles for them. This helped me figure out how to make them unique. The profiles talked about the characters’ lives before they met each other, and also what their personalities are.
When I wrote the profiles, I also transitioned away from what I called my first ‘draft’. (Really, it was the first half of the book.) I didn’t change that much, except different ways of saying the same thing. This made the book clearer.
Overall, I think my characters are good people: they try hard to do the right thing. I hope in the next two books, I will develop more backstory and character growth. From what I’ve written so far, I think I’m on the right track.
You can now get my book in paperback, on Amazon.com! I am looking forward to reading the reviews on the story, and thinking about what I should write next.
-Helena K. Hollander
Connection of the Worlds 