A quick note before I start: Occasionally, when time allows, I try to comment back on my own blog and personally respond to each of you. I've replied to each the comments on my posts about Flynn and Aragorn, respectively, so if you happened to comment on either of those, do go check it out.


And now for our regular scheduled programming.


Despite their insane amount of lovability, these characters have given me a ton of trouble. They're not really that much more troublesome than Avary and Ryan now that I think about that, but these two have taken their own sweet time in introducing themselves to me. Their own sweet long time.

But now I finally think I've gotten a handle of who they are. Mostly. So, I'm pleased to finally introduce you to them.

Bailey and Sawyer. No last name (yet). They're siblings, so don't let them fool you otherwise, even though they look nothing alike. They are the remaining two principal characters in my novel Souvenirs of a Life Untold. Along with Ryan and Avary, they have to save the world. Sound interesting? Cliche at best? Yeah, it gets a bit better than that, but it's a secret. Muahaha.

So, this is my second post for Beautiful People this month. (First one was here.) You may have noticed that this month's round of BP is late. Not to worry, it's coming soon, once real life stops getting in the way. In the meantime, enjoy.

1. Do they believe in anything that most people think is impossible?

Both Sawyer and Bailey have been raised by a scientist, so they’ve been raised to think logically. As such, logic often takes priority in comparison to imagination, unfortunately.

They’ve both been dreamers in some way, however. Bailey is an artist, which is where she’s fueled her imagination for as long as she can remember. It was sort of her coping mechanism in a world where logic is first.

Sawyer was a boy with dreams. He wanted to fly. Because of this, he became a scientist like his father. The only problem with this is that he’s lost his ability to dream. No, he hasn’t lost it completely. It’s still there. It just needs to be found among the solemnity and mathematical equations.

They are logical. Calculated. But don’t let them fool you. Deep down, both of them want to believe.

2. Are they strong, or the "damsel/knight in distress" sort?

Along with the logic, their father raised them to think for themselves and draw upon their inner strength. This is a problem, however, because often they can be too independent. Bailey has suffered the most from this, because behind her tough exterior she just wants to be loved… and saved. She would never show it, though.

Sawyer is a bit different because his strength tends to be genuine. He knows what he wants, where he’s going, and it’s not fake (most of the time). Still, as most of us well know, independence can be a good character trait, but it can also be a flaw. And like the evil author that I am, I look forward to exploring this flaw of his. *evil laughter*

3. Do they have a special place? (e.g. a corner in his/her bedroom, under a tree...)

Bailey’s is her studio. Filled with canvasses on the walls and even on the floor (if she’s running out of space), it’s her safe haven. Tarps cover the floor, speckled with paints of all colors. She retreats there more often than not. If you need to find Bailey, look in her studio.

Sawyer is similar. He has a studio as well, except it would be more fitting to refer to it as his laboratory. It’s a corner of his dad’s lab, where he pores over scientifical stuff 99.9% of the time. In comparison to the vivid colors of Bailey’s studio, Sawyer’s is pretty boring. I can see bits and pieces of this in my head. A desk covered with sheafs of paper which are scribbled upon in pencil. The desk glows, like every good sci-fi desk should do. There are models of various things, whether it’s a plastic model of an atom or a body part. Overall, it’s a very nerdy atmosphere to live in, and Sawyer the Nerd fits right in. It’s also been a huge part in shaping who he is today. (Nerd and all.)

4. What occupation do they have, or plan on having?

Bailey: Professional artist, hands down. She couldn’t dream of anything else.
Sawyer: Scientist. As I’m sure you’ve guessed already.

5. Describe their current place of residence.

Sawyer’s automatic response to this was, “Home.” Plain and simple.

Still, I think you want to know more, eh? *sigh* I suppose I have to tell you then. The things I do for my blog readers. (Totally joking there; I love you guys.)

Bailey, Sawyer, and their father, Dr. Flanigan, live in a giant laboratory on a star whose identity is currently uncertain. (Translation: I’m still trying to think of a name.) It’s huge. Dr. Flanigan uses his lab to study the stars and everything related to astronomy. It doubles as their home as well, with bedrooms on a separate wing.

The main room of the lab is where Dr. Flanigan does much of his scientifical-stuffz. A corner of it belongs to Sawyer, of course. It’s mainly stark white, with a lot of bright lights and the occasional dim hallway or two that branches off from it. There’s also a time warp bubble in the center of the room. Oh yeah. You’re really curious about that last one, aren’t you?

6. Explain their last crisis. How had they changed when they came out of it?

Well, remember that one time when green aliens invaded their home and made everyone eat Lucky Charms 24/7? That was pretty traumatic.

I’m kidding. I have no idea. I’ll think on it, k?

7. If they could drive any kind of car they wanted, what would it be?

Bailey would drive a red convertible with a black roof.

Sawyer? A Jeep. Totally. A green one. I don’t know why, that’s just what he wants.

8. How do they deal with change?

Bailey deals with it in a very calculated, cold manner. However, on the inside, she wants to scream and throw a total fit about it. Sometimes she does.

Sawyer rolls with the punches pretty well, oddly enough. Not sure why he’s able to be such a good sport about it, but he is. I love that kid.

9. If they had to amputate one body part, which one would they choose?

Bailey would never, ever, ever amputate her hands. She needs them to paint and do all the wonderful artsy stuff that she can’t live without. If it came down to it, she’d probably choose a foot. It would do a minimal amount of damage compared to amputating her leg, and she could easily paint from a wheelchair. However, she wouldn’t be able to paint with her feet by walking all over the canvas like she sometimes does when she’s bored, but it’s a minimal loss in comparison to losing a hand.

Sawyer thinks he could live without his left hand, but he couldn’t. In reality, it would be an immense frustration for him not to be able to do experiments and the like. So, in lieu of that, I’m going to say a foot as well. I hate to be a copycat since Bailey already chose that one, but Sawyer really can’t lose a hand, as much as he thinks he can.

10. What would their favorite be at the local coffee shop?

Bailey loves green tea, or caramel Frappuccino with tons of whipped cream.

Sawyer? He really doesn’t care. At all. He’ll get anything that’s got caffeine in it, even if it tastes like stale pancakes or something equally horrid.

And here are the extra 5:

1. How did they meet?

They met when Sawyer was three and Bailey was two. For circumstances yet to be determined, Bailey was adopted, and Sawyer and she became friends at a very young age. To this day they are very close, though their relationship has been tainted a bit as it ages, as all relationships are.

2. How do these two deal with conflict?

Bailey goes and hides in her room and cries if it’s at all possible. She doesn’t want anyone to see she’s upset, but occasionally she’ll yell.

Sawyer will also occasionally yell. Thus, their conflicts have the possibility of getting quite heated. It may be a loud argument, and it may not. It just depends. As Sawyer would tell you, the chances are about 50/50 each way. He’s done the calculations himself.

3. Do they have a special song, phrase, item, or place?

Whenever they visited town, the two of them would sit together on the curb at the ice cream shop and eat ice cream. Sawyer would get chocolate ice cream, double scooped. Bailey, strawberry and vanilla. Those were the good old days. They should go back again as teenagers, for old times’ sake, don’t you think?

4. What kind of things do they like to do together?

Play Scrabble. (Or whatever the fantasy/sci-fi equivalent is.) Sawyer and Bailey are both a beast at word games, being geniuses and all that. They also like to go on long walks together. Other than that, they like to hang out and talk. And other than that, they have a pretty boring life.

5. Describe their relationship as a whole in 3 words or less.

Turbulent, but constant.

It's always hard for me to decide which characters to use for BP, and it was doubly hard this time around. You already know these two, but it was rather nervewracking to post them since they've become incredibly close to my heart. Avary and Ryan are in my Camp NaNo novel, tentatively titled Souvenirs of a Life Untold. They have an... interesting relationship.

1. Do they believe in anything that most people think is impossible?

Avary is a dreamer, so yes. She’s always dreamed of the unknown. It surprises her when something impossible actually does happen in the story, but it’s more exciting to her than anything.

Ryan, on the other hand, is incredibly skeptical. He’ll eventually figure things out for himself, but it takes a while.

2. Are they strong, or the "damsel/knight in distress" sort?

Ooh. Tough question. Avary is a mixture of strong and dependent. She has forced herself to become emotionally strong, and yet she still needs other people—more than she’d like to admit.

Ryan is not a knight in distress. He can take care of himself, thank you very much.

3. Do they have a special place? (e.g. a corner in his/her bedroom, under a tree...)

Avary has two. The forest surrounding her house, and her windowseat. She’ll retreat to either place with a notebook and a fountain pen and scribble away.

Ryan doesn’t really have a special place because he moves on so often. However, he’s most comfortable in the woods. I suppose that’s one thing he and Avary have in common.

4. What occupation do they have, or plan on having?

Avary would like nothing better than to be a writer and have her novels published. She’s a private person, though, so sharing her writing is scary. That’s her eventual goal, though.

Ryan has already found a suitable occupation, and that is a jack of all trades. He does carpentry and fixing things, mostly.

5. Describe their current place of residence.

Avary lives in a white clapboard house with a giant front porch and green shutters. It’s located in the rural area, about 30 minutes from town, in the middle of a giant forest with a minimal amount of neighbors and distractions.

Ryan’s place of residence changes so often that it’s hard to tell. He’ll stay in a place for a few weeks or at best a month, and then move on. Usually he holes up in the local inn and just pays for an extended visit.

6. Explain their last crisis. How had they changed when they came out of it?

Avary’s last crisis is hard to pinpoint. I do believe it involved someone leaving her, a broken relationship, or someone betraying her trust. After that, she changed by resolving to not trust so easily. To this day, she finds it hard to let people into the deepest parts of her heart. Further details are something I have no idea about yet. She hasn’t seen fit to tell me.

Ryan’s last true crisis had two parts. Years ago, his father left his family for good. As a boy the age of six, it was incredibly hard for him to comprehend and accept. He once was an innocent little boy with wide eyes and a joy for living. He changed into a scarred individual with a limited amount of trust and a gypsy soul that can’t find a place where he feels at home.

The second crisis he faced was when he left his family behind, just like his father had. He still to this day cannot stop regretting the choices he made that day.

7. If they could drive any kind of car they wanted, what would it be?

Ryan would drive a navy blue pickup truck, and that’s exactly what he drives right now. He purchased it at the age of 16 and has put it through more than normal cars go through in a lifetime. He and his truck has a strange bond, and he doesn’t see the point in getting a new one. As far as he’s concerned, he already has his dream car.

Avary would drive a VW bug.

8. How do they deal with change?

Avary resists it with everything in her. She hates it. It scares her. On the flip side, she craves adventure, which goes hand in hand with change. So I suppose she has a love/hate relationship with it. She’s a complex individual, that one is.

Ryan, on the other hand, accepts it. He thrives on it. It’s the only way he can keep his mind off of all the mistakes he’s made in the past.

9. If they had to amputate one body part, which one would they choose?

Avary would choose her left hand. She needs her right one to journal and write novels, and she needs her feet in order to go to the places she chooses. She would be at a loss when using a typewriter, of course, but that would be a small loss compared to losing the ability to write with a pen and walk to her hiding places.

Ryan can’t afford to lose any of his appendages, so he’d choose to amputate a finger. That would cause the minimal amount of damage and allow him to still continue his work.

10. What would their favorite be at the local coffee shop?

Ryan takes his coffee either black or with a tiny bit of cream. No sugar. He likes it bitter.

Avary likes coffee in any form, and will drink it black if need be, but she prefers coffee with cream and sugar. She also loves strawberry lemonade, which is conveniently sold at the local café.



Part Two

1. How did they meet?

Ryan passes through her town, and they meet somehow. Potentially. This is still to be determined.

2. How do these two deal with conflict?

Ryan is intensely hard to deal with in conflict. Avary feels the need to talk things out, whereas Ryan just totally closes up and shuts down. This makes their arguments very difficult and sometimes quite heated.

3. Do they have a special song, phrase, item, or place?

“Don’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”

4. What kind of things do they like to do together?

Oh, um, I don’t know. Save the world. Travel the galaxy. Stuff like that.

5. Describe their relationship as a whole in 3 words or less.

Hard to crack.