This week’s prompt is: What would the back cover of your novel say? Try to make it as intriguing as possible. Remember, this is all readers have when trying to decide if they’re going to read your book or not. Do the best you can to convince a hypothetical reader to pick up your book.

Today I'm focusing on a story that Ashley and I are co-writing. It doesn't have a title yet, but it revolves around two characters... Quin and Andie. Here's the back cover version of their story:

Ever since they met in high school, Quinton Lancaster and Andie Giordano were inseparable. But now they're miles apart, broken up, and desperately missing each other (even though they won't admit it). Just when they thought they'd never see each other again, their brother and sister announce that they're getting married... which means the whole family will be there, much to Quin and Andie's dismay. When finally reunited and forced to confront their emotions, will Quin and Andie remember that their love is worth fighting for?

This week's A Novel Idea prompt is...

This week we are asking you to describe your character without using a picture. What do they look like? What do they wear? What is their personality like? Help us get to know your character without using any pictures at all!

As you may have noticed, a favorite pastime of mine is finding pictures of my characters and then using them in blog posts. So this is going to be an interesting but good challenge for me!

This week, I'm introducing Poppy Spencer, my character in the novel that Ashley and I cowrote together (and finished yesterday!!!). She's paired with Ty, whom Ashley introduced on her blog here.

Name: Poppy Elizabeth Spencer
Age: 23
Birthplace: Atlanta, GA
Birthday: March 14th
Physical appearance: Poppy has super curly sandy blonde hair and dark eyes. She has a heart-shaped face with a smattering of freckles on it. Her smile lights up her entire face. She's tall, lean, and a bit angular.
Style: Poppy can be found wearing anything from t-shirts and sweats to a sundress, depending on her mood. She's pretty feminine in what she wears and really enjoys wearing pretty outfits whenever she can, as long as they're comfortable too.
Personality: Poppy's personality, in a word, is sacrificial. She's loyal to her friends and family and would do anything for them, even if it hurts her. She's compassionate and empathetic and really sensitive. She has a sense of humor, and her favorite thing to do is be with her friends--particularly her best friend, Ty Mellaney. She can't cook at all, but she really loves to read, especially Nicholas Sparks. She says thank you way too often, much to the dismay of Ty. She is determined to see the good in everything, even when there's no good at all.
Backstory: Poppy's parents passed away when she was two, so her Aunt Mary took her under her wing and is her only family. Aunt Mary means more to her than anything, and her health is failing, so Poppy spends her days taking care of her and worrying about the day when Aunt Mary will no longer be there. She also works as a nanny for Ty's mom, which she loves doing. Despite the hard parts, Poppy is an eternal optimist, and she really does love her life.

Today for A Novel Idea, I'm going to try my darndest to get my writing juices flowing again. I got ahead in NaNo and promptly ended up... not writing. I'm writing now, but inspiation is still low. This is obviously a problem, so here I go.

CALM DOWN. CALM DOWN. I DIDN'T ACTUALLY KILL ANYONE. Just a character. Good. Now that that's settled, let's continue.

As shocking as this may be, I haven't actually killed any characters in my past 13~ years of writing. (Don't worry, I was surprised by this too.) I've planned to, of course. I just haven't ... gotten around to it.

So yesterday on November 10th, you can imagine my shock when suddenly, BAM! A beloved character of mine was dead. (I'm not telling you who, but it's in my NaNo novel. You may now look at the faces in my Beautiful Books post and wonder who it was.) I had planned on killing this person, but planning and writing it out are two different things. I decided to just power through the scene, and I did. (And it hurt like heck, but I digress.) I know I wrote it, but I was so into the zone that when I realized what I had done, it was still jarring. Suddenly, one of my favorite characters who I had just started to fall in love with was dead. (And an OTP = broken. < / 3)



Understandably, I am conflicted about what I have done. It's spawned a spin-off novel and added another dimension to a novel I've struggled to define all year. So that's fabulous. I got two new characters out of the death. From death is birthed life... Or something like that.

But at the same time, it's really frickin' sad. I know I'm taking a rather flippant tone in this post, but please know I don't take death lightly. In fact, it really sucks. And I especially want to be careful with my characters (since that's pretty much the only people's deaths I can control).

So here I sit, the day after killing my first character. And I'm wondering, should I have done that? I don't know. I think I'll leave it for now, at least until NaNo is over. But at what point is pain too much pain? What if I had kept him alive? What would the plot be then?

I'm mostly okay with what I have done, but my intensely loyal soul feels like I've just betrayed someone. (Ugh, I know, I know, it's not logical, but I'm not really ever logical.) And please don't misunderstand me, I do think there's a time and place for killing off characters. I just did not expect mine to be filled with these little tendrils of self-doubt.

I've been on a Def Leppard kick lately. Pour Some Sugar On Me has irrevocably become my character Hal's favorite song. I also made a playlist of his favorite songs on 8tracks. (I'm not sorry.) On this playlist is Photograph by Def Leppard, which I put on there only for the rockin' intro. I decided to actually listen to it though, and while that didn't lead to any heartbreaking story revelations, something else did.

When I searched for "Photograph" on Spotify, Photograph by Ed Sheeran came up as a search result as well. Being the Ed Sheeran fan I am, I queued that up to play right after my two (loud) Def Leppard songs. When I listened to it, I shamelessly had Hal and Evee in mind, because I had planned to do them for A Novel Idea. (They're going to be a romantic thing, I think.) And that song stopped me cold.

With Ed Sheeran's crooning voice and soft guitar strings, he could make you feel anything. And that he did. Though I've become more grumpy in my old age, beneath all of the outward sarcasm there is still a hopeless romantic who makes Evee and Hal as Sims and gives them children named Juniper and Lionel. And this hopeless romantic heard this Ed Sheeran song and positively melted. 
1. If their house was on fire, what are three things they would grab?
His computer, his iPod, and his flash drives.

2. What is one talent they would like to have?
Dancing.

3. If they could change one thing about themselves what would it be and why? 
He'd probably want to make himself less cynical, but he's torn between not liking his hard edges and loving them because they keep people out.

4. What living person do they most admire?
Stephen Hawking. (Despite the fact that this is probably set in the distant-future. Whoops. I have no idea what's going on, really.)

So here's the thing: I'm still knee-deep in what I hope is the last bit of Petrichor. But I am also working on the plot of my NaNo novel. Thus, I'm combining the two into this week's A Novel Idea! I'll be writing about Blade, Astrid, and Cobie from Petrichor, and then the two leading ladies from my NaNo novel: Jem and Evee, along with Jem's brother, Hal. Excitement all around!

Add to it that next Saturday I'll be recovering from having my wisdom teeth pulled, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to participate in A Novel Idea that round. So today I'd like to just go out (for now) with a bang!

A Novel Idea is a blog meme by Ashley @ Ashley Aspires. Every week, she posts questions about you, your writing, and your characters. It's a fabulous blog meme that I highly recommend--please do check it out! You can find this week's edition of it by going here.

And now, we begin!

Blade

(Though I've featured Blade before for Beautiful People and in a massive Petrichor post, this is only his second time being featured for A Novel Idea. Huzzah! I missed blogging about this guy.)

1. Have they started a family? If so, tell about them. If not, do they plan to?
No, definitely not. He doesn't have the money to support one, not to mention he's currently single. But he'd really, really love to.

2. Who would they turn to if they were in desperate need of help?
Blade is lucky in that he has a very large support system--but Astrid and Cobie would be his first picks.

3. Do they mind being in the midst of a large group of people?
No, but he does need to come home and recharge often.

4. Are they more of a leader or a follower?
Reluctant leader.

5. Do they care what others think of them? Why or why not?
Most of the time, no. He does care what his close friends think and wants them to call him on anything he's doing wrong, but other than that he doesn't have much time, drive, or energy to care about what people think.

Astrid

Hal

It's time for A Novel Idea again! I could hardly wait for the questions to premiere this week. And it was well worth the wait, because this has to be my favorite round of A Novel Idea questions yet. They're so good that I ended up just continuing to answer them about more and more characters because I loved how many simple facts they revealed. I mean, it's fascinating to consider what's on your character's nightstand, right?

At first I meant to feature only Cobie, then I meant to feature Cobie and Fiona. I had it written that way and everything. Then Damian and Astrid insisted on barging their way in. So here we go. *whispers to characters* I hope you're happy. Cobie and Astrid are from Petrichor, and Fiona and her best friend/love interest Damian are from the Because I'm Irish series.

If you haven't already checked out A Novel Idea, please do! It's hosted by Ashley @ Ashley Aspires and it's incredible, seriously. Check it out by going HERE, or by clicking the button at the bottom of this post.

Let us begin.


1. What is their favorite thing in the refrigerator? 
Milk. She loves a cold glass of milk. Also, ice cream. She's also, oddly, a fan of water.

2. What is on their nightstand right now?
A book that she hasn't ever read and has been collecting dust for two years (Catcher in the Rye). To give you an idea how long it's been there, she was assigned this book in high school, and she dropped out of high school a year or two ago. She also has an alarm clock and a vase full of dried purple flowers. (Her mother kept placing them there, but when she felt her efforts were not appreciated, eventually just gave up replacing them. Cobie secretly didn't mind the fresh flowers.)

3. It’s time for spring cleaning – what is easy to throw out and what is hard to let go of?
What's hard to throw out: her ripped clothes. Even though they're ripped and worn, she refuses to give them up. Some examples: her light blue ripped jeans (several pairs). She also will never get rid of her worn, banged up denim jacket.

4. They are getting ready for a night out. What are they wearing? Where are they going?
If Cobie is going to be forced to dress up, she'll be sultry about it. She'd be wearing a short, form-fitting red dress, with her hair up, carrying a clutch. She'd probably bring her rebel flair to it as well, maybe with some red nail polish or wearing casual footwear instead of appropriate footwear. (If she actually wanted to impress people and feel tall, she'd wear heels. If she didn't care, was forced to go, or wanted to stand out, she'd wear her combat boots. It all boils down to what mood she's in.)

As for where she's going, it would probably be a party or formal dance with her boyfriend, Ryker. Occasionally, she'll also have to attend church functions and dinner parties, as per her mom. (Those would be the occasions where she'd vengefully wear something rebellious. ;))

1. What is their favorite thing in the refrigerator? 
Cereal (though I know that's not really stored in the refrigerator, but you need one to get it...) Also, tangerines.

2. What is on their nightstand right now?
A lamp and a digital analog alarm clock, as well as a flyer from her band's latest tour, some Kleenexes, and her iPod.

3. It’s time for spring cleaning – what is easy to throw out and what is hard to let go of?
Fiona has a vivid memory and can remember things she wore on different days. So any item of personal significance is challenging for her to let go of. Even if there is a negative memory attached to something rather than a positive one, she still can't let it go. She keeps a lot of things. So the answer to the question of what is easy to throw out is... anything she can't remember wearing, anywhere. And what is hard to let go of: everything. Literally everything.

4. They are getting ready for a night out. What are they wearing? Where are they going?
1. What is their favorite thing in the refrigerator? 
Again... um, cereal. Also, soda.

2. What is on their nightstand right now?
Considering he hasn't been home in months, it's probably pretty bare (back at home in Ireland). As for his living situations, he alternates between the tour bus and Fiona's apartment in Because We Can, so he's pretty much living out of a duffel bag in both situations. He does have a shelf in his bunk, and on that is his Kindle, iPod, a spare book that he reads when he has time (The Great Gatsby), ear plugs to drown out the noises of the others in the bus, and a granola bar. For all those midnight snack times, of course.

3. It’s time for spring cleaning – what is easy to throw out and what is hard to let go of?
Damian is pretty laid-back about stuff and gets rid of things really easily. If it has extreme personal significance, like a sweater his grandma knit for him or something (which is probably very possible), he'll keep it, but otherwise he doesn't mind getting rid of stuff.

4. They are getting ready for a night out. What are they wearing? Where are they going?
1. What is their favorite thing in the refrigerator? 
Anything she can get her hands on, really. For her, food is more a necessity than something extremely adorable. I do think she probably likes carrots, though.

2. What is on their nightstand right now?
Her pistol, Mere Christianity, a flickery old lamp, and an old worn Bible her mom gave her that she hasn't bothered to move.

3. It’s time for spring cleaning – what is easy to throw out and what is hard to let go of?
Astrid would burn her old clothes and old things if she could--at least certain things. With the memories attached to them, she doesn't see the point in keeping them around.

4. They are getting ready for a night out. What are they wearing? Where are they going?

The questions for A Novel Idea this week seem to be tailor made for her, so I decided to feature her here. We'll see how this goes. Here we go.

1. Who are their parents? What are their names, occupations, etc? Are they close to their parents?
Luna is an anomaly in the YA genre: she actually has parents! And they love her! And she loves them!

Only problem is, I stink at coming up with parental names. (I always default to naming fathers, and all guy characters for that matter, Joe.) Let's see. Her father's name is Kevin and her mom's name is Isabelle. Her dad is a writer and her mom is a lawyer. They are both in their early 40s. (Subject to change.)

2. Do they have any siblings? If so, what are their names and ages?
Luna has an older brother and a younger sister. Her brother's name is tentatively Keller, and her sister's name is Annie. (Maybe? I don't know.) Keller is 21 and Annie is 11. I need to develop her family more, so this is all subject to change.

3. If they’re old enough, do they have a job?
Luna works part time at a malt shop, when her medical issues allow.

4. Are they right or left-handed? Or ambidextrous?
Left-handed!

5. Do they have any allergies or diseases of any kind?
Yes, Luna has an as-of-yet undefined spinal condition that very much motivates the story and drives the conflict forward. I'm not sure what it's called yet, but I'm working on it! It limits what she can do, though, and eventually drives her to have a surgery meant to help repair it and help her to recovery.

(But, like all good stories, this all does not go according to plan. *evil laughter*)

And, of course, Luna is a fairly new character, so all facts lying therein are subject to change.

1) What does your character regret the most in their life?
Sometimes he regrets not getting out of this town sooner to see the rest of the world. It's his home, and he'll always be tied back to it. He just wishes he had left on a road trip when he didn't have friends, a job, and other commitments to stay for.

I feel like there is a bigger regret too, and I think that would be not telling people how he felt about them, and not living his life with more of an open hand. He's trying to, but it's hard for him.

2) What is your character's happiest memory? Most sorrowful memory?
His happiest memory, in recent years, is opening up his tattoo shop when he was just 18.

For his happiest memory as a child, he only has fragments--a sunlit memory of swinging on a swingset. Waffles with powdered sugar on Christmas morning. But his past isn't a good one. It's--*dramatic TV announcer voice*--very fraught with sorrow. I'm not sure what happened--whether his parents died, or left, or what, but he has no family left. I'm assuming they died, but I'm not sure? His most sorrowful memory is when they died, or when they left, though.

Overall, his entire past is a box he tries to keep tightly locked and shut. He tries to live in the present as much as he can.

3) What majorly gets on your character’s nerves?
Fake people and small talk. Cigarette smoke, as well. Something tells me that the smell of cigarettes ties into his Most Sorrowful Memory (which is officially now a mystery that I will, eventually, solve). When someone is smoking, it makes him freak out because it's so triggering.

4) Do they act differently when they're around people as opposed to being alone? If so, how?
In some ways, yes, in some ways, no. Blade is constantly calm, quiet, and laid-back, whether he's around his best friends, a ton of people, in a professional situation, or sitting at home in his quiet living room. The only difference is, when he's alone, that's when he has too much time to think, and that's dangerous. The past and emotions he tries to keep locked up don't stay away when he's alone. That's why he tries to distract himself with words (reading books), friends, sketching, and work as much as possible.

5) What are their beliefs and superstitions? (Examples: their religion or lack of one, conspiracy theories, throwing salt, fear of black cats.) 
Blade believes that life is worth something, but he isn't sure what. When he was little, around 9, he grew up going to the church just like all the other Oakridge kids; he'd comb his hair and wear a cute little suit. That stopped, when his parents went away, though, and he hasn't been back since. He's been burned by the people there, and he's never seen a need to go back--both for the memories and the lack of desire.

He would probably be an agnostic, and he's not very superstitious. He believes life has a meaning, but he's still trying to find out why and what.

6) What are their catchphrases, or things they say frequently? 
All variations of this phrase: "I'm not in love with Astrid!" "I am not!" "I'm not in love with her!" (He totally is.)

7) Would they be more prone to facing fears or running from them? 
Physically, when the threat of violence comes to Oakridge, Blade is pretty much made for this kind of situation, and to stand strong against these threats. He'll step up as much as he can and do anything needed.

But as for emotional fears, he runs from them absolutely. (Like the fact that he has Very Strong Feelings for Astrid but is too afraid to tell her.)

8) Do they have a good self image? 
I want to say somewhat, but he actually has a low view of himself and he doesn't really give himself enough credit.

9) Do they turn to people when they're upset, or do they isolate themselves? 
He isolates himself, definitely. He'll lock himself up in his house and read tons of theological and philosophical books. He'll binge on them for no discernable reason, except to keep his mind off his problems.

10) If they were standing next to you would it make you laugh or cry?
I WOULD LAUGH AND CRY OF PURE JOY. AND THEN THROW MY ARMS AROUND HIM AND CRY.

(But really though. I probably would.)


If you want to do Beautiful People, be my guest! The linky runs until the end of August, and then on September 5th we'll have even more fabulous questions. Join us!

A Novel Idea is a weekly writing meme run by Ashley @ Ashley Aspires. Check it out by clicking the button below!

1. Where were they born? In a hospital, in their home, what city?

I bet you didn't think you'd see a post about Beautiful People again on this blog, did you?!

Neither did I, to be honest. But I was thinking about it, and I really miss doing these for my characters. Plus, there are a few characters (at least one) that I've been itching to develop, introduced here. So today, meet Kess! (P.S. Naturally she's got light brown hair, but she dyes her hair tons of crazy colors.)

(photoshopped by me)

What is their full name?
Kess Elizabeth Matthews. (Currently.)

Does his or her name have a special meaning?
Nope. Her mom made it up, said it reminded her of the sea and the air.

Does your character have a methodical or disorganized personality?
Methodical at work, disorganized at home. She has a certain level of organized chaos, but it's always organized.

Does he or she think inside themselves more than they talk out loud to their friends? (more importantly, does he or she actually have friends?)
She'll think inside, and then speak her thoughts out loud. She does a whole lot more meditation before actually saying something.

Is there something he or she is afraid of?
The unknown. Losing her job. Not being able to take care of her siblings, or losing them altogether.

Does he or she write, dream, dance, sing, or photograph?
She sings, but amateurly, and mostly rock. (Like AC/DC.)


What is his or her favorite book? (or genre of books)
The Book Thief. (I haven't read it, but I think she might like it.) Genre is literary fiction, and poetry.

Who is his or her favorite author and/or someone that inspires him or her?
Ray Bradbury.

Favorite flavor of ice cream?
Chocolate and vanilla. Yes, at the same time. Double-scooped.

Favorite season of the year?
Spring and fall.

How old is he/she? 
18.

What does he/she do with his/her spare time?
Read about scientific developments in the machinery world. Read, mostly.

Does he/she see the big picture or live in the moment? 
She likes to think of herself as a mix of both. But overall, she looks at the big picture. She can get overwhelmed thinking about the future. And for her job as a mechanic, she has to look at the big picture.

Is he/she a perfectionist? 
Pretty much, yeah.

What does her handwriting look like? (round, slanted, curly, skinny, sloppy, neat, decorative, etc.) 
Angular and straightforward; print rather than cursive.

Favorite animal? 
Cockatiel.

Does he/she have any pets? 
Her siblings have a lizard, yes.

Does he/she have any siblings? 
How funny you should ask! Yes.

How many? 
Two. A boy and a girl. Eight and seven years old. (For now.)

Where does he/she fit in?
On the fringes of the outside, where you wouldn't think to look.

Does he/she have a 'life verse' and if so what is it?
Nope. If and when she does pick up a Bible, though, she'd probably appreciate the poetic, introspective parts of Isaiah and Ecclesiastes.

Favorite writing utensil?
Pencils, but she doesn't mind pens either. Whatever it takes to get the job done. She carries around pencil stubs with her, though, in the pocket of her plaid overshirts.

(lately, at least.)

I turned 18 on the 15th of this month. It was such a weird experience. All at once, I feel not older, and yet older. It's scary to be an adult. Actually, flat out terrifying.

Along with my 18th birthday I got an iPod as a gift, which I'm incredibly grateful for! And with the iPod, I get to take (and post) more photos than ever before. (As well as get the long-coveted app, instagram!)

So here's some snapshots from my life.