I know that’s a screwy title, but I was thinking about the
mind of a writer and how we observe everything. It gets me in trouble a lot, especially when
dear hubby catches me eyeing a gorgeous man.
But what I am really calculating is his “hero-ness”. Why is he appealing? What physical traits does he have? How does
he move? How does he speak? Is he cocky or arrogant and a real alpha, or
the kind of Beta man who doesn’t realize his own appeal?
I do this with women too, but for some odd reason, hubby
doesn't mind me noticing them. It doesn't register with him, so I get away with it a lot more. But again, when I see a celebrity whether it
be on TV or movie or even meet an interesting woman in real life, I’m wondering
if she could be my heroine. What traits
does she have? Does she bat her eyes or push her hair away
from her face when she’s nervous? Is her
voice pitchy or do the sounds come out soft and smooth? Is her smile infectious? Is she a good friend? Does she own a
business? Is she a single mom, raising a
child?
When I create my characters, often I don’t know them really
well until midway into the story. As the
pages turn, I learn and observe and I find motivation. Usually, I have an idea of what my
hero/heroine will do in a certain circumstance…but not always. My characters often surprise me. Which is weird in itself, because I’m the author,
I’m designing the story and I am in control…or
am I?
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| Friends from RWA- LARA Chapter |
Too many times my characters say or do something I didn’t
know they would. For instance, in The
Cowboy Contract, when it was time for Trey and Maddie to consummate their relationship,
there was a big whopping Texas storm brewing and Trey was anxious to get Maddie
home to safety. I had visions of them
getting together by a crackling fire in the warmth of his home. The romantic
mood would be set. But Trey had other
thoughts. The storm brought out his baser
needs as Trey began to recognize his strong feelings for Maddie. With both trapped inside the cab of his truck,
things sort of spiraled out of my control. Trey took over and the romantic
scene I’d envisioned in my head, wound up being a hot, sensual love scene in
the truck, rain pounding down all around them. In this case, Trey knew better than I did.
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| On sale for the month of April for $.99. |
So why the title: The Friends Inside my Head? Well, that’s because my characters are
always with me. All throughout the day,
I’m thinking of them. What will they say? What will they do? It’s a conscious and deliberate thing. But there are times, when I hear someone
speak a phrase or behave a certain way and it registers deep into my
subconscious. It’s stored away in there for
the future, without me really even knowing it. Then if there’s an opportunity for my hero or
heroine to use it, I inadvertently summon it up and fit it into the scene. It’s
odd how the brain works, isn't it?
So I live my life with friends I adore. I have writer
friends who get what loving the craft is all about, the obsession, the pitfalls,
the amazing ups and devastating downs. I
have friends that I’ve known since grammar school. They are like family to me
now and we have raised our children together.
I have friends in my neighborhood that have shared earthquakes and
fires, births and deaths with me. They
are my cul-de-sac friends.
And I have the friends inside my head. My characters-- the people who populate my
stories and who are my best friends and closest allies for the four months they
live within me. I adore them even when I
have to make them do silly or inappropriate or shocking things. The
heroines are my girlfriends, people I’d love to spend time with; strong,
feisty, kind women. They are the type of
woman a young girl would aspire to be.
The heroes are well…hot and hunky, alpha to an extreme, but
they are amazingly tender and vulnerable too at times. They hide their soft
spot until the heroine brings it out in them. They are men any woman would want
to tame, adore, love.
When I finish writing and polishing a story…I find myself
missing my characters. Why did that
story have to end? What’s next for
them? I go through a particular withdrawal
wondering, who will be my next set of friends?
Will I love them as much? Will they have all the flaws and deep-seeded
goodness to make them believable, lovable?
Yes, I have lots of friends and many of them…live inside my
head.
Answer this one question and be entered to win either an
ebook copy of The Cowboy Contract or the print copy of The Texas Renegade Returns.
If you could pick two celebrities to star in YOUR book, who would they
be? (Mine would be Chris Hemsworth and Emma
Stone)
Charlene Sands is a USA Today Bestselling author of series,
contemporary and historical romance. She's the proud recepient of the National Readers’ Choice
Award, the Bookseller’s Best Award and the Cataromance Reviewer’s Choice
Award. She is an active member of
Romance Writers of America. When not
writing, she enjoys reading books from her favorite authors, sipping hot mocha cappuccinos,
taking walks along the Pacific shores and date nights with her “hero”
husband.
Look for Charlene’s next
Harlequin Desire, Redeeming the CEO Cowboy coming this
August and be sure to sign up for her quarterly newsletter where she gives away
prizes, and holds contests EXCLUSIVELY for her members at www.charlenesands.com
***Charlene's winner is Traci Wilcox! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing details!***
