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Susan Mallery | What do our characters wish for?
June 1, 2009
In the last hours before college graduation, I was saved from life as an
accountant by a continuing education course titled "How to Write a Romance
Novel." Not that there’s anything wrong with being an accountant. It’s just
that, for me, the infinite realm of numbers couldn’t possibly compare to the
infinite realm of characters. Numbers can’t surprise you by making bad decisions. Numbers don’t have quirks
that make you laugh. (Except for 43,770. For some reason, 43,770 cracks me up
every time.) But "infinite" can feel overwhelming to a writer facing a
blank page, and I’m always on the lookout for a new tool to get to know my
characters better. I think I found one in Debbie Macomber’s
wonderful book, Twenty
Wishes. Anne Marie, a young widow, is stuck in a rut of grief and decides
to make a list of twenty wishes, hoping this will give her something to look
forward to and will restore her positive outlook on life. The bubble wrap
popping scene is a hoot! I want to have a party like that. What would I learn, I wondered, if I did this exercise from the point of view
of my characters? What new insights would I gain? I mean, we're talking twenty
wishes here – that's going to dig pretty deep. And we’re not talking Miss
America-style "world peace” kinds of wishes. No, these need to be things the
character can impact and achieve. Come to think of it, "world peace" might work
as a wish for one of my monarchs. A king can refuse to start a war, right? But
not for the everyday folks. Skye Titan is the heroine of my latest book, Lip Service, the second
book in my new Lone Star Sisters series. What would Skye wish for? "Her father’s love" comes to mind, but we’ll scratch that. Remember, the wishes
have to be something the character can affect. Skye has tried her whole life to
make Jed love her, even going so far as to marry the man her father chose.
Hasn’t worked yet, and isn’t likely to work no matter what Skye does. We’re on the right track, though. Skye’s first priority is her family,
especially her young daughter. She would wish that Erin, who’s been through a
lot of upheaval in her life, would grow up feeling safe and whole and loved.
This is something Skye can impact. In fact, she’ll make any sacrifice necessary
to ensure that this wish comes true. Skye, like Macomber’s Anne Marie, has been widowed at a young age, but in
Skye’s case, it was a lackluster marriage. Although she would be embarrassed to
admit it out loud, Skye wants to be swept away again by passion, the way she
was as a young woman by her first love. When Mitch Cassidy returns from war,
he’s no longer the funny, easy-going guy she remembers, but wow, can he still
kiss! I’ll tell you, my keyboard almost burned my fingertips the day I wrote
their first love scene. Anger, lust, and a long dry spell are a combustible
combination!  That’s as far as I’ll delve into Skye’s wishes for now. Since
Lip Service is already
written – and in stores! :-) - this exercise isn’t as useful as it will be with
the next book I’m going to write.
What about you? Forget characters, and let’s talk about you. What do you wish
for? Do you want to take tap dancing lessons? Join a bowling league? Travel to
Tuscany? Share a few of your secret dreams here.
Comments
21 comments posted.
Re: Susan Mallery | What do our characters wish for?
Hi Susan, your book Lip Service sounds great I will be ordering it.
I like to join a hiking club that goes out in the forest walking, we live by the sea coast of Los Angeles so would have to go to the mountains.
Wonderful blog today.
penney
(Penney Wilfort 9:44am June 1, 2009)
I think your book lip service sounds great. It sound like something I would enjoy reading. I would like to travel with my family to europe.
(Dawn Owens 1:07pm June 1, 2009)
Since I retired I decided to do something each year that I have never done before. Since then I have taken surf lessons, flown a glider plane, climbed the rock wall (and rang the bell), participated in several 5K races (and won one of them), and still looking for something for this year.
(Karin Tillotson 1:37pm June 1, 2009)
I wish for my grandchildren to live healthy and productive lives. That may seem pretty mundane for a wish, but my first grandson was born premature and has several issues he's dealing with still at age 5.
(LuAnn Morgan 2:22pm June 1, 2009)
I want to take surfing lessons; I want to go to the Canadian Rockies and see a Spirit Bear; I want to go to British Columbia and Whale watch!
(Kelli Jo Calvert 4:02pm June 1, 2009)
Hi, everyone! It's great to be here. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier this morning. I had a little technological difficulty... I went to the wrong page on the fabulous Fresh Fiction site!
Penney, thanks for sharing one of your wishes. What a great idea, to join a hiking club. California has gorgeous mountain scenery. I've been doing some research on the Sierra Nevada, and I want to dive into some of those photographs! (Not to mention some of the vats of incredible wine they produce in that region.) Of course, the sea coast scenery isn't too shabby, either.
Dawn, Europe sounds like heaven, doesn't it? What country is at the top of your list of those you want to visit?
Sara, it is an interesting exercise, isn't it? It'd make a fabulous icebreaker game at a party.
Karin, you're my hero! I think you and President Bush (Senior) should go hang gliding together. Didn't he jump out of an airplane long after he left the presidency? The secret service probably wouldn't have allowed him to do it while he was president. Hmm... I feel a story idea coming on.
LuAnn, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandson's medical issues. That must be heartbreaking. No wonder all your wishes are for him.
Kelli Jo, what is a Spirit Bear? That's so intriguing! Is it a spirit? I mean, is that something metaphysical you're hoping to see? Or is it an actual breed of bear?
(Susan Mallery 4:38pm June 1, 2009)
I wish that I were brave enough to do new things and meet new people without being afraid of what might happen. Imagination can be our worst enemy.
(Rosemary Krejsa 8:06pm June 1, 2009)
Rosemary, that's an interesting wish. Very deep and thought-provoking. Do you try to do new things and meet new people even when you are afraid, or do you let fear control you?
I'm not naturally all that extroverted, myself. Book tours are fun, but also kind of terrifying.
(Susan Mallery 9:38pm June 1, 2009)
I would like to buy a home no matter how market jitters have us by the throat but that takes risk and planning which at the moment I am short on (the planning)! Lip Service sounds great by the way. Twenty realistic wishes is a very hard thing, I have never thought of that many and that says a lot as I tend to spend too much time daydreaming/wishing.
(Sharla Long 9:54pm June 1, 2009)
I want to go on a retreat and see what one of those Indian Sweat Rooms are like. Starting on my list of 20 wishes is like having a bucket list that's always full.
(Alyson Widen 11:12pm June 1, 2009)
Travel, Travel, Travel. I'd love to be
able to spend 3 months or so in
Ireland, Scotland and England. Then
do the same in Southeast Asia. Then
Greece, Turkey and vicinity. My first
wish though would be to get my
house squared away. We bought a
victorian farm house in 1992. It
needed to be gutted and redone plus
we needed to repair the damage the
previous owners had done in their
hatchet job of remodeling/addition.
Can't believe someone could make
such a mess in less than a year. We
are almost done, but it is taking
forever and we are tired of fighting the
mess. Our biggest problem is we (I)
have too much stuff and I don't want
to part with much of it. We have done
most of the work ourselves and lived
in the house the whole time. I love it,
but want time to enjoy it. Last but
not least, I like to be a writer. At the
moment, I don't have the time and
probably not the talent. But hey, these
are wishes, so it counts.
(Patricia Barraclough 11:22pm June 1, 2009)
Hey, more nocturnal creatures! Great to see you here. Thanks for posting.
Sharla, it's so exciting to buy your first home. I remember how weird and liberating it was to be able to choose any paint color I wanted and not to have to ask a landlord's permission. Of course, I made some color choices along the way that I grew to regret, but that's what's great about paint. You can just paint over it! Have fun with your house search.
Alyson, I have to say, with my curly hair, an Indian sweat room would not be my friend. If you could sweat without all that humidity, it might be okay.
Patricia, your dream sounds like a book I read a couple years ago. Have you read Eat, Love, Pray by Elizabeth Gilbert? It's a very interesting nonfiction book. Your house project sounds like a major undertaking. I admire you!
(Susan Mallery 11:36pm June 1, 2009)
While I was reading your blog entry the sound of an old wind up clock was ticking in my head.I opened my notepad and started my list.Still the clock tick...lol I sat and watched the curser blinking for alongtime.I could fill a gig with my wishes after all I have survived being a widow for 13 years and survived cancer, but I had better start with simple and small.Just a starter wish.Suddenly I feel happy.These are my wishes for me.Not my family,my friends,but me.Not a wish to live another fourty-umm...thirty-seven more years.(age not important here)...lol
But wishs that I can make come true or adleast come close to true.
Thanks.This is just what I needed.Sure I still hear the clock ticking but adleast the alarm isn't set to go off anytime soon.
My first wish is for my fellow wishers to have their wishes come true.That would make me very happy.I pray they do.
Happy Wishes!!!
(Debra McDonald 11:48pm June 1, 2009)
I would love to travel around the world. I'd go away for at least a year and have a vagabond life.
(Mari M. 10:29am June 2, 2009)
I want to go to Italy and write a book.
Not necessarily in that order.
(Bridget Hopper 3:02pm June 2, 2009)
Debra, I'm so glad you used this blog as inspiration to start your own list. Congratulations on surviving cancer! I like what you said about coming up with wishes that you can make come true. You have the power, girlfriend!
Mari, a year of travel sounds fascinating. Where would you go first?
Bridget, why not write a book while you're in Italy? Imagine the inspiration you'd get in those fabulous ancient piazzas (eating pizza in the piazza while you write). When I think of Italy, I never think of rain. Just that soft Mediterranean sunlight washing over the stucco buildings and red tile roofs.
(Susan Mallery 3:22pm June 2, 2009)
I would love to just be able to a day with my family without any worries and to get my house cleaned and organized.
(Audra Holtwick 3:27pm June 2, 2009)
Audra, that's an ambitious wish if I ever heard one! It's hard to turn off the caretaker switch and just relax. Think of it this way - having fun with your kids is part of your job, too. That's what gives them the memories they'll treasure.
(Susan Mallery 5:57am June 3, 2009)
I know I'm really late with this but what a great topic - 20 Wishes. I have the book in my TBR mountain sounds like I better read it sooner but after I finish LIP SERVICE it's next! Love the Titus girls. Oh, I thought there were a few HOT scenes in UNDER HER SKIN with Lexi & Cruz.
(Barbs Ferris 12:42pm June 4, 2009)
Barbs, Better late than never, as they say. Thank you so much for your sweet words. I'm glad you're enjoying the Lone Star Sisters. (Titan, by the way.)
Things did get pretty steamy between Lexi and Cruz. You knew that would happen, right? Cruz doesn't do anything halfway. He's all passion.
(Susan Mallery 9:12am June 5, 2009)
I wish I could get my yard back in shape after the long freezes and too much rain devastated it. I wish we could take some short vacations trips this year.
(Gladys Paradowski 8:51pm June 14, 2010)
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