Fictional Characters

All characters and events are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.

I've seen this in books before and I understand why it's there.  If someone happens to have the same name or a similar name and it appears like the character could be based on them, people are all too willing to sue.  Just look at the lady who wanted to sue Disney over the movie Frozen because she claimed it was her life story.  

I've never put this in the front of my books.  I've always kind of figured it was implied seeing as the book is a work of fiction and fiction by definition means it's not true, it's made up, it's all imaginary.  So I was a little surprised when my dad jokingly asked if he was the model for Georgia's dad in Smell the Roses.  If you haven't read that book, Georgia's dad is not a very nice person.  Almost every scene I wrote with him in it, I was gritting my teeth,  because I just couldn't stand him.  It shocked me because I wondered if other people might think that he was based on my dad.  My instinctive reaction was a firm, "NO!"  My dad said, "Where did you get him?"  I said, "Out of my imagination, Dad.  He doesn't exist.  He's a fictional character."  My dad is the exact opposite of Georgia's dad.  He was always very supportive, very loving.  He never treated one of us better than the others.  When we were in trouble, we knew it was because he loved us that he disciplined us.  He wanted us to learn from our errors and grow from them.  

My dad's question made me realize that maybe others out there wonder if my characters are based on my family or my friends.  The answer is no.  I've never had a certain person in mind when writing a character.  I've said before that my characters seem to take on a life of their own.  I don't think I could mold them into someone else even if I wanted to and I really don't want to.  I love my characters the way they are, flaws and all.  

The other question I've heard is whether the love interests are based on my husband.  Or even worse, if they're my dream men, as if I settled when I married my husband and wish he was more than what he is.  Just like all the rest of my characters, the men are not based on anyone.  They are products of my overactive imagination.  The truth is, I wouldn't trade Joel for any of these guys.  When I write them I'm not thinking, "I wish Joel were more like this."  Although sometimes when I write them I do think, "Thank You, Lord, that Joel isn't like this."  As much as I've enjoyed writing Jeff, Mark and Travis, they each have their own flaws and issues and honestly I'm glad I only have to deal with their issues on paper.

So if you're ever reading through my books and think, "This sounds a lot like so and so.  I wonder if she based this character on them."  The answer is no.  My characters are their own little entities.

Juggling Life

It's a common theme in today's world.  How do you juggle everything in life?  How to balance work, family, kids activities, church, housework and still survive?  And that doesn't even take into account your own personal quiet time for devotions (it's not surprising that this gets dropped often) or family celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, graduations) or hobbies (Wait!  Who has time for a hobby?)  We're so crazy busy!  It's not just me - I know because I hear it all around me.  In any given day I take my kids to school, do housework, pick the kids up from school, take kids to various activities, make dinner, go to church, put kids to bed, spend a small amount of time with my husband, do my devotions (yes, I do them at night and if you've ever seen me in the morning you'd understand why) and go to bed.  On a good day, I can squeeze in some time to write.  On a really good day, I can even knit for a while.

Here's what I've been thinking lately though.  How much of my busyness is actually useful activities and how much of it is busyness for the sake of busyness?  When I look at the list I just posted, it all seems pretty important.  I absolutely have to take my kids to school and pick them up.  I like having my kids involved in activities because it develops important skills (although I have to admit that sometimes this is the item that I desperately want to cross off my to-do list).  I enjoy my ministries at church, both the ones where I have the opportunity to serve and the ones where I am being ministered to.  I feel like it's important to be involved in my church both as a servant and also being taught and encouraged when others minister to me.  Housework is another thing that I would love to have taken off my list, but unfortunately, the nasty dishes in the sink or the piles of dirty laundry eventually need done and since I have yet to have the cleaning fairies visit my home, the task falls on me (although now that my children are getting older they help as well).  Time with my husband is a must!  If we don't have time together we drift apart which isn't good for us or our children.  I need my devotion time.  It's easy to skip - too easy - but when I keep up at it, I find myself in much better place than if I let it slide.

I don't know what the answer is.  I wish I did.  Right now, my answer is to not add anything else to the craziness.  Extra activities that aren't necessary, like parties or gatherings, are generally declined, because honestly the thought of one more thing can send me into panic mode.  The other thing is to prioritize.  Some things are more important than others and I have to let some things that I would like to do slide in order to do things that I have to do.  Lastly, I'm learning, gradually, to say no.  I can be quick to volunteer without even thinking about the time involved or if I'm even called to do it.  I'm slowly learning that I'm much more useful when I do what God wants me to do and not what others (or even I) want me to do.

This is why to date, I think Smell the Roses is my favorite book of the ones I've written.  Georgia's fast paced life resonates strongly with me.  As she finds her life picking up pace, she also finds herself sinking deeper and deeper as she frantically tries to tread water.  It makes me so thankful for the quiet moments when I can rest.  Tonight, we actually have nothing going on.  We're going to relax and spend time as a family, probably watching a movie.  These moments are precious in our hectic schedule.  There may come a day when I decide that I have to cut more out for the sake of my family, but until then, I enjoy the moments of respite and allow it to re-energize me for the busyness of tomorrow.

Finding time to write in all the busyness has been difficult.  I was hoping to have book four finished and sent to my editors by May, but that's not going to happen.  I have found that I can squeeze in time occasionally.  During my son's baseball practices and when waiting for my daughter to finish her after school activities are perfect times to bring my laptop along and write.  It gives me an hour to an hour and a half of concentrated time to write.  Maybe with these times, I can finish by the end of May.  I would love to be able to finish the three books that I have in mind for this year, but I already know which one will not get written if I run out of time.

I am excited about the progress that Isabelle's story is making.  There are so many things that I can't wait for you to catch up on with the girls from KW Consulting!  I have a new appreciation for authors who try to juggle their characters from former books in a series into one story.  Bouncing back and forth between story lines can be difficult, and I sometimes wonder if it'll be easy to follow or confusing.  I also know that if I only focus on Isabelle that readers will wonder why I didn't keep them informed about Kate, Georgia and Brooke's lives.  It's been an interesting challenge and I hope that I'm meeting it well.