I’ve forgotten about so many of these great characters who complimented my hero and heroine’s! Reading
Then there are all the children. Anyone who knows me also knows (with much eye rolling) that I LOVE babies. So it’s not surprising that my characters have children. Lots of children. I am a grandmother-in-waiting. I think that says it all. I want grandchildren. Alas, I may have to settle for giving my characters lots of children for the time being. But back to my topic here. When I left off with the different books in the series, many of my hero/heroines had at least one child. Most were babies in epilogues and now as I plan out the timelines, I get to magically watch them grow up and even give them siblings (sorry children) and also, see who has the potential for the next generation of books.
It’s the creation process all over again. Adding 10-15 or more years to this series, not just adds to the series total, but it changes everything and makes it all new again as I map out character charts and contemplate new plots and stories.
For instances, there are two girls who were adopted into the tribe in White Dove, by the hero and heroine (Jeremy and White Dove). One embraces the new life. The other is torn. What can I plot for these two girls? Then there is the believed nasty grandfather who wants them found and returned. Is he a man who loves his granddaughters or is a future villain. I could wink and say wait and find out but as of yet, I am not totally sure myself! So you see, there are many hidden stories in this series just waiting to be dug out and brought to light or to paper!
In my own books, one favorite couple were an old man and woman, both feisty. Rook was a grumpy old man who found love in White Wolf with an equally strong-willed and no-nonsense woman. In books written by other authors, I love Lulu, Ranger and Morelli in Janet Evonovitch’s Stephanie plum books. Then there is Hermione and Ron in the Harry Potter books, and among my favorites, Peabody, Feeney and McNab in J.D. Robb’s In Death series.
So, for readers who’ve read my series, who would you like to see more of? Who were your favorite secondary characters and who should I write about next? What family of children intrigue you?
If you are a writer, what are your thoughts on secondary characters and their role in your books or other books. Who are some of your favorite secondary characters.
I love secondary characters and the depth they bring to stories. How about you?
(http://susanedwards.com White Dawn, White Dusk, White Shadows, White Wind due to be re-released November 21st in digital format by http://carinapress)
4 comments:
I put children in my books sometimes, never babies, but have to confess that animals always feature. Yes, I'm an animal person!
I like to read and write books where the characters seem to come from living communities, so secondary characters are critical to a strong story, IMHO.
Sometimes secondary characters can make or break a book. Rhett and Scarlett may be the hero and heroine of Gone With the Wind, but I cried over Melanie's fate. Typically the most memorable secondary characters are the funny ones, though. I love a hero with a good snarky sidekick.
Wendy--I love using children too and animals always! I've been lucky in the books I've done in that I could use Spirit Animals in my Native Americans and in my Oregon Trail book, I had a dog and a pet wolf and ended up with pups!
So true Susanna. None of us live in isolated lives and neither do our characters. Might be fun one day to (for fun) write a list of the "secondary" characters in our lives and how we and them fit.
Alyssa--I'm with you on that! I've also used two characters, one from the hero's life, and one from the heroine's life and had them snarky with each other which reminds me of how Eve Dallas from JD Robb's death books has a feud going on with Roarke's butler. Not a lot from the butler but he sure adds a lot to the books.
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