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Category: Characters

I love making characters and, if the planets align and I’ve done it right, then they come alive and leap from the page. They become real to you.

What’s All this About Characters?

And, just in case I mess up and my characters do not feel real to you? Then please feel free to contact me and hold my feet to the fire. Er, figuratively.

Seriously.

If have messed up, then tell me.

And if my characters feel good and real and true to you, then I hope you will let me know that as well!

So, here are some observations about them.

Faves

Who are my favorite creations?

Craig Firenze — the Force of Nature

Craig is a trip to write because every other word is a swear word. While all of the characters in Mettle have potty mouths, he takes it to an extreme.

I mean, why do you think the first word anyone says in that book is his—and it’s an f-bomb?

Peri Martin — the Snarky Author Stand-in

While all of my characters are me to some extent, Peri is my snarky best. But I was never as reckless as she is.

Er, was I? Hmm.

MJ Tanner — the Animal Whisperer in a Miniskirt

Mary Jacqueline Tanner is thirteen years older than me and is as much a product of the ’60s as anyone could be in tiny Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

And while {spoiler alert!} she does fall in love, the biggest relationship she has in The Duck in the Seat Cushion is with her beloved Snowy, the stray mostly Airedale terrier who she and her brother Sid find one day and take home.

Ceilidh O’Malley — the Fan Favorite

People love Ceilidh and I think they’ve got the right idea. I don’t think I have another character who went on such a journey. When you first see her, she is at her absolute lowest in life.

It was great fun to write her prequel. I hope readers come away with a greater appreciation of what she went through, but also of her mother’s motivations.

Tommy 2000 — the Plastic and Polymer Hero

How do you make a robot humanish but not turn him into a latter-day Pinocchio? I hope I’ve done Tommy some justice.

Ixalla — the Alien Revolutionary

One of the conceits of Untrustworthy is that no one in it is human. Ixalla wasn’t even originally going to be as big a character as she turned out to be. Ixalla became a voice for freedom. And I like that about her.

Trixie LaRue the Favorite Secondary/Sidekick

From her gol-darn Kentucky accent (based on my BFF’s mom, with love to Mrs. P) to her cougarish ways, to her loving friendships, to her radical competency, Patricia Louise LaRue is a kick to write and should be anyone’s ride or die.

Takeaways

Making characters is one of the most fun parts of writing fiction. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

Character Review — Ginny CareyMarnie Shapiro, Lex Feldman, Jazminder Parikh, Benjamin Chase, Astrid Hennigsen, Trixie LaRue, Ginny Carey,

Character Review — Ginny Carey

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on October 21, 2025

Consider Ginny Carey, One of My Original Characters

So, who is Ginny Carey?

The secondary communication officer (she works nights) on the Valentina Tereshkova is important to the storyline in The Enigman Cave. In particular, this is because she has a mathematics background.

… and she also just so happens to be Dr. Jazminder Parikh’s ex.

Where Did Ginny Carey Come From?

In a small way, Ginny’s origins depend on a sorority sister of mine. Alix was a math major who went to library school. I lost touch with her for decades and, unfortunately, only heard of her death after the fact. But I based Ginny on her (somewhat) while I still believed she was alive.

But there are a number of key differences between them.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Ginny Carey

I honestly never thought to give Ginny much of a backstory. The main thing that any reader should understand about her is that she has more of a math background than you would normally expect from a communications professional.

But that’s about it.

Description

Slight and looking younger than she really is, Ginny has medium brown hair and eyes and looks bookish. But that is because, well, she is. If the story was taking place in our current time, she would most likely be either a teacher of small classes or a tutor or a librarian.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Loyal to Marnie, Ginny has no qualms about finding odd communications and immediately reporting them up the command food chain.

However, since she is a lower decks character, she does not learn about the really bad stuff with Carter until a lot later in the story than the higher up characters do. And, because she and Jazzie are no longer dating, she cannot get any insider information that way.

As Marnie explains in the book, it’s to give people like Ginny plausible deniability. If the senior staff are arrested or even executed, the idea is that Ginny and people like her would have a fighting chance to escape punishment.

Quotes from Ginny Carey {she and Dr. Simon Mendoza are on the surface, looking to capture an alien animal}

Ginny and Simon walked to the stand of ferns and found undergrowth. “Here, jackalope, jackalope,” she called.

“Silly gal. What if it’s a Jill and not a Jack?”

“Is that even possible? What if they’re just single gender?”

“Me you’re asking? I have no idea.” He set down a cage on the ground. “Pity we don’t have bait. Any idea what they eat?”

“When Brian was down here, he said he saw one of them with a small fern frond in its mouth. But who knows which species of fern? Aren’t there, like, three dozen found so far?”

“Approximately,” Simon said. “Here jackalope, jackalope.” She elbowed him.

Relationships

The only relationship I have for her is the one with Jazminder. But why did they break up in the first place? According to the doctor, they just wanted different things out of life. But we’re only hearing one side of the story.

Then again, these are my characters, and I’ve only heard one side of the story as well. Hmm.

Conflict and Turning Point

Much like the main characters and higher-level supporting characters, Ginny’s turning point is essentially when it becomes obvious that the government at home is collapsing.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Ginny Carey doesn’t star in any continuity or in any Easter eggs. And being more of a lower decks type of person, I did not put her into the prequel.

Future Plans

Right now, I don’t have any plans for her. However, there is some room in the Enigman universe for a sequel or two. In part, I covered some of this in the crossover story, Timelines are Alive. But Ginny was not in that one.

Also, there is a possibility that I might want to write a longer piece about returning to Earth and even confronting Carter and his cronies. Still, someone would have to stay behind on Enigma, and it makes more sense for someone in communications to do that.

For any of the protocols to actually make any sense, Marnie would have to take Astrid Hennigsen along, just in case there were any communications issues on the way back to the mother planet. By the same token, Marnie would also have to take Jazminder with her.

Hence, Ginny and Jazzie would most likely not have a reconciliation. Although keeping scenes of interacting with the Enigmans could work. I don’t know. The truth is, I have never really sat down and tried to map out a sequel.

Ginny Carey: Takeaways

For a lesbian ex-girlfriend character, she started off as being almost a throwaway character. But then I figured out the mystery and came to realize that she would be the most perfect person to solve it. Go, Ginny!

Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Want More of Ginny Carey and the Rest of The Enigman Cave?

If The Enigman Cave resonates with you, then please be sure to check out my other blog posts about how our society handles first contact with a species that may be as primitive as Australopithecus.

Character Reviews: The Enigman Cave

† Marnie Shapiro
• Trixie LaRue
† Jazminder Parikh, MD
• Lex Feldman
† Benjamin Chase
• Eileen Bragin

The Enigman Cave Universe
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Character Review — Student #17Ixalla, Tathrelle, Student #17, Velexio, Adger,

Character Review — Student #17

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on October 14, 2025

Consider Student #17, One of My Original Characters

So, who is Student #17?

In Untrustworthy, one of the conceits is that people don’t really have names at birth. Cabossians, instead, get names later. But they are called by their numbers as adults, anyway.

As a result, this character does not have an actual name. And, later in the story, he never actually chooses one for himself.

Where Did Student #17 Come From?

When I was first developing Ixalla, I wanted her to be a dedicated teacher. And the best place, I feel, to show her dedication would be in the eyes of her students.

After all, if you had a teacher who inspired you, kept you together, and maybe even kept you alive, wouldn’t you want to remember that person?

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Student #17

I don’t really have much on him or really on any of the students beyond Five. But this is by design. He is, essentially, just some kid in Ixalla’s class. I never intended for him to have any sort of prior relationship to Ixalla beyond being a student in her class.

And so, their connection later is meant to be out of what was an almost random moment where they are just about thrown together.

Student #17: a Description

Like all other male Cabossians, he is bald and has a genital appendage on each hand, where we would normally have a pinkie finger. And, like all fertile male Cabossians, he has the ability to give birth to sterile children if impregnated by another fertile male.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

When the story starts out, he’s a shy kid, already the kind of child who Five would pick on. But even as he becomes physically weaker, he shows unexpected reserves of strength.

Once you get to the end of the book, it becomes clear that, even though he’s got limitations, he can take care of himself.

Quotes for Student Number Seventeen

Student Number Seventeen looked at Ixalla as she awoke, and his tone was rather grave. “We are running out of nutritional supplements.”

Ixalla sighed when she inspected their stash. It was all too true. “…I imagine that the supply chain has broken down, all along the line, even as far as City Number Thirty-one.” The statement gave her pause, and then she was able to collect herself.

“T-teacher Number 7,999,533,628?” inquired Student Number Seventeen, “Are you all right?”

“Yes, I, huh, I could have sworn that that woman, that she and I had a history and, and it had something to do with City Number Thirty-one.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I suppose I am losing my mind, is all.” She chuckled a little.

“What is so funny, Teacher?”

“You calling me Teacher and referencing my number,” Ixalla explained. “I think maybe by now the three of us all know each other well enough that you can use my name. And once we get the two of you back to your parents, when you are of age, they’ll, well, they will name you, of course.”

“What if my parents are gone?” asked the unknown girl. “I do not even know if they are.”

“I – let’s think positively, shall we?” Ixalla tried to remain upbeat, but even she had to admit that the girl had a point. She no longer had her identification card, after all. And with tablet grid communications completely down… there was no way whatsoever to find the unknown girl’s family.

“We’ll never find them,” the unknown girl said sadly. “We all know this, right?”

“I – just, it’s not impossible,” Ixalla said. She drew them closer to her. “You may call me Ixalla. That is my true name. Not, not seven billion and change, but Ixalla. Know who I am. Just, just, know me.”

“Y-yes, Ixalla,” Student Number Seventeen tried the new designation on for size. “Thank you for telling it to us. But to me you will always be my teacher.”

Relationships

While I never give him a romantic relationship, he does adopt a daughter. And he continues to have a brother and sister style of relationship with the unknown girl.

Conflict and Turning Point

Like with the other characters in the story, Student Number Seventeen’s turning point is when the instructions and the dissatisfaction collide and eventually turn into city-wide (if not planet-wide) riots. But I never actually show him participating in any of that.

However, this makes perfect sense, seeing as he is already fairly severely physically disabled by this moment in the overall storyline. And so, even if he was still with his parents somehow, he would likely be hiding during the worst of it.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Like with most of what is connected to Untrustworthy, there really are no continuities or Easter eggs for this character. And for the most part, there really can’t be any, anyway.

Future Plans

I like the way Untrustworthy ends, so there are no plans for a sequel. This character did not show up in the prequel. At this point in time, I have no other plans for him.

Student #17: Takeaways

Sympathetic, shy, and ultimately traumatized, Student #17 is like a phoenix rising from the ashes of Caboss.

For this reason alone, along with Ceilidh O’Malley from The Real Hub of the Universe and Neil Murphy from Mettle, he is one of the more hopeful characters I have ever written.

Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Want More of Student #17 and the Rest of Untrustworthy?

If Untrustworthy resonates with you, then check out my other blog posts about how an alien society devolves into fascism.

Character Reviews: Untrustworthy

• Character Review—Adger
† Character Review—Ixalla
• Review—Tathrelle
† Character Review—Velexio
• Character Review—Student #17

Untrustworthy Universe

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Character Review — Sally Bowles/They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms AdequatelyPeri Martin, Tommy 2000, Greg Shapiro, Selkhet 3000, TSTITO, Rachel Gifford, Ted Moore, Charlie Hollis, Sally Bowles, They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately, TSTO Tiles,

Character Review — Sally Bowles/They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on September 25, 2025

Consider Sally Bowles/They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately, One of My Original Characters

So, who is Sally Bowles/They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately?

Of course, the real character Sally Bowles is from the film and play Cabaret. But in my universe, it’s more like a stage name for a character who hates their real name.

Or, like a new name that a trans human has taken for themself.

One of the ways that the Obolonks started to truly come alive for me was to create a reputationally-based naming system for them. And, in order to better reflect reality, they wouldn’t all have the best of reputations when Naming Day rolled around.

TSTO Tiles would be one such Obolonk. And it doesn’t help that they’re one of the offspring of the Obolonk big cheese, They Say This is the One.

Where Did They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately Come From?

When I was first putting together the reputation-based names for my Obolonk characters, this one’s name started off as just TSTO Tiles Bathrooms.

But of course, they didn’t really come alive until I added the adverb at the end. It offers (I believe) just the right touch of passive-aggression. It’s a lot like telling someone, you’re not so much of a problem child, most of the time.

Damning with faint praise, indeed.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately

A total or at least 50% screwup, TSTO Tiles does not fit in well with proper Obolonk society. Like other mods, they split the difference, acting like a more or less proper Obolonk much of the time, but mimicking human behavior and sexuality when out with their friends.

Sally Bowles, a Description

Like all the other Obolonks in the series, Sally Bowles is tall, bald, and an orange shade. The shade darkens as they age. But Sally isn’t that old, so they, like their siblings, is kind of an iced peach shade.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

The overall arc for this species is essentially to start to fit in with human society and, in the process, change us as much as we are changing them. But here, in the first trilogy, the main motivation is to start to bridge the gap.

Quotes

There was one dressed in a short black pixie cut wig, over which there was a black bowler hat with a purple band. They wore a black leotard with a plunging v-neckline, and short shorts, dark hose held up by a black garter belt, and tall black boots. The makeup was heavy and dark, including impossibly long false eyelashes that were obviously not meant to be at all natural. That one was wearing some form of strategic padding, as Obolonks didn’t really have figures. There was an old-fashioned cigarette, lit and smoldering in a long holder.

The Obolonk approached, took a drag off the cigarette, and blew the smoke to the side. “You may be wondering who I’m dressed as.”…

Tommy tapped Peri on the shoulder and addressed the Obolonk directly. “You are They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately.”

The Obolonk cringed, and this time they exhaled their cigarette smoke directly at Tommy. “I’m a she and I’m Sally, Android.”

“I don’t care what the hell you’re calling yourself,” Peri said. “But his name is Tommy. I’d appreciate it if you used it.”

“Got it,” said Sally. “Follow me.” Tommy and Peri glanced at each other. “Oh, I’m completely harmless,” the Obolonk said. They followed.

Don’t forget your small hot gun in the clutch.

A doorway led to an office area where the music was a lot harder to hear. The Obolonk turned to face them. “I don’t know why you’re here, although I do apologize for my parent’s behavior. I know you came a really long way.”

“Sally,” Peri asked, “how long you been doing the Mod thing?”

“Over twenty years. Nice dress.”

Relationships

I don’t list any relationships for Sally. But dressed like that, Sally may be looking for some sort of companionship, either with a fellow mod Obolonk or even with a human.

Conflict and Turning Point

In accordance with the overall conflict and turning point in the first Obolonk trilogy, Sally’s issues aren’t as much a fight for survival as in the second trilogy.

Rather, her issues are more whether humans will continue to allow the Obolonk experiment to continue on our soil, or if we will go back to holding these kind and mostly friendly aliens at arm’s length, all for the sake of maintaining our own irrational prejudices.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Apart from within the initial trilogy itself, there is no overarching continuity for They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately.

Future Plans for Sally Bowles

While I don’t really have future plans for this character, I do have plans for the storyline. And since Tommy 2000 can more or less live forever, his memory of Sally Bowles will stay with him.

So, perhaps, the name will come up again. I’ve barely started to outline the final trilogy, so I don’t really know yet.

They Say This One Tiles Bathrooms Adequately: Takeaways

A bit like Roger Clinton, Alice Roosevelt, Neil Bush, or Billy Carter, Sally Bowles is the family member that the head of society is so embarrassed by that they just plain want to sweep them under the rug and hope everyone forgets them.

But there’s more to Sally Bowles than flashy human-style clothes and makeup.

Want More of Sally Bowles and the Rest of the Obolonk Universe?

If the story of the Obolonks resonates with you, then please be sure to check out my other blog posts about how our society turns tripartite, with humans, robots, and Obolonks.

Humans
† Peri Martin
• Greg Shapiro

Robots
† Tommy 2000
• Selkhet 3000

Obolonks
† Obolonk leader TSTITO

The Obolonk Universe

Self-Reviews: Obolonk Trilogy

• The Obolonk Murders (see below for the URL)
† Self-Review: The Polymer Beat
• The Badge of Humanity

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Character Review — Astrid HennigsenMarnie Shapiro, Lex Feldman, Jazminder Parikh, Benjamin Chase, Astrid Hennigsen, Trixie LaRue, Ginny Carey,

Character Review — Astrid Hennigsen

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on September 23, 2025

Consider Astrid Hennigsen, One of My Original Characters

So, who is Astrid Hennigsen?

The communications officer on the Valentina Tereshkova is a vital part of The Enigman Cave. Although she’s nowhere near a main character (or a very high level supporting character), a lot of her actions drive the plot.

But as she would probably say, she’s just doing her job.

Where Did Astrid Hennigsen Come From?

Whenever you think of space opera, I think it’s inevitable to think at least a little bit about Star Trek. At least I do.

And, as a result, the series which are earlier in the timeline all have communications officers. But once you get to TNG, that role starts to fade, in favor of Operations or Counseling.

Someone still opens a channel, someone still announces that, “the hailing frequencies are open”, and someone inevitably answers calls, particularly generalized ones just sent to the ship itself.

But the role has changed in terms of acting as well. These characters (such as Tasha Yar) do more than just answer the phone.

When you go back to much earlier in the Trek timeline, the communications officer’s job is a lot harder, and it’s full-time. In Enterprise, Hoshi Sato tries to do translations on the fly. In TOS and Strange New Worlds, Nyota Uhura is the heart and soul of the ship.

And in Discovery, Ronald Bryce and William Christopher are efficient linguists, even as the time shifts from pre-TOS to the deep future.

These people are more than just computer jockeys.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Astrid Hennigsen

All of this being said; however, the last thing I wanted was for Astrid to be someone who is almost preternaturally gifted. She would be highly competent, but not in the sort of way where it’s not believable.

Astrid, in some ways, is someone I see as being kind of like your cousin who’s good at languages.

One bit of information I need to make clearer in editing is that she doesn’t necessarily want to be on the Val, working for Marnie. At one point, Marnie even says that this wasn’t Astrid’s first choice for an assignment.

But what was? I confess even I am not sure. But I don’t really see her as someone selfish enough to have wanted to work with someone pretty, just to advance her career. I don’t think Astrid is shallow like that.

Since Rosa Perrault got more depth in the prequel, maybe that could answer the question. Hmm. If Astrid wanted to work with Rosa, then she most likely wouldn’t see working for Marnie as being some sort of step down.

Astrid Hennigsen, a Description

Ethereally light and somewhat Scandinavian-looking, Astrid is also like your cousin who seems to get a sunburn just about whenever the weather is anything but a solar eclipse.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Astrid wants to do the right thing and do her work well. But at the same time, she also wants to make big discoveries and talk to aliens.

To her credit, she knows her role extremely well, and does not wish to step over anyone to get ahead.

Quotes {The Species they’ve found appears to be primitive; Astrid helps confirm that here}

Astrid said, “There’s even a third thing we know about the Enigmans.”

Marnie turned to her. “What is it, Astrid?”

“I’ve been listening and scanning for any sign of communications. Not just on Enigma but I’ve also been checking for anything coming from anywhere. And not just radio—I’ve been looking in the visible and invisible spectra. The light here is the same as the light on Earth or the Vega System or anywhere, really. I haven’t found anything. I’m not just looking for video or anything like that or listening for the top forty hits. I’m trying to discern patterns. If anyone ever tries to communicate, they have to be expecting that a receiver will understand them. To my mind, that means patterning. Even complicated patterning.”

“What did you find?” Peggy shifted from foot to foot, looking almost as peeved as Ben.

“I found nothing. There are no communications going on out here, just a few random tangent waves which are meaningless. They’re just a function of our orbit. The Enigmans don’t have transmissions of any sort. At least, none I can reasonably detect.”

Relationships

I did not give her any relationships. Sorry, character!

Conflict and Turning Point

Much like with the other characters in the story, the main turning point for Astrid, where she really crosses the veritable Rubicon, is when she agrees to disobey direct orders from Earth.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

While her look is rather similar to that of Ceilidh O’Malley, I don’t really have any other connections across universes for Astrid.

Future Plans for Astrid Hennigsen

She was barely in the prequel, although if I want to lean into her wanting to work with Rosa, I could potentially make them cordial. But I don’t think that’s necessary right now. Not every single question has to have an answer.

I need to remind myself of that, at times.

Astrid Hennigsen: Takeaways

This smart, cheerful communications officer brings in information and interprets it in ways which other characters cannot, and drives the plot while doing so. She is a 100% necessary character!

Want More of Jazminder Parikh and the Rest of The Enigman Cave?

If The Enigman Cave resonates with you, then please be sure to check out my other blog posts about how our society handles first contact with a species that may be as primitive as Australopithecus.

Character Reviews: The Enigman Cave

† Marnie Shapiro
• Trixie LaRue
† Jazminder Parikh, MD
• Lex Feldman
† Benjamin Chase

The Enigman Cave Universe
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Character Review — Kitty KowalskiCraig Firenze, Noah Braverman, Minka Lopez, Dez Hunter, Eleanor Braverman, Olga Nicolaev, Kitty Kowalski, Mei-Lin Quan, Nell Murphy, Elise Jeffries,

Character Review — Kitty Kowalski

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on September 16, 2025

Consider Kitty Kowalski, One of My Original Characters

So, who is Kitty Kowalski?

When I was first developing Mettle, a pair of names came to me quickly: Kitty and Mink.

Where Did Kitty Kowalski Come From?

She arrived nearly fully formed. But never confuse this malignant narcissist with Athena’s birth, at full adulthood, from Zeus’s forehead.

Rather, I knew I wanted a mean girl character. And then, as I continued writing her, Kitty became essentially just barely this side of a psychopath.

Yeah, she really is so bad as all that.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Kitty Kowalski

When I finally get around to writing the prequel to Mettle, some of her backstory will get a lot clearer. But a big part of it is best said by songwriter Al Stewart in his song Carol.

“Your TV mother with her cocktail eyes….”

While Kitty’s mother isn’t necessarily an alcoholic, I see both her parents as being neglectful. But being wealthy means people think of them as being eccentric. And, more importantly, no one calls Child Protective Services on them.

When Mettle first starts, Kitty isn’t living with her parents, and she’s only fourteen years old.

‘Nuff said.

Kitty Kowalski, a Description

Short and blonde and ethereally light, Kitty resembles actress Dove Cameron. Unfortunately, Cameron is already too old to play this role.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

The truth is, as the consummate party girl, Kitty’s main motivations in life are to get high and piss off everyone around her.

She has no other depth from me because as a person she truly has no other depth.

Quotes from Kitty Kowalski {Yes, she really is this nasty; this is the morning after the power has gone out}

Kitty inspected the saucepan. “Gross. You’re really gonna eat that?”

“You got a better idea?”

“It’s fucking gross. You don’t just eat corn for breakfast.”

“You gonna make me pancakes, or something?”

Kitty wrinkled her nose at him. “I’m not your slave.”

“Hey, you brought it up. I was perfectly happy just making my own breakfast till you decided it sucked.”

“Well, it still sucks. Where’s the fucking internet?” she whined.

“Same place as the fridge and the washing machine and the shower.”

“I miss my phone.”

“Yeah, that, too.” He turned off the flame. He washed a pair of bowls and forks from the dirty dishes in the sink. “Want some?”

“No, are you fucking retarded or something, Dez? That’s just, ugh, it’s repulsive.”

“Suit yourself.” He dumped the corn into a bowl.

Mink entered the kitchen. “What’s left in the cabinets?”

“Green beans, some tuna, I think I saw tomato paste,” Dez said as Mink opened the cabinets and looked for herself.

“There’s pumpkin pie filling, too, and we still have peanut butter. I wish we had bread.”

“Want some corn?” He offered her the second bowl and fork.

“Sure, thanks.” He dumped about half his bowlful into hers. “Kitty, what are you gonna have?”

“I want French toast.”

“If we had eggs, we could make French toast, if we had bread. And a working toaster. Aunt Doreen used to say shit like that.”

“Yeah, she’s hysterical.” Kitty folded her arms and scowled. “This blows.”

Mink shrugged and ate as did Dez. When they were done, she bused the dishes to the sink and washed them and turned to wash more dishes. “Man, we don’t have to live like pigs. Can somebody dry?”

Kitty made a beeline out of the kitchen.

Relationships

Like in the case of a lot of narcissists, Kitty doesn’t have any relationships unless they are transactional. That is, she only wants to know: what’s in it for her?

Dez Hunter

Dez is probably her only conquest who doesn’t just hang on her every word. But at the same time, he has got to be stoked that he is with the hottest girl in their grade. Kitty conveys a great deal of cachet.

Then again, that’s also why Minka Lopez hangs around with her. But don’t mistake their time spent with Kitty as being out of affection. Rather, it’s spent out of a need to social climb within the rigid societal hierarchy of middle school.

Conflict and Turning Point

When Kitty rejects even the meager help being offered to her—the only help anyone can possibly offer—she’s kicked out of the group. Mink tags along because she feels she has to, and they leave.

Which turns out to be so disastrous for both girls.

The reader only learns about this later when Mink is able to rejoin the fold. But we never see Kitty again. Is she dead?

Even I have no idea.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

In Lizzie Borden is Vital to the Timeline, the time travel agency’s director is named Sylvia Kowalsky. And while the spelling differs, that story takes place around 1600 years after the end of Mettle.

So, is Sylvia related to Kitty?

Again, I have no idea.

Future Plans

Since I don’t honestly know whether she’s alive or dead at the end of Mettle, there is little sense in planning anything else for her. But she will be in the prequel.

Kitty Kowalski: Takeaways

As the Schrödinger’s Cat of Mettle, Kitty’s endgame could go in nearly any direction. But unlike Jeannie Scutter Firenze, I just don’t see myself writing a redemption arc for her.

But never say never.

Want More of Mettle?

If Mettle resonates with you, then please be sure to check out my other blog posts about how changes in the periodic table nearly kill us all.

• Noah Braverman
† Craig Firenze
• Dez Hunter
† Dr. Elise Jeffries
• Minka Lopez
† Nell Murphy
• Olga Nicolaev
† Dr. Mei-Lin Quan

Self Review: Mettle

The Mettle Universe, the next blog post
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Character Review — Corwin ZacharyDalton Farouk, Carmen D'Angelo, Josie James, Peter Ray, Tad Lewis, Elston Young, Corwin Zachary,

Character Review — Corwin Zachary

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on September 9, 2025

Let’s Consider Corwin Zachary, One of My Original Characters

So, who is Corwin Zachary?

I like using acronyms, so the idea of the bad guys in Time Addicts using an acronym was irresistible. ZERO is a great acronym. So, as a result, Corwin is the ‘Z’ in the equation.

Where Did Corwin Zachary Come From?

For the bad guys to really be able to do what they’re doing, they need money. Who better to bankroll them, than a wealthy businessperson?

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Corwin Zachary

Corwin joins ZERO because of an invitation. But why is he brought in, in the first place?

He’s got so much more money than most people of the time, even Peter Ray. His family owns any number of luxury businesses throughout the Solar System. Corwin has so much, he is not hurting for money.

As a result, this makes him incredibly attractive as a partner in crime for the other miscreants in the story.

Description

For Corwin’s look, I am drawn to the actor John Tuturro.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Corwin is basically a greedy SOB. But he’s also taken in by Robin McKenna’s promises that they can change time to their own ends, in any way they please. It’s a tempting, irresistible offer, so far as he’s concerned.

Therefore, in some ways, he’s a lot like Elon Musk. He’s got a massive pile of money, but needs new places to spend it. And, if he can make his life easier at the same time, then he’s sold.

Quotes {Josie and Tad Meet Corwin for the First Time}

They got to a doorway, the only door, and it had a zero on it. Pay dirt. You people have got a flair for the dramatic, I see. She knocked. “Yick Wo’s!”

In less than a minute, the door opened, and it got very noisy. The person answering the door was a tall, slightly built man who was probably in his sixties. He had to bellow to be heard. “Yeah?”

Behind him, there was some sort of frenzied activity, but it was hard to see anything. “What’s going on back there?” Josie yelled.

“Stuff,” the guy answered. “Now, what do I owe ya?”

“Seventy-three mercs and forty-eight triangles,” said Tad. “Is that like work stuff back there?”

“It’s stuff, for fuck’s sake.” The guy pulled out a billfold and started to count out his payment.

“Are you hiring?” Josie yelled back. “’Cause what we do is kinda boring.” I don’t know who this guy is, but there’s no question that something or other is going on here. The Robin House is a front for … something.

“What can ya do?” the guy yelled. He handed over a combination of large and small coins to Tad, who traded the bag of food for it.

“I can manage robots,” Tad yelled. “And my pal Jamie here can do books.”

“I already got an accountant. But a manager for robots could work.” He was about to shut the door when Josie put her foot in to stop it.

“I can also take care of a lot of other stuff.” She pulled up a sleeve to show him the clock tattoo on her wrist.

Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Relationships

The people in the cabal have interrelationships. But these two are probably the most important for Corwin Zachary.

Corwin and Cassandra

Initially, Cassie is Corwin’s girlfriend. She is a bit ditzy and is not a temporal sensitive. She is much more like a lackey than anything else in the cabal, and her name isn’t a part of the initialism.

Corwin and Robin

Things improve for Corwin Zachary when he trades up for Robin. The problem is, Robin is supposedly still seeing Elston Young.

So as they say in Facebook, it’s … complicated.

Conflict and Turning Point

Corwin’s turning point happens at virtually the same time as everyone else’s in the Time Addicts series, when the team confronts the cabal. And unlike Elston Young, Corwin does not have any redemptive actions.

Sorry, character, but you are going to jail for a long, long time.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Corwin doesn’t fit in with any other continuities. He did not show up in the Time Addicts prequel, either.

Future Plans for Corwin Zachary

So far, I don’t honestly have any future plans for him. But never say never!

Corwin Zachary: Takeaways

I like the idea of a very wealthy individual looking somewhat hangdog and certainly not being a standard fantasy type billionaire. You know, kind of like Bill Gates in real life, and not like so many billionaires fiction writers love to write about.

Fortunately for us in the real world, Bill Gates is a far better person than Corwin Zachary.

Want More of Corwin Zachary and the Rest of the Obolonk Universe?

If the story of the Obolonks resonates with you, then please be sure to check out my other blog posts about how our society turns tripartite, with humans, robots, and Obolonks.

Character Reviews: The Obolonk Murders

Humans
† Peri Martin
• Greg Shapiro
† Rachel Gifford

Robots
† Tommy 2000
• Selkhet 3000

Obolonks
† TSTITO, the Obolonk leader

Character Reviews: Time Addicts

The Good Guys
• Josie James
† Dalton Farouk
† Tad Lewis
• Cyndi Mendez
† Bobby Brodie
• Keisha Darnell
† Vera Travers

The Bad Guys
• Peter Ray
† Dae Ou Xiang
• Elston Young

The Obolonk Universe

Self-Reviews: Obolonk Trilogy

• The Obolonk Murders
† Self-Review: The Polymer Beat
• The Badge of Humanity

Self-Reviews: Time Addicts Trilogy

† No One is Safe
• Nothing is Permanent
† Everything is up for GrabsClick to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Next blog post: The Obolonk Murders

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Writing Fiction About Generation AlphaGenerations, Thoughts on Multigenerational Fiction Writing, Writing Fiction About the Greatest Generation, Writing Fiction About the Silent Generation, Writing Fiction About Early Boomers, Writing Fiction About Generation Jones, Writing Fiction About Generation X, Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation, Writing Fiction About Generation Z, Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha,

Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on February 6, 2025

Generation Alpha (2013 – 2028 or so)

As of the initial writing of this blog post, they haven’t hit any of major age-related touchstones such as turning 18 yet! So, we can’t really cover many pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about Generation Alpha.

However, we can cover the entire time frame, as far as we know it.

Considering the Entire Time Frame When Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha

This time frame starts off with the aftermaths of the Egyptian revolution of 2011, Arab Spring, and NASA ending the space shuttle program.

The Covid-19 pandemic, the first term of President Donald Trump, and the Russia-Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war dominate the middle of this period. Plus, there’s the rise of artificial intelligence.

The very end of this period hasn’t happened yet. All we can really do is speculate.

Given that President Trump is supposed to only be able to serve one more term, the 2028 presidential elections will be a major event. Will Kamala Harris return? Will JD Vance run for the country’s highest office? How about someone else? We shall see.

Naming Your Characters When Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha

In America, the Social Security Administration keeps track of births and what people name their children. Given that this time frame is not yet over, some of these numbers may change. The SSA only has full records up to the end of 2024.

For this (so far) twelve-year time span, there are only ten unique boys’ names for all five slots. As you can imagine, there are several repetitions. Noah holds the top spot from 2013 to 2016 inclusive. Then he’s bumped by Liam, who keeps the gold medal for the rest of the time frame.

In second place, Jacob shows up in 2013 only. Then it’s Liam from 2014 to 2016 inclusive. Otherwise, this spot is taken by Noah. Essentially, except for Jacob in 2013, the #1 and #2 slots are the Noah and Liam Show.

For third place, the field is only slightly more open, with Liam taking the bronze medal in 2013 and then handing it off to Mason for 2014 and 2015. He then hands it to William for 2016 to 2018 inclusive. And Oliver takes it away for the rest of the time period.

When it comes to fourth place, there’s some more variety, with six unique names. William (2019) and Theodore (2024) only show up once. Mason holds this spot in 2013 and 2016, Jacob in 2014 and 2015.

James is in fourth for 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023. And Elijah holds fourth in 2020 and 2021.

For fifth place, Logan (2017) and Oliver (2018) only show up once. William holds this spot 2013 – 2015 inclusive and 2020. James is in fifth place in 2016, 2021, and 2024. Elijah holds this slot in 2019, 2022, and 2023.

Naming Your Girl Characters When Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha

For this (so-far) twelve-year span, there are only eight unique girls’ names for the top five slots. Ava, Emma, Olivia, and Sophia account for almost 3/4 of the list.

For the top spot, Sophia shows up in 2013 only. Then it’s Emma from 2014 to 2018 inclusive, and then Olivia for the rest of the time frame.

In second place, it’s just Emma (2013 and 2019 – 2024 inclusive) and Olivia (2014 – 2018 inclusive).

There are five unique names for third place. Olivia (2013) and Amelia (2024) each only show up once. Sophia takes the bronze in 2014 and 2015, then Ava from 2016 to 2020 inclusive, and then Amelia from 2021 to 2023 inclusive.

There are also five unique names for fourth, although one is different from third place. Ava only shows up in 2015. Isabella is in fourth place in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2018. Then Sophia in 2016 and 2019, and Charlotte in 2020 and 2024.

Amelia is in fourth place in 2021 – 2023 inclusive.

For fifth place, there are only four unique names. Ava takes fifth place in 2013, 2014, and 2021. Then Isabella in 2015, 2016, and 2019. Sophia takes fifth in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023. And finally, squeaking in just under the wire, Mia takes 2024.

What’s Next for Generation Alpha?

For the most part, writing fiction about Generation Alpha means writing science fiction. Certainly, you will have to speculate about the future. In general, extrapolating current events to their logical conclusions can be a good way of going about this.

When I’m Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha

So, here are my characters from Generation Alpha.

There’s no one I specifically name. However, Glenn Storey from The Duck in the Seat Cushion is of the right age.

Takeaways for Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha

As of the initial writing of this blog post, the oldest members of Generation Alpha are only thirteen years old.

Writing fiction about Generation Alpha should cover some of the tween milestones many kids go through, such as confirmation and bar/bat mitzvahs. Also, there are kids with older siblings and friends who may be attending quinceañeras.

And, unless your Generation Alpha characters are the youngest members of the British royal family, their issues, incidents, and problems are more likely to be compact and personal. As in, being affected by parental divorce versus saving the world.

Of course, you can write a ‘chosen one’ story with tweens. But that’s been done a lot lately. What would you like to write that’s different?

Want more about writing fiction about current generations? Then be sure to check out my thoughts on multigenerational fiction writing and the other blog posts in this series:

• The Greatest Generation
† The Silent Generation
• Early Boomers
† Generation Jones
• Generation X
† Millennials AKA Generation Y
• Generation Z AKA Zoomers
† Generation Alpha

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Writing Fiction About Generation ZGenerations, Thoughts on Multigenerational Fiction Writing, Writing Fiction About the Greatest Generation, Writing Fiction About the Silent Generation, Writing Fiction About Early Boomers, Writing Fiction About Generation Jones, Writing Fiction About Generation X, Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation, Writing Fiction About Generation Z, Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha,

Writing Fiction About Generation Z

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on February 4, 2025

A Look at Writing Fiction About Generation Z or iGen (1997 – 2012)

Of course, as of the initial writing of this blog post, Gen Z had not yet hit 35. And a lot of them hadn’t hit their quarter-century mark, either. And 65? Forget about it! So, unless you’re writing about the future, writing fiction about Generation Z means writing about their youth.

My characters Minka Lopez, Dez Hunter, Nell Murphy, and Kitty Kowalski, all from Mettle are all members of iGen.

So, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about Generation Z.

Generation Z Turns 18 (2015 – 2030)

This time frame starts off with NASA’s Dawn probe orbiting dwarf planet (asteroid) Ceres. The World Health Organization declares the eradication of rubella in the Americas. Also, SpaceX lands an uncrewed Falcon 9 rocket.

The Covid-19 epidemic and the first term of President Donald Trump dominate the middle of this period.

As of the initial writing of this blog post, this time period has not yet ended. However, the period from 2020 to 2024 gave us a world where misinformation is everywhere, and there are significant political divides in the United States.

Considering this generation and the end of this time frame can mean extrapolating what’s already happened. Or you can instead try turning it on its head.

Generation Z Turns 25 (2022 – 2037)

This time frame starts off with billions of people being vaccinated against Covid-19. Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Platinum Jubilee (70 years on the throne, a record for British monarchs), and Elon Musk buys Twitter.

Since most of the middle and all of the end of this period hasn’t happened yet, we can only speculate about it. The second election of Republican Donald Trump in 2024 means he’s supposed to be president until 2028.

And, so far, the pace of change has been hectic. There, that’s a nice word for it.

Naming Your Characters When Writing Fiction About Generation Z

In the US, the Social Security Administration keeps records of births and what people name their kids. In most slots, there are a lot of variations.

For girls, Emily dominates the top spot from 1997 to 2007 inclusive. Then Emma shows up in 2008 only. Isabella takes the top spot in 2009 and 2010, and Sophia usurps her for the last two years, 2011 and 2012.

In the second slot, Jessica only shows up in 1997. Then it’s Hannah from 1998 to 2000 inclusive. Madison takes over for 2001 and 2002. Emma then holds this spot from 2003 to 2006 inclusive, 2009, and 2012. Sophia only shows up in 2010. Otherwise, it’s Isabella.

For the third spot, there are nine separate names for this sixteen-year cohort. The following names only show up once: Ashley (1997), Samantha (1998), Alexis (1999), Emily (2008), Olivia (200), and Isabella (2012).

Madison holds the third spot in 2000, and from 2003 – 2006 inclusive. Hannah comes in third in 2001 and 2002. And Emma holds the slot in 2007, 2010, and 2011.

For the fourth slot, again, there are nine separate names. These names only show up once: Emma (2002), Hannah (2003), Abigail (2005), Isabella (2006), Ava (2007), and Sophia (2009). Sarah holds the spot from 1997 to 1999 inclusive.

Ashley is in fourth place in 2000 and 2001. Otherwise, it’s Olivia.

For the fifth slot, there are eight unique names. These names only appear once: Ashley (1998), Samantha (1999), Sarah (2000), and Madison (2007). Hannah holds this spot in 1997 and 2004. Alexis is in fifth in 2001 and 2002; Olivia in 2003 and 2005.

Otherwise, it’s Ava, a fairly dominant name for the fifth place spot.

Naming Your Boy Characters When Writing Fiction About Generation Z

The top slot belongs to Michael in 1997 and 1998. But then he’s run over by Jacob, who holds it for the rest of the time period. The only times Jacob is in second are when Michael is in first. Michael’s in second place from 1999 – 2008 inclusive.

Then Ethan gets the silver medal in 2009 and 2010, ceding to Mason for 2011 and 2012.

Matthews gets the bronze from 1997 to 2001 inclusive. Then Joshua from 2002 to 2006 inclusive. And then Ethan in 2007, 2008, and 2012. Michael holds this spot in 2009 and 2010. William only shows up in 2011.

There are seven unique names in the fourth slot. These only have one appearance: Christopher (1997), Ethan (2006), Alexander (2009), and Noah (2012). Joshua holds this spot from 1998 to 2001 inclusive, and 2007 and 2008.

Matthew holds the fourth slot from 2002 to 2005 inclusive. And Jayden shows up in 2010 and 2011.

For the fifth slot, there are nine unique names. These only show up once: Joshua (1997), Nicholas (1999), Andrew (2003), Matthew (2006), and Noah (2011). Christopher holds this spot in 1998, 2000, and 2001. Then it’s Ethan in 2002, 2004, and 2005.

Daniel takes over this slot in 2007 and 2008. William is in fifth place in 2009, 2011, and 2012.

When I’m Writing Fiction About Generation Z

So, here are my characters from Generation Z.

In Mettle, it’s characters Dez Hunter, Minka Lopez, Nell Murphy, and Kitty Kowalski.

There may be some in The Duck in the Seat Cushion, too.

Takeaways for Writing Fiction About Generation Z

Gen Z was raised on the internet. So writing fiction about Generation Z should include computers, tablets, and smartphones. Therefore, if you wish to show iconoclasts or Luddites, or maybe a post-Apocalyptic world, then Zoomers probably wouldn’t have any of that.

And, as character Kitty Kowalski is like in Mettle, when the power goes out and they might not survive, forget her parents. She barely thinks of them at all. This insufferable spoiled brat misses her phone.

Want more about writing fiction about current generations? Then please be sure to check out my thoughts on multigenerational fiction writing and the other blog posts in this series:

• The Greatest Generation
† The Silent Generation
• Early Boomers
† Generation Jones
• Generation X
† Millennials AKA Generation Y
• Generation Z AKA Zoomers
† Generation Alpha

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Writing Fiction About the Millennial GenerationGenerations, Thoughts on Multigenerational Fiction Writing, Writing Fiction About the Greatest Generation, Writing Fiction About the Silent Generation, Writing Fiction About Early Boomers, Writing Fiction About Generation Jones, Writing Fiction About Generation X, Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation, Writing Fiction About Generation Z, Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha,

Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on January 30, 2025

The Millennial Generation or Generation Y (1981 – 1996)

Authors who believe that writing fiction about the Millennial Generation means only telling tales of youth are going to be in for quite a surprise. As of the initial writing of this blog post, the oldest millennials had turned 33.

And now, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about the Millenial Generation.

The Millennial Generation Turns 18 (1999 – 2014)

This time frame starts off with the euro being established as a currency, and Bill Clinton being acquitted of impeachment charges. IT professionals fret over the potential for a Y2K bug.

The events surrounding 9/11 dominate the middle of this period.

By the time this period ends, Boko Harum militants kill approximately 300 people in Nigeria, and the British comedy group Monty Python calls it quits. Plus, the shooting of Michael Brown triggers riots in Ferguson, Missouri.

Millennials Turn 25 (2006 – 2021)

This time frame starts off with NASA launching the first interplanetary space probe to Pluto (New Horizons), and the Human Genome Project publishing its final chromosome sequence.  Plus, there’s the execution of Saddam Hussein.

The West African Ebola epidemic dominates the middle of this period.

By the time this period ends, Donald Trump’s supporters riot and violently attack the US Capitol building, and the container ship Ever Given runs aground in the Suez Canal and disrupts global trade for days. Derek Chauvin is convicted in the murder of George Floyd.

The Millennial Generation Turns 35 (2016 – 2031)

This time frame starts off with David Bowie dying of liver cancer. The gorilla Harambe is shot and killed due to an incident involving a child. Also, the Chicago Cubs win the World Series for the first time since 1908.

The two impeachments of President Donald Trump and the 2020 election with the subsequent coup attempt on January 6, 2021 dominate the middle of this period.

As of the initial writing of this blog post, this time period has not yet ended.

However, the period from 2021 to 2024 saw the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump, continuing issues with Covid-19 and its many variants, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Naming Your Characters When Writing Fiction About the

Millennial Generation

The US Social Security Administration keeps track of births and what parents name their kids.

This time frame shows more consistency for boy names than for girl names. In fact, in 1984, 1986, 1987, and 1989, all of the top five boys’ names were identical. Whereas for girls, the only two years like that are 1986 and 1987.

Just like in the previous generation, Michael was the top name for every single one of this cohort’s sixteen years. Christopher was in second place for every year but the last two, when Matthew took the silver medal.

When Matthew wasn’t in second, that name was in third. In 1995, because Christopher wasn’t in second place, that name was in third. And in the final year, Jacob was the third-most popular name for boys.

The fourth slot shows more variances in terms of names, but the positioning is still fairly consistent. Jason takes this spot in 1981 and 1982. The only year David’s in fourth is 1983. Jacob is in fourth only in 1995, with Christopher in this spot only in 1996.

Otherwise, it’s Joshua all the way.

David fills the fifth spot more often than the other four names on the list for this period, in 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, and 1989. Joshua fills this spot in 1983, 1995, and 1996. Daniel comes in fifth in 1985 and 1990. Then Andrew in 1988, 1991, and 1992.

The other two years, 1993 and 1994, belong to Tyler.

Naming Your Girl Characters When Writing Fiction About the

Millennial Generation

This time frame is mainly the story of Jessica and Ashley and, to a lesser extent, Brittany and Jennifer.

Jennifer takes the top spot from 1981 – 1984, inclusive. Then Jessica takes over from 1985 – 1990 inclusive, and 1993 – 1995 inclusive. Ashley reigns in 1991 and 1992, while Emily squeaks into the top slot for just one year, 1996.

The silver medal has considerably fewer variants. Jessica holds this spot from 1981 – 1984 inclusive, and in 1991, 1992, and 1996. Otherwise, this spot belongs to Ashley.

For the third spot, Amanda rules from 1981 to 1983 inclusive, and 1986 to 1988 inclusive, plus 1992. Ashley holds this spot in 1984 and 1996. Jennifer is in third place only in 1985. Brittany holds this spot from 1989 to 1991 inclusive. Sarah only shows up here in 1993.

Then it’s Emily in 1994 and 1995.

For the fourth slot, it’s Sarah in 1981, 1982, 1988, and 1996. Ashley only shows up in 1983. Amanda holds this spot in 1984, 1985, and 1989 to 1991 inclusive. Jennifer holds down this part of the fort in 1986 and 1987. Brittany only shows up in 1992. Otherwise, it’s Samantha.

And for the fifth spot, Melissa holds it in 1981 and 1982. But she’s only keeping the seat warm for Sarah, who holds this position in 1983 to 1987 inclusive, 1989, 1992, 1994, and 1995. Jennifer only shows up in 1988; Emily only in 1993. Otherwise, it’s Samantha.

When I’m Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation

Right now, I don’t seem to have any characters from the Millennial Generation. However, it’s possible that there are some from The Duck in the Seat Cushion but I don’t have the birthdates on file yet.

Takeaways for Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation

With the youngest millennials already 28 years old, any present-day plans for writing fiction about the Millennial Generation should not be centered on high school life. Or even undergraduate life.

So, consider the young adult experience, as millennials navigate marriage, parenthood, and trying to purchase a home.

Want more about writing fiction about current generations? Then be sure to check out the other blog posts in this series:

Want more about writing fiction about current generations? Then be sure to check out my thoughts on multigenerational fiction writing and the other blog posts in this series:

• The Greatest Generation
† The Silent Generation
• Early Boomers
† Generation Jones
• Generation X
† Millennials AKA Generation Y
• Generation Z AKA Zoomers
† Generation Alpha

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Writing Fiction About Generation XGenerations, Thoughts on Multigenerational Fiction Writing, Writing Fiction About the Greatest Generation, Writing Fiction About the Silent Generation, Writing Fiction About Early Boomers, Writing Fiction About Generation Jones, Writing Fiction About Generation X, Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation, Writing Fiction About Generation Z, Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha,

Writing Fiction About Generation X

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on January 28, 2025

Generation X (1965 – 1980)

Sometimes the forgotten generation, Gen X is the ‘baby bust’, so the cohort is small. Writing fiction about Generation X should take into account that they tend to not dominate wider groups, because they just plain don’t have the numbers.

My character Dr. Mei-Lin Quan of Mettle is a member of Gen X.

And now, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about Generation X. Of course, no one in Generation X has turned 65 by the time of the initial writing of this blog post.

Generation X Turns 18 (1983 – 1998)

This time frame starts off with the final episode of M*A*S*H, the invention of the 3D printer, and the first commercial mobile cellular telephone call.

The breakup of the Soviet Union and the reunification of Germany dominate the middle of this period.

By the time this period ends, Andrew Wakefield publishes his since-debunked study claiming a link between vaccines and autism.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami retracts a fatwa against Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie that was in force since 1989, and the US House of Representatives forwards articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton.

Generation X Turns 25 (1990 – 2005)

This time frame starts off with Germany reunifying, ARPANET being decommissioned, and South Africa releasing Nelson Mandela from prison.

The events surrounding 9/11 dominate the middle of this period.

By the time this period ends, dwarf planet Eris is discovered, there’s the launch of YouTube, and Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans.

Generation X Turns 35 (2000 – 2015)

This time frame starts off with the final printing of an original Peanuts comic the day after the death of Charles Schulz, and two Al-Qaeda suicide bombers attacking the USS Cole. Plus, the hanging chads election debacle which leads to the Bush v. Gore case going before the US Supreme Court.

The development of smartphones and the launching of familiar social media juggernauts like Tumblr and X (Twitter) dominate the middle of this period.

By the time this period ends, gunmen from Al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch attack the Paris headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, Greece suffers a government debt crisis, and there’s the founding of OpenAI.

Naming Your Gen X Characters

In the US, the Social Security Administration keeps track of births and what people name their kids.

Boy names are remarkably consistent. Michael is #1 every year! And there are only six other names that show up at all in the other four slots during this sixteen-year time frame.

John is #2 in 1965. David is in this spot from 1966 to 1969, inclusive. Then it’s James for 1970 and 1971. Jason shows up for 1974 to 1978, inclusive. Otherwise, it’s Christopher in the second spot.

For the third spot, it’s David in 1965, 1970, and 1971. Then James in 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1972. We only see John once, in 1968. Jason shows up in 1973, 1979, and 1980. Otherwise, it’s Christopher in this spot.

Then for the fourth slot, only three names show up for the sixteen-year time period. James is #4 in 1965, 1968, 1973, and 1975. John is in this spot in 1966, 1967, and 1969 – 1971, inclusive. All other years belong to David.

For the fifth spot, it’s Robert from 1965 – 1971, inclusive. Then John once, in 1972. David takes this spot in 1973 and 1975. For all other years, it’s James.

Names for Gen X Girls

More consistency… and some inconsistency, too. Lisa sits in the top spot from 1965 to 1969, inclusive. Then she’s overthrown by Jennifer, who holds the top spot for every other year.

In the second spot, Mary shows up in 1965 only. Then Kimberly in 1966 and 1967. Then Michelle in 1968, 1969, 1971, and 1972. Lisa shows up in 1970 only. Amy goes on a run from 1973 to 1976, inclusive. Then Melissa from 1977 – 1979 inclusive. Amanda’s just in 1980.

For the third spot, this sixteen-year period had an incredible eleven unique names. These seven show up once: Karen (1965), Mary (1966), Jennifer (1969), Heather (1975), Melissa (1976), Amy (1977), and Amanda (1979).

Kimberly (1968 and 1970), Lisa (1971 and 1972), and Jessica (1978 and 1980), were all in this spot twice. Michelle is the #3 name four times, in 1967, 1973, 1974, and 1976.

For the fourth slot, there are eight unique names. Mary (1967), Jennifer (1968), and Amy (1978) all show up once. Michelle (1966 and 1970), Heather (1974 and 1976), Melissa (1975 and 1980), and Jessica (1977 and 1979) all show up twice. Otherwise, it’s Kimberly.

The fifth spot also has eight unique names. Karen (1966), Lisa (1973), and Sarah (1980) all show up once. Susan (1965 and 1967), Melissa (1968 and 1969), and Heather (1977 and 1978) show up three times. Angela shows up three times, from 1974 to 1976, inclusive.

And Amy shows up four times, from 1970 to 1972 inclusive, and 1979.

When I’m Writing Fiction About Generation X

So, here are my characters from the Generation X cohort.

In Mettle, it’s characters Noah Braverman, Craig Firenze, Jeannie Scutter Firenze, and Elise Jeffries. Plus, Dr. Mei-Lin Quan and Olga Nicolaev.

And in The Duck in the Seat Cushion, it’s main character MJ Tanner’s younger half-brother Will. There are also her ill-fated twins, Levi and Chloe. Plus, there are Sid’s children Lenny and Wendy.

Takeaways for Writing Fiction About Generation X

When writing fiction about Generation X, keep in mind that it’s a small cohort. Many of its members were latchkey children when they were younger (mothers would work and not be home when they returned home from school).

These two experiences, combined, can make the members of the redheaded stepchild of the generations a rather sarcastic bunch. It was, and still is, a major survival mechanism for them.

Want more about writing fiction about current generations? Then please be sure to check out my thoughts on multigenerational fiction writing and the other blog posts in this series:

• The Greatest Generation
† The Silent Generation
• Early Boomers
† Generation Jones
• Generation X
† Millennials AKA Generation Y
• Generation Z AKA Zoomers
† Generation Alpha

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