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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 — Tommy 2000Peri 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 — Tommy 2000

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on November 22, 2022

Consider Tommy 2000, One of My Original Characters

Who is Tommy 2000?

Tommy 2000, AKA Tommy McFarland, is the kind of police officer you want on your side. A powerful genius who cares about people.

Except he’s not a person. He’s a robot.

Where Did Tommy 2000 Come From?

At first, the original Obolonk Murders was something I was writing about twenty years ago and I was utterly winging it.

He started off as just a cool robot, able to morph. But then I learned, as I was writing him, that he would be a lot more than that.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Tommy 2000

When we first meet him, he’s being fully activated for the first time. But he does tell Peri that he recalls a few brief earlier moments during programming. Peri quite literally is his entire world.

This makes her loss, between the original Obolonk trilogy, and Time Addicts, all the more devastating.

Description

I have always seen actor Steven Culp when I think of Tommy 2000.

And that is exactly what I was thinking of when I originally wrote his description. Tommy is meant to look like a character actor. Someone who is known but not known.

You know.

That guy.
Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Tommy’s sole purpose is to help and protect Peri. He will do anything for her, including potentially give up his own existence.

For her part, Peri initially finds this annoying. She rather pointedly and specifically tells him to stop conceding every single point to her.

… And she’s right!

For them to work together well and efficiently, they need to have differences of opinion. She does not need a reflection of herself.

Evolution

When the original trilogy ends, Tommy is more of a partner to Peri. When we get to Time Addicts, he is her widower.

And by this time, he has a position in the government. Much like the Obolonks’ own They Say This is the One (TSTITO), Tommy is the only ‘ruler’ of sapient and semi-sapient robots.

Because, so long as he has access to replacement materials, he can theoretically never die. So, he just stays on in a leadership capacity.

For the third of the trilogies, I will probably change him up again. But I am not so sure how I will do that just yet.

Quotes (original Obolonk trilogy; Peri and Tommy are discussing a terrorist organization, HEART, run by an anonymous person they call the Farm Boy)

“Yeah, there’s also the plastics from Carolbots. And you probably don’t want to transport a completed bomb so maybe you ship the parts or maybe they’re even developed on site. That means infrastructure, and it also means training. This all spells a rather expensive long-term operation.”

“If that is occurring,” Tommy said, “then there may be issues with all robots that were repaired or manufactured within the preceding ten-to-thirty-month time frame.”

Peri was silent for a moment. “Then that includes you, and possibly also Selkhet, right?”

“It is not outside the realm of possibility.”

Peri swallowed hard. Have I just fed a bunch of our plans to the Farm Boy? “Would you even know if you’d been at all compromised, Tom?”

“I am unsure. The thought is rather … unsettling.”

Quotes (Time Addicts trilogy; Tommy and Josie meet for the first time)

“Why don’t you tell me about yourself.”

“I don’t think there’s much to tell, Mr. McFarland.”

“Oh, God, don’t call me that. Please do not call me that.”

“What should I call you, then?”

“Tommy is fine. In return, can I call you Jolene?”

“Josie, actually.”

“Oh, this wasn’t in my briefing materials.” He looked up again. “Ah, there it is. You’ve had this nickname since second grade.”

So you’ve got access to my elementary school records. I bet you can see everything else.

Who am I kidding? Of course you can. You’ve got Alpha-1 clearance. I bet you know when I got my wisdom teeth taken out.

“Since you probably know all about me, isn’t this kind of a pointless exercise?”

“Not really. I can get information from the cloud, as you can see. Or I can get it straight from you. And what you say, and how you say it, and the order in which you say it—all of this confers a lot more information than just your words. And what you leave in, and what you leave out; those are also vital clues about you as a person.”

“I don’t think a Juliebot would quite get into this level of detail.”

“I know they wouldn’t. Selkhet and I put together their programming protocols ourselves. And then those were agreed to by the Chief Governor, the head of the OIA, and an older Obolonk called We Say This is the One. It had to be unanimous.”

“Just when did this happen?”

“May 14th, 2182.”

“Wait, that was 345 years ago.”

Tommy 2000: Relationships

For a being made up on plastics and polymers, he has any number of relationships over time.

Peri Martin

With Peri, he grows from a hovering, deferential, almost-nosy servant to her loyal and equal partner. Tommy gives her stability, love, and the kind of intellectual banter she craves. He experiences true grief when she passes on.

In return, she loosens him up. She gives him tools to get along in society. Like in any good partnership, they make each other better.

David Shepherd

For Tommy to really be a mature creation, he needs complex emotions. With Dave, he feels jealousy. As Peri puts it, he’s supposed to be like a loyal dog.

But he doesn’t like it when she plays with other dogs. He never gets violent or anything. But Tommy is clearly wounded and he is short with Peri when she tries to talk to him about it.

In Time Addicts, there are a few timelines where the relationship between Peri and Tommy does not advance, or Tommy does not get to the next level. In those, Peri marries Dave.

Dr. James Tinerrian

What is anyone’s relationship with their creator? Jim is father, instructor, programmer, and creator to Tommy, Selkhet, and the rarely seen Emma 1000. And with Tommy, Jim has succeeded well beyond his wildest imaginings.

Selkhet 3000

Made a bit before Tommy, Selkhet also has emotions but hers are more advanced than his. However, she is also more prone to breaking down.

By the Time Addicts period, Selkhet and Tommy aren’t dating. But she is generally his plus-one for any functions.

Emma 1000

An even earlier Tinerrian creation than Selkhet, Emma is a bit unsure of herself a lot of the time. She will show up in the third trilogy, but I’m (as of right now) unsure as to what direction their relationship will take by then.

Hey, I get surprises, too!

Josie James

During Time Addicts, they work together, although he’s no longer a cop. But he has a unique perspective. And, with her display tied to data chips he can interface with, she can effectively share at least some of her memories of other timelines with him.

This gives them a strong, non-romantic bond. Even beyond Carmen, he is the person who, without doubt, question, or reservation, believes her.

Tommy 2000: Conflict and Turning Point

Like with Peri (and Dave, really), the turning point is when they get to Sedna. He sacrifices nearly everything for her. And in return, she does the same for him.

In addition, his basic internal structure changes. Perhaps it’s a bit of deus ex machina, but I wanted for him to evolve almost randomly.

You know, like us humans do.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Since I also see Jake Radford as Steven Culp, there is a bit of continuity with (of all things) The Real Hub of the Universe.

Future Plans

I don’t have him in either the prequel for Time Addicts or for the original Obolonk trilogy. His earlier life isn’t much. But his life in between the trilogies, and then between Time Addicts and the third trilogy, should prove interesting. Will I ever write that? I have no idea.

Tommy 2000: Takeaways

I strongly resisted turning this character into a latter-day Pinocchio. Far too many writers do that with android/robot characters, and that was not my plan for him. But he does change and grow. And, while he doesn’t necessarily become a “real boy”, he becomes, in a way, a better person than most human beings.

Tommy 2000 — because a sapient robot should be more than a wannabe Pinocchio.

Want More of Tommy 2000 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 articles 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

Character Reviews: Time Addicts

The Good Guys
• Josie James
† Carmen D’Angelo, MD
• Dalton Farouk
† Tad Lewis
• Cyndi Mendez
† Bobby Brodie
• Keisha Darnell
† Vera Travers

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

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 Grabs

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Character Review — Craig FirenzeCraig Firenze, Noah Braverman, Minka Lopez, Dez Hunter, Eleanor Braverman, Olga Nicolaev, Kitty Kowalski, Mei-Lin Quan, Nell Murphy, Elise Jeffries,

Character Review — Craig Firenze

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on November 8, 2022

Consider Craig Firenze, One of My Original Characters

Who is Craig Firenze?

For Mettle, the first character I came up with was the anchor. Craig is the linchpin of the piece and of the group.

He came tearing into my mind, swearing all the way, Southern accent in full swing.

Where Did Craig Firenze Come From?

I had way too many proper-ish characters. But Craig, and really everyone in Mettle, has a potty mouth. And, in fact, the first word he says (the first word anyone in the book says) is an f-bomb.

He’s sarcastic and smart. Much like Trixie LaRue, his Southern accent may fool some into thinking he’s just a good ol’ boy. But Craig is far more than that.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Craig Firenze

The head of communications at NASA is a veteran, who attained the rank of Colonel. But he’s also got two degrees in civil engineering, and a Professional Engineering license. A PE license is hard to get, so it should be obvious: Craig is no dope.

This combination of qualifications makes him uniquely suited to talk to the press about the astronauts on the International Space Station. But he’s also the one who has to report the negatives with the positives. And the negatives are really bad.

At the same time, the negatives in his life are getting worse. He just wanted to marry a beauty queen. But instead, he got a bipolar wife who doesn’t always take her medication.

Description

Craig’s look is essentially Chris Cooper in American Beauty. I have always intended for him to be and look a lot like a middle manager or midlevel military guy. Someone who you would not really notice.

He’s the short, almost Napoleon-like guy who people underestimate, but who quietly and purposefully gets things done.

But I do have an alternative, as Cooper is currently a bit too old for what I am looking for.

I also like Gary Sinise, but only a bit. Essentially, I only see Sinise when he is in a skeptical or frowning kind of pose.

But either way you slice it, Craig is not meant to have movie star good looks. And I never mean for him to have the classic look of a hero. Yet he is one anyway.

With an accent that’s Texas by way of Georgia, he sounds like he’d be sitting on a porch and dispensing homespun wisdom. But he’s a city guy with two difficult-to-get degrees and a major role in front of cameras in perhaps the most well-known government agency: NASA.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

The chief motivator for everyone in the Mettle Universe is survival. But before we get there, we have about nine or ten chapters of preliminaries. Yes, I should edit those. I get it!

For the preliminary chapters, Craig has the most screen time and you get the most detail about him.

He is essentially trying to keep above water in his personal life, and cover everyone’s tail (Craig would say something far earthier) at work.

Quotes (Craig Reads the Riot Act to Dez and Nell)

Dez and Nell got their coats and followed Craig out. “What the fuck do you want?” she asked as they walked.

“Just hold your horses.” Craig got them inside the front room. The room was cold, and the shadows had lengthened. He fumbled around for candles and matches while the kids waited. Finding them, he lit one and used it to scour the room. He pointed. “There’s a sofa. Now sit.”

Grumbling and still in their jackets, they sat down. “This blows,” Nell complained.

“Shut up,” Craig barked. “And listen, both of you. Now I know this isn’t a great situation.”

“Right, yeah,” she said. “Get to the fucking point.”

“You interrupt your pappy when he does this?”

“I don’t even know who my father is, so fuck you on that account.”

“Right, sorry. I didn’t know that. But honestly, kids. This is not a fucking country club we got goin’ on here. You gotta pull your weight.”

“What are you gonna do about it?” Dez cracked.

Craig ran a hand through his hair. “I won’t starve y’all, and I can’t ground you in any way. But you gotta understand. This power outage has gone on for, I don’t even know what fucking day it is anymore.”

“It’s June first,” Dez said. “Mink had a calendar and I’m still crossing off the days.”

“So, it’s been a good ten days. We’ve gotten nothing from nobody. No communications, no planes flying and dropping supplies, no tests of power, nothing. That tells me this power outage won’t go away any time soon. And those people who left—including your parents, Dez—are probably not coming back for a while, if ever. That means you’ve both gotta step up.”

“I’m only fucking fourteen,” Nell complained.

“Well, I’m sorry that’s so, Missy, but we can’t just wait around for you to grow up.” Craig paused. “There are only eight of us. Mrs. Braverman can’t help, and Olga is pretty much giving all of her time to her care. So, it’s more like there’s only six of us. You back out and you’re not only hurting yourself.”

“Don’t fucking call me Missy. I hate it.”

“I don’t give a flying shit what you like.”
Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Relationships

Craig has a relationship of some sort with all the major characters. But these four are the most significant.

Jeannie Scutter Firenze

At the start of Mettle, Craig and his wife, Jeannie, are moving from a relatively even keel to rocky, roiling waters. Craig and Jeannie have known each other since high school. She’s a former beauty queen—and he was just some guy.

But her parents in particular pushed for the union, because Jeannie isn’t what she seems on the surface. The gorgeous Alabama cheerleader has bipolar disorder.

As a result, the Scutters did everything in their power to keep the marriage together. They hid the worst of Jeannie’s episodes.

But when they’ve both passed on, the truth comes out. And it is not pretty.

At the Start of Mettle

When Mettle starts, Jeannie is heading right into a manic phase, like a speeding train in the process of derailing. And Craig is finding out that he doesn’t want to tolerate it any longer.

Noah Braverman

I don’t write Craig with any siblings. But Noah is as close to a brother as I’ve got for him. Even though Noah barely knows him, he takes Craig in, all the same.

While they aren’t exactly partners in crime (Noah and Elise are), they both get ‘er done. Craig helps everyone to survive. But Craig would not be able to do that without Noah taking him in.

Nell Murphy

When Craig and Nell start off, they get off on the wrong foot. Nell and Dez abandon the others to follow childish pursuits. This leaves Craig and Mei-Lin lost in Brighton. Dez leaves Elise and Noah when they’re foraging for food. Nell takes a nap and Dez does ollies on his skateboard.

Craig reads them both the Riot Act (see above).

But Nell warms up to him, and comes to realize that he is pretty much the only person standing between the group and utter starvation and despair. The no-nonsense middle manager gets things done.

Mei-Lin Quan, MD

With Jeannie, everything is a difficult slog. But with Mei-Lin, everything is easy. Although some of that may come from sharing experiences in a disaster.

She chooses him, and decides he will be the reason she goes on. But when she first comes onto him, he’s like a deer caught in the headlights. It takes him a bit to come around.

Conflict and Turning Point

Like with the other major characters, and really the book itself, the turning point is when they set off the fireworks. Until then, it feels as if Craig will be the strongest one. But he’s not. That honor, rather, falls to Dez.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Craig is one of the most easily funny characters I have ever written. He makes pop culture references effortlessly and relentlessly. But I don’t have a real continuity for him across the other universes.

Future Plans for Craig Firenze

There is no question that Craig will appear in the Mettle prequel story. That story will be a bunch of loosely-gathered vignettes, but they will all show foreshadowing of the main book.

These vignettes will also introduce all of the characters, but as separate entities for the most part.

Craig Firenze: Takeaways

Before the disaster, he’s a mid-level government functionary. But afterwards? He’s the key to the group’s survival. This unlikeliest hero (and in that way, he’s a bit like Marnie Shapiro) is indispensable.

Craig Firenze — because sometimes your hero comes from middle management.

Want More of Craig Firenze and the Rest 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.

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

Self Review: Mettle

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Character Review — Carmen D’Angelo, MDDalton Farouk, Carmen D'Angelo, Josie James, Peter Ray, Tad Lewis, Elston Young, Corwin Zachary,

Character Review — Carmen D’Angelo, MD

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on November 3, 2022

Consider Carmen D’Angelo, One of My Original Characters

Who is Carmen D’Angelo?

Carmen is kind of a fun, take-no-prisoners kind of character. She is one of the most important characters in the Time Addicts universe.

Where Did Carmen D’Angelo Come From?

I wanted a smart, take-charge boss. At the same time, I also wanted to have someone who could intelligently relate to the characters. As a result, I made her a psychiatrist.

This did not just make it easier for the character to relate to time travelers. It also created a separate application for time travel. Because apart from its obvious historian application, what can you do with time travel?

So, what if you could use it to help patients recall and work through trauma? Or, perhaps, help them be able to testify against abusers?

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Carmen D’Angelo

Before the story starts, Carmen works as a psychiatrist. One of her patients, Robin McKenna, seems to experience life differently from other people. Other sane people, that is. Robin seems to be able to recall alternative realities.

But she seems to be mentally sound. What the hell is up with Robin?

When Carmen meets Peter Ray at a party, they get to talking and she explains she has a patient who can see alternate realities. Ray realizes that Carmen’s patient likely can tell the differences between timelines. That is, like Josie James, Robin is temporally sensitive.

Fascinated by Carmen and her unnamed patient, he hires Carmen. Carmen, in turn, hires Robin to be her assistant.

Description

Middle-aged by our standards, smart, and driven, Carmen is a caring, creative boss. She listens to her employees, treats them well, and gets right into the trenches with them.

She’s also from a British enclave on Rhea. Saying it’s a Rhean thing, she calls everyone Mister or Miss or the equivalent. It keeps her at arm’s length from other people.

And, she’s an alcoholic. But I confess I haven’t shown a lot of that. I might even take that out.

She will also, at times, lapse into Italian. I tend to see actress Annabella Sciorra in her.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Her primary motivation is to protect what she sees as the primary timeline. But since she isn’t temporally sensitive, her idea of that changes with every time change.

However, in many of the particularly nasty timelines, she believes Josie when Josie tells her things were better. And more importantly, how they were better.

Quotes (Carmen speaks first, and is talking to Josie)

“I can still deposit into your mental accounts book. Or, rather, I can at least not be the one who’s withdrawing from it all the time.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am making the conscious decision to believe you. I can’t speak for the others; so they may still be skeptical about your reports of changes. But I shan’t be. You have my word on it.”

Carmen D’Angelo and Her Relationships

Without getting into her employer/employee relationships, here’s how Carmen gets along with others.

David Wesley-Smith

In the original timeline, they’re divorced. It’s not due to any sort of argument or wrongdoing. Rather, he wants to see the stars, so he leaves on an Obolonk-centric mission. They divorce before he departs.

In other timelines, she is widowed. And in at least a few timelines, they are still married.

In the timeline where Josie meets him, David turns out to be a nasty anti-Obolonk jackass.

Robin Campbell McKenna

Apart from David, the only other person Carmen regularly calls by their first name is Robin.

And so that has led me to wonder—did they have any sort of a romantic relationship? Did it go past psychiatrist/patient? I honestly have no idea, but the concept intrigues me. Perhaps I’ll visit it eventually.

Conflict and Turning Point

Carmen’s conflict and turning point match those of the overall story line. Her mission is to preserve and protect the original timeline as she understands it. And the biggest part of that is keeping Josie alive and well.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

The main continuity is a similarity to another time travel agency boss character I wrote. That was Carmen Calavicci, and she was a product of fan fiction. Are the two Carmens the same?

Well, the Carmen of Time Addicts has more depth, and no time-centric surname to clue in a reader. Rather, her surname just defines her as being one of the ‘good guys’.

Future Plans for Carmen D’Angelo

Because there will be a third trilogy in the Obolonk universe, there is a possibility that her name will come up again. But it will take place a good century after the middle trilogy.

So, even in a futuristic society where people live a lot longer than we do, she’s unlikely to still be kicking then. Then again, these people have time travel. They can always confer with her by going to her time and just, you know, talking.

Hmm.
Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Carmen D’Angelo: Takeaways

Carmen manages quite a bit like I do, in the sense that I try to be collaborative versus commanding. But she’s a lot more likely to head to a bar than I am. And I don’t call everyone Miss or Mister.

Carmen D’Angelo — because why the hell wouldn’t time travelers need psychiatric care?

Want More of Carmen 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 articles about how our society turns tripartite, with humans, robots, and Obolonks.

Character Reviews: The Obolonk Murders

Humans
† Peri Martin
• Greg Shapiro

Robots
† Tommy 2000
• Selkhet 3000

Obolonks
† TSTITO

Character Reviews: Time Addicts

The Good Guys
• Josie James
† Carmen D’Angelo, MD
• Dalton Farouk
† Tad Lewis
• Cyndi Mendez
† Bobby Brodie
• Keisha Darnell
† Vera Travers

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

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 Grabs

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Character Review — Dalton FaroukDalton Farouk, Carmen D'Angelo, Josie James, Peter Ray, Tad Lewis, Elston Young, Corwin Zachary,

Character Review — Dalton Farouk

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on September 20, 2022

Dalton Farouk is a character I created as the love interest for the main character in the Time Addicts trilogy, Josie James.

Who is Dalton Farouk?

He was always to be a Muslim character and always to be smart and attractive. In addition, this character was to always have a very strong reason for Carmen choosing him for the team.

So, why was he put on the team?

It’s because he’s got a very real memory gift. It’s rare and quite amazing.

Hello, Hyperthymesia

So, to make Dalton truly fascinating, I decided he would have hyperthymesia.

It also goes by the name, ‘highly superior autobiographical memory’. Essentially, a person is able to recall everything that ever happened to them, and in exceptional detail.

Where Did Dalton Farouk Come From?

The name just sort of came to me. I loved the idea of a very WASP-y kind of first name and then the surname just kind of bangs a left.

And here we are.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Dalton Farouk

Born in the Philadelphia-Main Line section of the Washington Megalopolis, Dalton is the elder of two. His sister, Maryam Tracy Farouk, shows champion schnauzers. Maryam is learning how to do so from their mother, Susan Dalton Farouk.

Their father, Ali, is also involved in the breeding and training of the dogs. But he doesn’t show them.

Dalton himself reports that he and Maryam didn’t always get along so well as kids. But they’ve gotten better as they’ve gotten older.
Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Description

When I think of Dalton, I think of the actor Shazad Latif.

So, just like Latif, Dalton is a handsome Middle Eastern guy with a beard. He smiles easily and is exceptionally attentive to Josie.

He is, in many ways, the perfect boyfriend. But why?

Because, since he can remember everything forever, he does everything in his power to avoid regrets.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Dalton really has two separate motivations. His first is like the other employees of the OIA-DTN: to preserve and restore the original timeline. But his second motivation is to date Josie. Then again, I suppose there’s a third, because he’s got to cope with the burdens of his gift.

It’s got to be tough when you remember every humiliation you ever had in nursery school.

Quotes

(from the first time we see Dalton in the storyline)

“Hi, I’m Dalton.”

“Er, hi. I’m Josie James.” His hand was smooth, as if the only physical labor he did was in a gym.

“You sound like a dance hall girl or an outlaw. Definitely something from a western movie.”

“You sound upper crust.”

“I was born in the Philly section of the Washington Meg so, yeah, kinda. You?”

“You want to know where I was born?”

“Well, yeah, seeing as we’re not supposed to be hinting at roles and responsibilities yet.”

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot that. Man, oh man, the OIA sure has some strange protocols. Still, I figure there’s a kind of a method to their madness.”

“Oh?” asked Dalton.

“Yeah, they get to continually test us on secrecy and on following instructions. We screw up, and they can boot us. You know, like it says in our contracts. I am assuming you got the same contract that I did, er, Dalton.” Why the hell is this dreamy guy just going by his last name? How weird.

“I’m sure I did. And yeah.” He seemed to be staring at something for a second, as if he was mentally flipping the pages of the contract, in electronic or paper form. “You’re right; it does say that. But you didn’t answer my question, outlaw Josie James.”

“I didn’t? Er, what was it again?”

“Where were you born?” he asked, as the door opened and a Wingbot arrived with a strong-looking guy who looked like he played football professionally.

“Tad Lewis,” the new guy said, shaking Josie’s hand and then turning to Dalton.

“I’m Josie James and this here is, er, Mr. Dalton.”

Dalton started to laugh. “Hell, no. My first name is Dalton. Hiya, Tad. Where you from?”

Josie mouthed the word ‘sorry’.

Relationships for Dalton Farouk

Dalton of course has been around the block enough that Josie isn’t his first love interest.

Lisa Shore

So, when I started, Lisa was a blank slate. And then I got to thinking about her being borderline abusive. Since Dalton would not want to rock the boat in most relationships, I felt it best to make her so awful that he would just have to end things.

His parents even comment that they weren’t so fond of her.

Conflict and Turning Point

For Dalton, the conflict and turning point align with the rest of the story and characters. He, along with Josie, Tad, Jerry, Cindy, Keisha, and Carmen, have to finally stop a group called the Yester Masters.

Changing time is making Obolonk lives worse and worse. But unsatisfied with Obolonk slavery, the Yester Masters want to go one step further. They want to commit genocide.

Dalton’s role is perhaps a little foolhardy, since he sustains a rather bad injury.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Apart from having love interests in many of my works, I kind of don’t have a continuity or Easter Egg for him. But I do love his memory, and may write a similar character in the future. Imagine Dalton’s POV!

Future Plans for Dalton Farouk

So, right now, there are no plans for a sequel featuring him, and the prequels don’t have him, either. But in a way, I like the idea of him ending with a question mark, for tomorrow never knows.

Dalton Farouk: Takeaways

Dalton is a little bit of a “careful what you wish for” character. Smart, handsome, and kind, he feels so perfect. And then, when you get to know him, you learn just how troubled he really is.

Time Addicts is all about memory, and Dalton Farouk is its poster child.

Want More of Dalton and the Rest of the Obolonk Universe?

If the story of the Obolonks/Time Addicts resonates with you, then please be sure to check out my other articles 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

Character Reviews: Time Addicts

The Good Guys
• Josie James
† Carmen D’Angelo, MD
• Dalton Farouk
† Tad Lewis
• Cyndi Mendez
† Bobby Brodie
• Keisha Darnell
† Vera Travers

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

The Obolonk Universe

Prequels

• The Dust Between Our Stars
† Eros vs Thanatos

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 Grabs

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

Character Review — Nell Murphy

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on August 9, 2022

Consider Nell Murphy, One of My Original Characters

Who is Nell Murphy?

For Mettle, I needed a character who would be bullied. In contrast to the wealthy and overly pretty Kitty and Mink—and the troublemaking Dez—I wanted a mousey character. Nell fills the bill perfectly.

Where Did Nell Murphy Come From?

Because I’ve been on the receiving end of bullying myself, writing those scenes was easy. And, frankly, they mainly came from real life. But it’s not just what happens to her. It’s also how she reacts to it.

Since Nell has few resources at her disposal, she retreats even more into herself.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Nell Murphy

Born after the turn of the 21st century, Nell is fourteen during the entire run of Mettle. She never knows who her father is. Her mother, Julia, overdoses on opioids when Nell is only six. As a result of this harsh childhood, her Gran (Sally Murphy) is raising her.

But her family is far from wealthy. Gran scrimps to get Nell good food and keep a roof over their heads. When the book starts, Gran is having trouble paying the heating bills.

Shy, quiet, and introverted, Nell wants to be anywhere but wherever she is. Feeling undue pressure, she cuts herself.

Like many tweens, she’s mouthy at times, and mumbles at others. Sometimes, she’s responsible. But other times, she slacks off. Just like any other kid of her age.

Description

Nell is small and slight. I see her with straight, stringy mousey brown hair and large eyes. She’s pale, too. Often, she wants to disappear. If I had to describe her with one word, I would say she’s scrawny.

Bailee Madison in Law and Order. I see her as Nell Murphy
Actress Bailee Madison, who I see as Nell Murphy.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Like all of the other characters in Mettle, Nell’s primary motivation is to survive. And she realizes cutting won’t help anything, so she stops voluntarily.

It’s one of the more mature things she does throughout the book.

Quotes

In this scene, Nell and Dez (a classmate) are trying to survive with fellow Bostonians Elise, Noah, Mei-Lin, Craig, and Olga. To save fuel and conserve their own human energy, the idea is to combine households.

Even though they were classmates, Dez and Nell barely knew each other before. The others didn’t know her at all. Before, Elise was working as a medical examiner and was acquainted with Mei-Lin, another doctor at the local hospital.

Olga, a Russian immigrant, is the caregiver for Noah’s mother, who has Alzheimer’s.

~ “Would you both live in the Carter Street house?” Elise asked, point blank. “If you don’t want to, it’s okay. But Nell, you’re right. Combining households will save us fuel.”

“I guess so.” Nell looked down. “It’ll be weird not being around Gran’s things.”

“I could live in the Carter Street house,” Dez said. “I won’t really miss anything back home. My old man saw to that. Anything I really owned or liked can’t be used except the skateboard. The rest is all computers, stuff like that. I had my own TV. That’s a waste now.”

“Bring some of your grandmother’s stuff over if you want to, Nell,” Mei-Lin suggested. “Or your mother’s.”

“I just have one thing from my mom.”

“What that?” asked Olga.

“The burgundy down jacket.”

“She’s kept you warm, then,” Noah said.

“That’s about all she ever did.”

“You don’t have to give us the gory details if you don’t want to,” Craig said.

“No, it’s okay. I don’t mind. My mother OD’d when I was six.”

“Opioids, right?” Elise asked. Nell nodded. “I probably did her autopsy.”

“Julia Murphy.”

“I don’t know. But it wouldn’t shock me.” Elise squeezed the girl’s hand. ~
Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Relationships

Nell is very young, so she doesn’t really have much in the way of relationships. Certainly, there’s nothing sexual. She’s probably ace. I’ve mulled that idea over a few times and it’s … possible. But even I’m not 100% sure.

Gran

Nell’s grandmother is the only family she’s got. Gran is mother, father, and tutor to Nell. Because there’s no one else, they are close. But this doesn’t mean Nell is a good little obedient girl.

While she tends to keep quiet about things, she’s still not a perfect little angel, who Gran can rear effortlessly.

Eleanor Braverman

For a few days, Eleanor has the wherewithal to become a more active member of the group. Nell latches onto her immediately, as Gran has gone out of town and there’s no way to know when or even if she’ll ever be back.

Eleanor and Nell read together, and it gets Nell excited about learning in a way she never was before.

Noah Braverman

While Nell and Noah don’t have a lot of scenes together, she comes to love everyone in the group. With the Braverman family, she even takes on their name as a second middle name. In that way, she honors both Noah and his mother.

Craig Firenze

Although they don’t get off on the right foot, Nell comes to appreciate and truly respect Craig. As everything else goes to pot around them, she develops what is not really a crush.

It’s more like hero worship. Because Craig offers stability and reassurance when everything else feels hopeless.

Conflict and Turning Point

Like for the other characters in Mettle, the turning point centers around things finally becoming so dire that it seems inevitable that none of them will make it. Nell is the first to really get close to the point of no return.

But she’s also the first to recover, and the first to start to piece together what’s really going on.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

When I had trouble coming up with the name of a side, throwaway character in Time Addicts, I named her Nell. Although that character is Nell Shaw. Otherwise, there’s no connection.

Are There Any Future Plans for Nell Murphy?

I don’t really have any future plans for her, but she’s a character I could see myself revisiting.

Nell Murphy: Takeaways

Don’t count her out. Nell may be small, but she’s mighty all the same. I see my seventh grade self in her.

Nell Murphy — small but fierce.

Want More of Nell and the Rest of Mettle?

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

Character Reviews: Mettle

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

The Mettle Universe
Self Review: Mettle

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Character Review — TathrelleNew Cover of Untrustworthy by JR Gershen-Siegel, New Cover of Untrustworthy, Tathrelle, Ixalla, Adger, Velexio, Untrustworthy universe

Character Review — Tathrelle

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on July 28, 2022

Consider Tathrelle, One of My Original Characters

Who is Tathrelle?

When I first started to come up with the story which turned into Untrustworthy, I needed a heroine character. My original plan was for her to be the biggest driver of the action. But as the background of the book kept changing, so did my attitude toward her. She took on a more dual heroine role with Ixalla.

Where Did Tathrelle Come From?

In essence, this character first came about because I came up with her name. I loved the idea of a very feminine name like this, which doesn’t feel like it has any sort of history or etymology. I am particularly thrilled because even now, years after I started writing Untrustworthy, you can only find her name as a part of the blurb for this book.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Tathrelle

Her backstory enters the book in little bits and pieces. But you only get back to what is likely the day right before the book starts. Without plunging into spoiler territory, she is just plain not what she seems.

But when we first meet her, she’s just won an election. Tathrelle is to be the representative of the common people, their sole voice in the government.

Description

When the book starts, she has brown hair and kind of reddish brown eyes. She also has fewer fingers than we do. And her genitals aren’t in the same place as ours are.

Er, why?

Because she’s not a human at all. In fact, no one in this novel is. She’s a Cabossian, a bipedal species with two genders and two separate types of existence. All that matters on Caboss is if you’re sterile or fertile.

Untrustworthy solely takes place off Earth, and the characters have no inkling that humans so much as exist.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Probably her strongest motivation is to tell the people the truth. As the story unfolds, the government gives her more and more required phrasing in her speeches. While they don’t actually dictate everything she has to say, they do horn in on it.

Quotes

The general who was seated to the left of Tathrelle said, “It might mean rioting. We cannot have that. Order must be maintained, at all costs, for the security of Caboss.”

“All too true,” agreed the general on the other side of Tathrelle, “We cannot tell the people the details.”

“But that’s my job,” Tathrelle protested. “They elected me for the singular purpose of telling them the truth about the government – about how it’s run, about how things are going and all of that. If we outright lose the war, it’s going to affect everyone. You cannot tell me not to tell them.”

The general across from her, looking very smug, said, “You heard it; there’ll be rioting if we tell the people. We’ve got to be subtle about this sort of thing. You cannot just blurt it out, as if you were a child telling a secret in a schoolyard.”

“Do not, no, do not tell them all of it,” Velexio cautioned. “In fact, let’s do this, Tathrelle. I’d like for you to tell them that the war is going well and that the Cavirii are in communications with us and that the government needs to concentrate on those communications, so details will not be forthcoming.”

…

Tathrelle looked aghast at Velexio. “Are you suggesting that I lie to the people?”

Relationships

She has a relationship of sorts with the other three characters with the most “screen time”, as it were. That is, Ixalla, Adger, and Velexio.

Tathrelle and Ixalla

We first meet Ixalla early in the piece. She’s married to Tathrelle, and theirs is a loving, sensual kind of marriage. They’re considerate to each other, even though their statuses are very different. Ixalla is a schoolteacher, about to go on maternity leave. But her wife has just won an election to be the people’s representative voice is a militaristic government.

But once their circumstances start to change (again, I am doing my best to avoid spoiling the book!), Tathrelle learns that her position with the government is more as a checked-off box. She’s a token ordinaryish citizen, a canary in a coalmine composed of an alien cabal/junta. But when this happens, Ixalla’s stature rises. A gifted, dedicated teacher, Ixalla complements Tathrelle and together the two are stronger than apart.

Adger

A coworker of Tathrelle’s, he quickly cultivates an obsession with her. And once he starts to get the means at his disposal to change his circumstances with reference to her, he starts to do so immediately. Ethics? Who needs ’em? Amirite? Adger would absolutely say something like that.

As the story continues on, Tathrelle’s status lowers, but Adger’s rises. Much like Tathrelle becomes closer in status to Ixalla, she also becomes closer in status to Adger. But no matter what he tries, he’ll never have the kind of easy, loving relationship with Tathrelle that she has with Ixalla.

Velexio

General Velexio is the leader of the military junta controlling the Cabossian government. Unlike the other three major characters, his status never changes and he remains Tathrelle’s boss. And all he wants to do is manipulate her.

Conflict and Turning Point

For Tathrelle, the turning point happens when she finally starts to learn the truth about what is going on around her. Life is continually changing, and it is most definitely not improving. At the climax of the story, she learns why.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Given that this is a standalone novel and none of the characters are human, there’s very little to tie the novel to my other universes. About the only connection is the time element, which is also present in the Time Addicts inner trilogy within the Obolonk universe.

Future Plans

I honestly don’t have any for her, and I kind of can’t. About the only thing I can think of is to potentially write of her past, or maybe Ixalla’s? This is also a difficult universe for prequels. We’ll see.

Tathrelle: Takeaways

This character started off with strength but was quickly overwhelmed by the events in the plot. As a result, I wrote her meeker and more submissive. In Untrustworthy, the changes in society are also reflected by the changes in Tathrelle herself—the main character after all.

Tathrelle and her story get a much-needed expansion in the prequel! #staytuned Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Want More of Tathrelle and the Rest of Untrustworthy?

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

Character Reviews: Untrustworthy

• Character Review—Adger
† Character Review—Ixalla
• Character Review—Tathrelle
† a href=”https://janetgershen-siegel.com/character-review-velexio/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Character Review—Velexio
• Character Review—Student #17

Untrustworthy Universe
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Character Review — Trixie LaRueAmie Sikes, who I see as Trixie LaRue

Character Review — Trixie LaRue

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on July 5, 2022

Consider Trixie LaRue, One of My Original Characters

But just who is Trixie LaRue?

I’ve had a few “voice of reason”-style characters. Dr. Devon Grace of The Real Hub of the Universe comes to mind. Trixie is another such character. But she’s also amusing, a little like Greg Shapiro in The Obolonk Murders.

The first time I show her in the book, she’s getting drunk with Marnie and Jazminder. And she’s telling them about how a goat chewing on her sleeve ruined a potentially romantic moment with one of the goatherds.

Goats on a spaceship? Why not?

Where Did Trixie LaRue Come From?

Trixie is a great supporting character in The Enigman Cave. I needed a foil for Marnie. But I also wanted someone who would have a kind of larger than life persona.

Her accent comes from a few places. I learned about London, Kentucky when I used to have a job auditing law firms across the country. But I never had occasion to go there.

But her voice? Her accent? Those come from the late mother of my best friend in high school. She had that fabulous accent and was one of the kindest people I have ever known.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Trixie LaRue

The character herself explains her backstory. Before the story begins, she and Marnie attend Deep Space training together. They find they’re simpatico and clearly enjoy each other’s company. The misfits of their class, no one else seems to be a part of their orbit. Although when I wrote the prequel, I added Rosa Perrault, mainly because there would be someone like her in the mix.

But make no mistake about it—they like Rosa, but they are not as close to her, as they are to each other.

But that’s okay. Because they’re not in anyone else’s orbit, either.

Description

I like Amie Sikes of Junk Gypsies for Trixie. She’s about the right look and age, with a glint of mischief in her eye. But I do see Trixie as being more of a redhead.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Beyond being the voice of reason, Trixie is also a necessary character when Marnie decides on how to try to prove Enigman intelligence—in a JAG court. Marnie is the client in favor. But someone has to be the opponent. And so that’s our gal.

In the below scene in Chapter 6 — The Pretty People, Trixie tells Jazminder Parikh about how she and Captain Marnie Shapiro end up on the Valentina Tereshkova together.

It’s possible that I’ll cut some of this scene. For one thing, it’s long. But for another, It seems like a little much. The brass doesn’t like Marnie. That much is obvious. But does it need quite so much detail?

Also, I cover a lot of this in the prequel, and I think I cover it better there. So,…

Quotes

“… in our last semester we were asked to pick three people we wanted to work with. We were also asked which department we wanted to go in if we were in one of the last thirty-two slots. It was kinda obvious nobody but me wanted to work with Marne. Then when we graduated, they started callin’ us by name and by grade. They started with the bottom. I mean, even if you was terrible, you were still pretty gol-darned smart. It was no shame to be at the bottom. So they announced the first forty of the sixty-two people in the class, and they announced your assignment, too.

“The next thirty-eight up were mostly captains and not a lotta first officers, like me. You had to stand while you were waitin’, and it was getting tiresome, I’ll tell ya. But we hadn’t been called yet. Then they said there was someone who was good enough to be a captain but was being commissioned as a first officer on account of personality issues.”

“Personality issues?”

“They wanted people to get along, see? I mean, you’re out here for a decade, it would kinda stink if you hated each other.”

“Right. Go on.”

The Speech

“They called another first officer and then we were into the captains. And Marne and I are still standing there. It’s the last thirty-one people and there are thirty captain slots and one first officer slot left. They get down to fourteen of us and I get called. I am the last of the first officers and I’m assigned here, to the Val. I know Marnie hasn’t been assigned anywhere, and this is the first I’ve heard of anyone going on the Val. There’s a chance but I have no idea.

“They keep announcing people and then they spring it on ‘em that the top of the class has to make a speech. They are in the top ten by this time and everybody’s looking around at each other on account this is the first anybody’s heard of that. And then it’s finally down to two people – Marnie and Bill Levinson. He gets announced as captain of the Jonas Salk and I realize, maybe even before Marne does, that she’s at the top of our class and she’s got me here on the Val.”

Relationships

I have no relationship for her beyond friendship. And friendship counts, of course! Much like the top three big characters in TOS Star Trek, Trixie is a major player. She and Jazzie (Jazminder) are just about as vital as Marnie. Not just to the ship, but to the story itself.

But she is far from a latter-day Vulcan.

Trixie is kind and loyal. She’s the kind of friend anyone would want to have. She has a sister and that’s about it. I otherwise don’t have a lot about her.

Her relationship attempts, though, are in the book. Charlie Hill is a goatherd and she’s got the hots for him. But later, she gets the hots for Hunter Garcia. Hunter runs JAG. So, where does she end up? Possibly with neither of them.

Conflict and Turning Point

For our gal Trixie, the turning point is essentially the turning point of the book. That is, when it becomes obvious that things are going to hell in a handcart at home. So she decides to make a stand. This is along with almost everyone else.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Trixie is one of the only people in The Enigman Cave who I didn’t name after someone I attended high school with or knew personally in some other way (neither are Marnie or Jazzie).

But she truly is from somewhere. She’s the name of an ex-girlfriend of a former coworker. I have no idea if the real Trixie LaRue was from Kentucky. But I suspect she wasn’t.

And yeah, I know how gol-darned (Trixie does tend to rub off on you after a while) obscure and out-there that sounds. It was just a name from years ago. I filed it away for later.

Future Plans

Will I ever write a real full-length sequel to The Enigman Cave? After all, I did write a short story sequel…

Trixie LaRue: Takeaways

Funny, smart, supportive, and ultimately brave and kind, Trixie is about the best first officer any spaceship captain could ever want.

But she’s still gonna shoot that sumbitch goat.

Trixie LaRue is not to be trifled with.

Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Want More of Trixie LaRue and the Rest of The Enigman Cave?

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

Character Reviews: The Enigman Cave

† Marnie Shapiro
• A Look at Trixie LaRue
† Jazminder Parikh, MD
• Lex Feldman
† Benjamin Chase
The Enigman Cave Universe
Bet on Marnie (the prequel)
Surprises (the short story sequel)
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Character Review — Marnie ShapiroMarnie Shapiro, Lex Feldman, Jazminder Parikh, Benjamin Chase, Astrid Hennigsen, Trixie LaRue, Ginny Carey,

Character Review — Marnie Shapiro

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on April 5, 2022

Consider Marnie Shapiro, One of My Original Characters

Who is Marnie Shapiro?

The main character of The Enigman Cave went through a lot of changes. But that makes sense, as the story itself has been through a number of alterations as well.

I originally conceived of Marnie as being a person who was kind of in the midst of a personal crisis. She was to be getting a divorce while on a deep space mission.

And that’s an idea I may very well work with at some later date. I think it’s kinda cool. And there is no question in mind that this would be a story worth exploring. Yet I didn’t write it. Hell, I didn’t even write it for the prequel. I did kind of mean to, though.

But then things got … a little different.

Where Did Marnie Shapiro Come From?

First of all, I was at first going to name this character Marnie Chase. But then she just plain didn’t “feel” like a Chase. I don’t know. But no matter how I felt, it didn’t seem suitable for the character. And so her name was changed.

This was to be my NaNoWriMo novel for 2015, and I had to change the name of the main character? As it happened, I ended up changing Josie James’s name as well. Sometimes, you don’t get it right the first time.

And … the character won’t come alive until you do. It’s as if they’re standing there, hands on hips, shaking their head—sheesh, she still can’t get this stuff right? 

So, she’s Marnie Chase Shapiro, I suppose.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Marnie Shapiro

Marne’s past is told in a few little dribs and drabs in the manuscript. Her marriage to Dr. Ben Chase (he’s a botanist)? As I wrote in the book (chapter 4—and it’s so much exposition that I will likely have to edit out a good chunk of it, anyway):

They had met years before, as young adults, and had fallen in love, kind of, even though they were both emotionally unavailable. It was a marriage of intellectual equals who sparred as much as they had sex and generally admired each other’s brains more than other body parts. Even Marnie’s own brother had said they seemed to be the kind of couple that coexisted, parallel lines never truly intersecting.

But there’s more. As essentially a power couple, the brass want both of them for deep space missions. If not for Ben, Marnie would not have been brought in. I make this clearer in the prequel.

The brass wanted the people going into space to be young, attractive, athletic, and personable. Marnie’s far from young or athletic. And she doesn’t suffer fools gladly. So, in a lot of ways she owes Ben her position. But he’s still a jackass to her.

Deep Space Training School

Marnie attends Deep Space Training School, along with a number of captain and first officer candidates. This includes the woman who becomes her first officer, Trixie LaRue.

There was one person in their class getting straight A’s—and since they only saw posted grades with no names, there’s no way to know who it was. But at graduation, the powers that be reveal everyone in grade order, starting with the bottom of the class.

Trixie herself ends up in the top ten, but she’s commissioned as a first officer, due to personality issues. The last two people called are Bill Levinson and Marnie.

And, the valedictorian position goes to Marnie, who must deliver a speech with no preparation whatsoever. It’s a bit of passive-aggressive nastiness from the powers that be.

It’s evident that, deep down, they just plain don’t like her.

This is a taste, for Marnie, of things to come.

Description

Marnie is in her fifties, a bottle blonde who’s holding onto a few extra pounds. Her poor diet and exercise regimen, plus stress, have caused her meniscus (that’s cartilage in the knee) to fail. She is, as people used to say, A Woman of a Certain Age.

I go back and forth for an actress approximation of her. Maybe Elisabeth Shue?

But the most important thing about her is that anyone ‘portraying’ Marnie should really be in her fifties. And she should really look and talk and act that way. So, I can’t see her in the guise of a somewhat younger actress with aging makeup. Nope. I want the real thing.

After all, that’s exactly what Marnie would want, too.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation

Marnie’s main motivator is a desire for justice. For someone unfairly overlooked and underestimated, the concept of wanting to protect the weak and keep the crew from harm feels like a natural internal motivator.

Also—at the time—I had a meniscus tear, and I hobbled around a lot like Marnie does. So, we have that in common.

In fact, a lot of my main characters have gotten whatever ailment I had at the moment. Marnie, if she were real, would be happy that she’s not Josie.

Quotes

While trying to prove Enigman intelligence, the hearing is also an occasion to get a covert message back to Earth. Here’s part of it.

“Carter is threatening all of us. We don’t even know if what he’s saying is true. But if those detention camps exist, then I implore you, I beg of you, I hope you will do the right thing. Find those places. Please. We are years away from Earth, even at top speed. Please, please find those places, and tear down their gates, and free those people. I know you can do it. Please don’t be afraid of Carter. These things happen because good people like you are afraid to stand up for what’s right. But I know you; you’re good and brave people. You won’t let him push anyone around.”

Relationships

Like many characters, one way to get insight into Marnie is to inspect her relationships with the other characters.

Marnie and Ben

Marnie has to deal with her ex-husband, Ben, because he runs the Botany Department, and he reports directly to her. Ben annoys Marnie incessantly, in particular insisting on referring to her by her full name, Mariana.

But that’s all a part of how such a narcissist would hold her at arm’s length. Still, they have to deal with each other. But for the most part, they stay out of each others’ hair.

Much more problematic for Marnie is that Ben is engaged to Nurse Kristen Watson, a woman he cheated on Marnie with, while they were all in the middle of the mission. Kristen is young, pretty, and bubbly. Little Miss Sunshine is everything Marnie is not.

Marnie and Trixie and Jazminder

One fantastic (if I do say so myself) part of The Enigman Cave is the female friendships. The book passes the Bechdel test, and blows it away, in the first chapter alone.

The three women at the heart of the story and their ship, the Valentina Tereshkova, are almost Kirk, Bones, and Spock. Except the doctor (Jazminder) is a bit more like Spock. But no matter.

Trixie and Marnie meet in Deep Space Training school, where they give Marnie’s roommate, Missy Mahoney, a hard time. This includes juvenile pranks like short sheeting her bed.

When it comes time to tell the powers that be who they want to work with, they both pick only one person—each other.

Jazzie comes in later. Of course, any spaceship will have to have a doctor. From a posh suburb of Hyderabad, educated in England, Jazzie has an accent plummier than a Christmas pudding. She’s also a lesbian, and she drinks.

But in the first chapter, one of the first scenes is of the three of them getting drunk in Marnie’s quarters. They laugh, they joke, they get serious, and they behave exactly like three old friends should act.

Marnie and Lex

As the assistant veterinarian on board, Lex isn’t exactly at the top of the heap. But this is helpful, because he doesn’t report directly to Marnie. Hence, their relationship can go ahead.

Unlike with Ben, Marnie can open up to Lex, and he will listen to her without judgment. Their fellowship is the kind of friendship/love affair that has every indication of going the distance.

He’s also 25 years younger than her—and good-looking.

Is he wish-fulfillment for me? Not really; I’m happily married and all. But I do love the idea of the semi-ugly duckling (as it were) getting the swan. Fortunately for Marnie, Lex is not just a pretty face. He is truly devoted to her, and he’s kind.

Conflict and Turning Point

Without giving away too many spoilers, Marnie’s conflict is the story’s—when the crew finds the first sapient life outside of Earth, it’s a cause for celebration. But that quickly devolves into worry, as the government at home collapses into a dictatorship.

The first of two shining moments for Marnie is the scene above, where she devises a way to do an end-run around the nasty commands they’re getting from the new dictator, Monroe Carter, who fancies himself a latter day Cortez.

And the other shining moment is first contact. An exciting plot point for pretty much any space opera, Marnie’s solution for how to talk to the life form they’ve found is to do something extremely female.

And it is an utterly maternal thing to do, even though Marnie doesn’t have children. It’s not treaties or speeches, and it’s certainly not a show of arms and force. Rather, it is completely, 100% peaceful in intent and act.

Marnie’s solution is to sit down and tell them a story.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Like other characters named Shapiro, Marnie is a callback across universes. Her middle name, Robin, even ties in with Robin McKenna, a pivotal character in the Time Addicts series. Marnie is also a Bostonian, although I don’t outline that well enough.

Future Plans for Marnie Shapiro

The end of the story allows for the possibility of a sequel, if there’s interest.

I have also written a prequel, which covered Marnie and Trixie at Deep Space Training School. It was a part of #30Day50k in 2025.
Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Marnie Shapiro: Takeaways

For a person who many would overlook, Marnie is the heroine of her own story. Her imperfections and quirks add interest.

And she is the kind of character who can believably make a speech like the quote above.

Bet on Marnie.

Never bet against Marnie Shapiro — a character who exceeds expectations.

Want More of Marnie Shapiro and the Rest of The Enigman Cave?

If The Enigman Cave resonates with you, then please 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

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

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

Character Review — Elise Jeffries, MD

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on February 24, 2022

Consider Elise Jeffries, One of My Original Characters

Who is Elise Jeffries?

She sprang, semi-formed, when I was first starting to put together Mettle. I needed for Noah to have a bounce-off person. I also needed to have at least one medical character.

Elise became a runner while I was writing Mettle. That was not my initial idea for her. And so, since I didn’t have a surname for her then, I gave her the last name of a friend who is a marathon runner.

Where Did Elise Jeffries Come From?

By the time I started to put together Mettle, I had already written snarky characters like Peri Martin, Greg Shapiro, and Trixie LaRue.

I had also written LGBTQ+ characters, most notably Ixalla and Tathrelle, in Untrustworthy. So, Elise wasn’t a wholly unfamiliar idea. But her execution was different. In particular, I saw her as being mixed-race but essentially identifying as Black.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Elise Jeffries

In Chapter 11 – Sb, Elise reveals that she and Noah have known each other for almost twenty years. That book was written before the pandemic, and originally took place in 2020. Hence they would have met in about 2000 or 2001.

Apart from her divorce from her wife, there’s virtually nothing on Elise’s history. Although I don’t see her as a native New Englander. So, she came from somewhere or other.

Descriptions

My first description of Elise is from Chapter 2 – Ti:
… a dark-skinned woman in her early fifties already seated at the table. Her curly hair sprang in all directions, barely contained by a red bandanna which accessorized a lab coat that had Suffolk County Morgue, E. Jeffries embroidered on the breast pocket.

So, she didn’t have a lot of description, and I don’t believe I ever really rectified that in the book.

For an actress who I would use as inspiration, I originally thought of Angela Bassett. But after seeing Star Trek: Picard, it was Michele Hurd all the way.

Michele Hurd in PicardShe has a good mix of snark and smarts, and feels like she could play a character who swears pretty much nonstop, but is also, most of the time, the smartest person in the room.

Quotes

“But what? Craig, in case you hadn’t noticed, the world is ending or just about there and we are totally isolated and that’s about the best way to describe our situation. We don’t even know if there’s anyone else out there at all when you really think about it. We’ve seen no one else in months, and we sure as hell haven’t heard anyone. So maybe wrap your head around the concept that you should cut one of the last women on Earth a little slack, particularly seeing as you’re not Prince Charming yourself. Go and grab the little gusto you can because God only knows how long we’re gonna be able to sustain this.” (Mettle, Chapter 21 — Nb)
Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Relationships

Offscreen, Elise is a divorcée, already estranged from her ex-wife, Tony, for a few years when Mettle starts. She and Noah Braverman are extremely good friends. Noah has an idea that he would like more. But Elise is unsure. She doesn’t want to mess up an excellent friendship.

By the time Mettle ends, she still isn’t in a romantic relationship.

Conflict and Turning Point

Much like for the rest of the cast of Mettle, the conflict is a slow burn of how the world is ending as the metals of the period table start to disappear or undergo a transformation.

And, for the rest of the cast, the turning point is the same: the chapter where a vital metallic element starts to transform into … something.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

Much of the book takes place on the real street I live on (the street names have been changed). Elise’s home is an illegal apartment inside an old Victorian which was probably a boarding house at one time. The exterior is a house around the corner which is up an enormous, steep hill.

And the interior ground floor matches the ground floor of a house my husband and I looked at before we bought our home. That building is around the other corner from our home. As for the inside of Elise’s apartment, it’s fairly generic.

Finally, because Elise is a snarky professional woman, I can trace some of her origins back to Marnie Shapiro and even Peri Martin. All three of them could easily spout sarcasm 24/7.

Future Plans

Unfortunately, I don’t have any future plans for her because there are no future plans for any of the characters in Mettle, a one-off. But I like the character, so maybe I’ll give her a backstory one of these days.

Elise Jeffries: Takeaways

This smart, sarcastic character also loves fiercely. She was a lot of fun to bring to life.

Elise Jeffries — because doesn’t your story need a smartass?

Want More of Elise and the Rest of Mettle?

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

Character Reviews: Mettle

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

The Mettle Universe
Self Review: Mettle

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Character Review — IxallaNew Cover of Untrustworthy by JR Gershen-Siegel, New Cover of Untrustworthy, Tathrelle, Ixalla, Adger, Velexio, Untrustworthy universe

Character Review — Ixalla

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on February 8, 2022

Consider Ixalla, One of My Original Characters

Who is Ixalla?

When I first started to write the novel Untrustworthy, the idea what that Tathrelle was going to be the main character. But I fell in love with Ixalla. Now, Tathrelle is still the protagonist. But her wife became something more while I was writing her.

Where Did Ixalla Come From?

The circumstances under which I wrote Untrustworthy are maybe a little odd. The main idea for the book came to me in a dream, as some of my book ideas have. But initially, the only ‘face’ I saw was Tathrelle’s.

In fact, there originally wasn’t a lesbian relationship. But as I got to know the characters and the plot (and keep in mind, I was writing this during 2013 NaNoWriMo, so everything happened a lot faster than it usually would), Ixalla started to take on more importance.

The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Ixalla

The truth is, there isn’t much of one. Unlike Tathrelle, Ixalla just kind of appears fully formed, as if she was the armored Athena springing from the head of Zeus.

When the story starts, all we really know about her, apart from her being pregnant, is that she’s a schoolteacher. She teaches the Tenth Form which is meant to be the high school level.

Description

Without giving away too much of the plot of Untrustworthy, Ixalla’s appearance does change within the context of the story. When we first see her, she has blonde hair and blue eyes. But later, she has brown hair, and reddish eyes.

Oh, did I mention that she’s an alien?

Yep, Ixalla is a Cabossian. There are no humans in that book. None!

So, there’s really no actress who I can point to and say, “That’s Ixalla.”

As for how she sounds, the aliens in this book have very stilted speech—and that’s the idea. They’re aliens. They shouldn’t be talking, acting, or looking like us.

Quotes

“Student Number Five!” Ixalla exclaimed, “I will remind you of the rules. You are referred to by a youthful number and not by name, and there is a very good reason for this. It is because students have varying degrees of wealth and status. By using your youthful number designations – and those are your classroom designations, and not your actual numbers, which will come when you are of age – we can educate everyone, regardless of whether their parents are in the government or drive a transportation sleigh. As a result, you cannot speak about what either of your parents does, or even if both of your parents are male, or they are both female, or if they are mixed. I trust I make myself clear? Or would you prefer having the Lead Educator explain it to you again?”

Relationships

Ixalla’s main relationship is with Tathrelle. But as the book goes on, Tathrelle is essentially taken away from her. When Ixalla leaves, an authority officer flirts with her. But it’s nothing serious.

And even later, she essentially adopts two lost children. One is just called Student Number Seventeen, whereas the other has even less of a designation. I just called her the Unknown Girl.

Conflict and Turning Point

Even though she’s technically not the main character, Ixalla essentially picks up the main thread of the narrative. She acts as the main character whenever Tathrelle is off-screen.

Hence the conflict for her is virtually the same as Tathrelle’s—something is changing their world, and those changes are not for the better.

For Ixalla, the turning point comes when she arrives at the school drunk and yells at the Tenth Form. She starts off as an outsider and spectator and the kind of person who doesn’t get involved.

And then she becomes a revolutionary.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

This work has the least amount of continuity with my other works, as it kind of can’t. The characters are far too different and the scenario is way too dissimilar. Hence there’s little to no continuity with her, or cross-referencing.

One of the closest characters to her in another universe is possibly Elise Jeffries in the novel Mettle. Elise is just as intelligent and is also a not-so-main character who gets a lot of airtime anyway. But that’s about where any similarities end.

Future Plans

Again, without getting into spoiler territory too much, I can’t have future plans for this character because the book is, at heart, a tragedy.

But I love her spirit, how she goes from being domestic and intellectual to a street smart, resourceful, scrounging survivor.

Ixalla and Future Inspiration

For this character, I think the main form of inspiration I can get from her is the idea that a character can even surprise the writer. You may have certain plans, but it’s the character’s voice and the character’s desires that will win out in the end.

Ixalla showed me that she was more than just a place to bounce Tathrelle’s thoughts off. And once she had showed me that, she became three-dimensional.

Ixalla: Takeaways

For this character, perhaps my favorite bit about her is that she was never intended to be this big and this vital. But after a few days of writing her and Untrustworthy, the genie was out of the bottle, and she became more.

Ixalla—for when you need a revolutionary in your prose.Click to buy Untrustworthy on Amazon

Want More of Ixalla and the Rest of Untrustworthy?

If Untrustworthy resonates with you, then please be sure to check out my other blog posts about how an alien society all-too easily devolves into fascism.

Character Reviews: Untrustworthy

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

Untrustworthy Universe
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