Tag: character

The creation of a character is one of the more personal things that a writer ever does.

It cuts across all genres. Who is this person? How do they drive the plot? What’s the storyline that drapes around them?

Why do they matter?

Character Studies and Reviews

Any writer who tells you that they put nothing of themselves into their characters is either lying or not really making characters. They may be making mouthpieces to further an agenda.

Or they may be creating stick figures to hang a plot on. They might be impatient and looking to cut to the chase without all of the preliminary bullshit.

But there is always going to be something or other there. If you are writing people with depth and imagination, and you want them to be real, then your own experiences are going to inform them.

And, in a way, that’s why sensitivity readers matter. I am a middle-aged Jewish woman from the northeastern United States. And so, by definition, I cannot possibly be in the head of a slave from the 1770s.

Now, I do, honestly, feel that we writers can craft a character who does not have our shared experience. But we need to approach it well.

Talk to people. Is this believable? Does this person resonate with you? Are they respectful to your heritage, culture, and background?

Shakespeare wrote Lady MacBeth. Agatha Christie wrote Hercule Poirot. And so on, and so forth.

A character should be partly like you, because you inform and shape them. But you don’t have to be exactly like a character in order to be able to write one effectively.

Character Review — Nell Murphy

Craig 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. ~

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 — Tathrelle

New 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

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 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.

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 — Dr. Mei-Lin Quan

Published by Janet Gershen-Siegel on June 23, 2022

Dr. Quan, a Character Review

Where did Mei-Lin Quan come from?

I didn’t originally have much of a plan for her. She was a necessary character, because I did see Eleanor Braverman needing this kind of medical help. But unlike others such as Kitty and Mink, or Craig or Elise, Mei-Lin didn’t have too much of a voice to start.

A bit like Ixalla, I didn’t really start to understand her until I started writing her.

The Past is Prologue—Backstory for Dr. Quan

When we first see Mei-Lin, she’s packed and leaving Los Angeles, bound for Boston. One of her last acts in California is to write to her ex and tell him to quit bothering her, or else she’ll block him. But that’s most of what we (and I) know.

Characteristics

I wanted at least one character to be a bit overweight, so I essentially elected her to the task. Because the first seven or so chapters exist to foreshadow much of the rest of the story, her weight does the job admirably.

For, who to better contrast with starving characters than an overweight one?

As I wrote her, I learned that she has a high voice, almost like a child’s. In addition, she gets lost easily, with virtually no sense of direction. Furthermore, her family is from Taiwan. And, at least one relative still calls that island Formosa. I also got to know that she had an ex, Chou.

And Chou wasn’t so happy with being her ex.

Purpose/Theme/Motivation: Dr. Quan at Work

There are four characters who I show at work. Five, I suppose, if you count Olga—and I suppose you should. I show Noah at the Boston Globe.

And I show Elise working in the St. Botolph’s morgue. In addition, I show Craig working at NASA. And I show Olga caring for Eleanor. Now, the kids and Eleanor understandably do not have jobs.

But I show Mei-Lin at work more than anyone else but Craig. There are scenes of her getting to work, and starting and ending her day. Plus, I’ve got her seeing patients and even performing surgery. Mei-Lin Quan is, like any other orthopedic surgeon, busy.

Her motivation throughout the piece is to be a healing peacemaker. Unlike the other characters, she doesn’t toughen up much, not even at the end.

Portrayal

I came up with Japanese actress Keiko Kitigawa, and it was mainly due to the below image. But I am open to persuasion to change my mind and choose someone else.

If American audiences know her at all, it’s from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. But I think it would be better to have an actress of Chinese extraction. I don’t know. Landi Li is too young (although I do like that she was born on my birthday!).

So, if you’ve got a better idea for a portrayal, let me know in the comments section, thanks.

Actress Keiko Kitigawa, who I see as Dr. Mei-Lin Quan.

Quotes

The door to the sedan opened, and out staggered a woman of Asian descent with red eyes and messed up hair that looked like she had been sleeping in the sedan for days. She had her purse with her, along with a plastic bag with the logo of St. Botolph’s printed on the side, and a small gym bag. She squinted at Elise. “Do I know you?”

“St. B’s, right?” asked Elise. It was as reasonable a question as any, considering the hospital was one of the few places Elise ever went where there ever were other people.

“Yeah, Orthopedics, Mei-Lin Quan. I think I gave you a ride home a week ago? Days ago? I can’t figure out what day it is.”

“I hear that. And yeah, I remember now. Elise Jeffries. This your car?”

“No. Mine’s in the lot up there, back at St. B’s, if it still is at all.”

“You mean someone stole it?”

“No, at least, hell, I have no idea.” Mei-Lin said, putting her gym bag down and rubbing the bridge of her nose in the cold. “More like wrecked it. There was, God, it was anarchy at the hospital.”

“Anarchy?”

Relationships

I have nearly nothing on Mei-Lin and Chou, save for her family pressuring her to marry him—and her refusal.

But this will come when I write the prequel.

With Craig Firenze, she’s nervous and excited. They joke around but are also serious. They’re awkward and romantic, too.

Conflict and Turning Point

On what would normally have been a hot summer solstice, there’s a nor’easter. Mei-Lin (like a lot of other people during pressure drops) feels wonky all day. But hope returns when she looks at Craig.

Continuity/Easter Eggs

There really aren’t any Easter Eggs for this character.

Future Plans

Like with the other characters in Mettle, I don’t have any future plans for Mei-Lin beyond the prequel.

Dr. Mei-Lin Quan: Takeaways

This character turned from functional to essential as I wrote her. A lot like Ixalla!

Dr. Mei-Lin Quan — a character who found herself while I found her.