My comments about characters coming alive have prompted some interesting questions. They range from “Did your fall in love with a female character” to “have you ever used someone as a character who you very much disliked as a villain?” I will answer the last one first. I had a young woman working for me, and the company demanded a face-to-face personal review of everyone. She was a good employee who did her job. The company had been at fault for not giving her specific training. I was pointing out that she was weak in this area and was about to point out a training session was coming up. However, before I got to that point, she stood up and started to unbutton her blouse. I stopped her and asked what was going on. She told me that every male boss she ever had demanded sex to keep her job. It made me mad to think men had taken advantage of her. Although I didn’t know any of her previous bosses, I did find room in the story for a boss that preyed upon women. I think that’s the only time I used a negative character I saw in real life.
The first question is much more intriguing. I can see why people might think I’d fall in love with a character. However, a character is probably too complex for that to happen. I have a mystery/romance novel coming out next month. The hero, Jim Waterman, falls in love with Carol Amundson. In the first moments just after meeting her – “Jim was so taken with her smile and bright blue eyes he didn’t answer for a moment,” and “Carol’s smile was intoxicating.” It’s obvious what first attracts Jim is her physical beauty. Jim finds that spending time with Carol is something he truly desires. Later we learn that the attraction at the first moment of the meeting was mutual. Their love affair has a romantic comedy feel to it.
With that all said, I would obviously like Carol, but I wouldn’t like some features of her personality. It’s purely personal preference on my part. There have been many women in my life that I have enjoyed their company and obviously like. On the other hand, I chose not to consider them romantically. The same is true of the characters I create. Outside of the raging hormones teen years, I have fallen in love with a woman only twice. Perhaps, I’ll create a female character that I will fall in love with.
I know in some ways this is an unsatisfactory answer. It mirrors the real world in which we don’t know who will fall in love with.
