Character Monday: Who is Savanna?

SH: This week on Character Monday we are pleased to present Lucinda Moebius, author and teacher. Her current title is Echoes of Savanna. Lucinda, tell us a little about you.

LM: Thanks for having me here. As you mentioned, I’m an author and teacher. It’s hard for me to distinguish between those two titles. I love creating stories—my younger sisters used to beg me to tell them bedtime stories to help them go to sleep when we were children. I also love teaching—I have experience teaching Middle School, High School and at the College level. I’m married and have a stepson, a dog and a cat. Anyone who knows me understands my family is the center of my life, and I would drop everything to help any of them.

SH: Just wondering here, since it’s such an obvious question: Do you apply some of the lessons that you teach your students to the things that you write?

LM: Of course! I love teaching Campbell’s Hero’s Journey; plot, foreshadowing, character development; genre literature and so many other concepts. I keep these ideas in the forefront when I write. Having said that though, I am in no way a ‘formula writer.’ I’m a firm believer in knowing the rules of literature and then finding ways to bend them and write with my own style. I always tell my students to “learn the rules so you know when to break them.” It’s what makes writing unique and interesting.

SH: Let’s segue that into your latest release, Echoes of Savanna, and your main character, Savanna. What makes her so unique and interesting?

LM: For starters, just the setting of the book makes her interesting. The novel is set in 2036. Savanna is a 19 year-old genetically altered woman who is already, at that age, a doctor. Here’s the deal: I believe every generation lives in defining times. One event can change the entire blueprint of our lives. Echoes of Savanna is the story of one woman’s journey in times like these. Savanna is interesting because she’s a key figure in fighting terror—not as a soldier or a warrior—but as one person trying to make a small difference in a terrifying world.

SH: A beautiful blonde main character can seem like such a cliché. Why did you create your character like this?

LM: I didn’t create her like this. She appeared to me this way.

SH: We love that. Like OMG love it.

LM: Yeah, I have a strong connection to my characters and believe they create themselves. Savanna is genetically altered to be the epitome of beauty according to society standards. I also like the fact that she’s clueless to the way people react to physical appearance. She’s beautiful in her father’s eyes, she’s attractive yet clueless about her beauty. Her focus is on her studies and she doesn’t think about how the world views her.

SH: Is Savanna anything like you?

LM: You mean brilliantly beautiful? Yes.

SH: Well, the cover is hot. Diggity.

LM: Savanna, to be truthful, is quite a bit hotter than me—

SH: She’s hotter than most cartoons, too, for the record.

LM: Yes. Yes, the cover is a cartoon. She’s a lot smarter, too, but we both have some interesting glitches when it comes to social skills. I, for instance, tend to miss some social cues, and also believe everyone is basically honest and friendly. I’ve opened myself up to people when I should have defended myself a little better and I’ve suffered the consequences for it. Savanna was betrayed on a much larger scale than I ever was, but betrayal is always painful.

SH: Spoiler alert! Just kidding. Is there anything you don’t like about Savanna?

LM: Since I created her it’s hard to say from my point of view that she has any flaws. But she is flawed, and that actually humanizes her. She overanalyzes everything and refuses to take any chances. I wish she would be more impulsive at times—I remember one time when I was a teenager my mom’s psychologist told her she needed to be impulsive, so she asked me to help her plan an “impulsive activity.” Savanna reminds me of that moment.

SH: It sounds like you base your characters on people from real life.

LM: It’s hard not to. I’m a people watcher. I love to listen in on conversations and analyze why people do the things they do. Maybe that’s why I don’t pick up on social cues; I’m too interested in other people’s lives. But my characters aren’t exclusively based on one person. They are all so unique and individual it’s hard to pinpoint exactly who they’re like.

SH: So there are other characters and other stories then?

LM: I am planning five books in the Haven Series. Each novel will cover one generation—twenty years—of a character’s life. Echoes of Savanna is book one of the Parent Generation. Her daughter will be the main character in Raven’s Song, book one of the T1 Generation.

SH: Of course we look forward to learning more about Raven.

LM: Thanks! I’m almost finished with the first draft. Perhaps our next discussion can be about her.

SH: Yes indeedy! Folks, don’t miss this opportunity to throw down some comments on the StoneHouse Inklings Blog, and don’t forget to check out Echoes of Savanna, available right now on Amazon Kindle. Thanks again to Lucinda Moebius for stopping in on Character Monday.

If you're a published author and would like an opportunity to introduce a character on StoneHouse Inklings blog's Character Monday, drop us a line. Send us a Word file under 1,000 words and a jpg of your cover. Submissions will be edited for content and are subject to final approval by the staff.