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.  

Character Monday: Who is Amber Coles?

SH: Ray Ellis, the author of N.H.I.: No Humans Involved, joins us for his second tour here on Character Monday. Ray is also the author of the soon-to-be-released novel D.R.T.: Dead Right There, the second book in the Nate Richards series, which is also based on Ray's adventures as a police detective. He's also the co-pastor of a local church here in the Treasure Valley, and is a husband and father of three. So, what brings you back to Character Monday, Ray?

RE: Let me say first, I am so happy to be a part of the StoneHouse stable of writers. Just this week I had the privilege of having my first ever English Tea Party with another of the StoneHouse writers, Donna Fletcher Crow. It was simply amazing.  It’s one of those things that I think everyone should experience at least once. But to answer your original question: Amber Coles. Amber is Nate’s love interest in my series and I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce her to the StoneHouse audience.

SH: Amber Coles; cool. What makes Amber so special?

RE: Well Amber is a compilation of many of the girls I’ve known by that same name. The first was a precocious sort, and the last girl--and template on which Amber Coles’ physical appearance is based--is a dear Christian girl with a strange sense of humor.

SH: Interesting…do any of these Ambers know that you used their persona to create your character?

RE: That’s funny, but the answer is yes and no. I’ve told them that parts of the character have been based on segments of who they are. What's really funny for me is seeing which parts of the character each of these ladies identify with.

SH: So how does Amber Coles fit into the world of Nate Richards?

RE: As well as being Nate’s love interest, Amber starts off as the character who holds the moral line. She is very sure of her faith in God and her place in the Body of Christ. I use her as the counterbalance to Nate. In contrast, where Nate is unsure and still questioning his faith, in the beginning of the story Amber is solid. But as the story progresses and she's pulled into the trouble of Nate’s world, her own faith is shaken.

SH: So, in the end of NHI, the reader is left watching Amber and Nate--

RE: Hey! Let’s not give away the ending.

SH: All right, but can you at least answer one question? Is there a wedding in the future for those two?

RE: I don’t know how much to give away here, but let’s just say there is very definitely a happy ending in their future.

SH: Okay, I won’t push you for too much more, but before I let you go, will Amber also make a showing in DRT?

RE: Absolutely!  It just seems to me that there’s not much of a Nate Richards without an Amber Coles.

SH: We're about up to our limit for this segment of Character Monday, but thanks, Ray, for stopping by and introducing us to Amber Coles. Got any upcoming events or news anytime soon?

RE: Well I have been in dialogue with Aaron about getting NHI released in paperback form...a lot of my fans have been asking about that, so that remains a possibility. And of course the upcoming release of book two, D.R.T.: Dead Right There.

SH: Cool; we're looking forward to it. Check out NHI on Amazon, and if you've read it/are a fan, don't hesitate to leave a review for Ray on the book's Web page. That always spreads the love. Until next week, Dear Reader, and don't miss the final installment on How to Be a Good Writer on Wednesday, right here.

Character Monday: Who is Melissa Stone?

SH: Today we welcome Steve DeWinter to his debut appearance on the StoneHouse Inklings blog's Character Monday. Steve is the author of Kindle eBook Inherit The Throne, along with his Mystery Anthology Series, Hired Guns. Hey Steve, thanks for your time.

SD: And thanks for giving me the opportunity to appear on Character Monday. Let me just start out by saying that I think StoneHouse Ink is doing something unique and, quite frankly, somewhat amazing. Five years from now, I personally believe that everyone will know the name StoneHouse Ink as a publishing house on par with any of the traditionally established publishers.

SH: You flatter us. How dare you reveal our evil plans.

SD: That's just what I believe. But I don't think I'm too far off the mark.

SH: Okay, well, enough about us and our dark secrets. Who do we get to meet today?

SD: I have the distinct pleasure of introducing you to Melissa Stone, the protagonist and main character of Inherit The Throne. And she is able to kick  anyone's butt, and I do mean anyone, who stands in her way.

SH: Y'know, there haven't been many female action heroes in books. Of course, there's Angelina Jolie as the Tomb Raider, but that's Hollywood, not, ahem, literature. So, why a female action hero for you?

SD: Female characters have a dynamic that just can't be replicated when using a dude. Melissa is not all sugar and spice and she does have some "puppy dog tail" elements within that enable her to rain down the pain on anyone who comes between her and what she wants. And this happens quite often during the book.

SH: That sounds pretty freakin' cool. So  what'd you do, just write a male action hero and then use Microsoft Word to find and replace, say, "Sergeant John X. Slaughter" to something all feminine like Melissa Stone?

SD: Not at all. She was a female character from the first concept all the way through publication. When we first meet her, she is a waitress in a small town. But she is conflicted. I don't want to give away too much, but due to circumstances beyond her control, contacting her estranged son would put both of them in danger. In this situation, a male character would suck it up and do what's in everyone's best interest, and the child would never hear from him again. But Melissa risks contacting him on a regular basis so that she can still be a mother to her son. It is this difference that shapes everything in the story.

SH: So, you wanted to bring in the dynamic of how a female would react to a plot that is dominated by male action heroes?

SD: Not entirely. There are also all the other characters in the book to consider. They all react differently to the main character, because it is a she instead of a he. The whole flavor of the book is changed when the kick-butt character is female. And I think it worked very well.

SH: Is there room for a female action hero in today's book market?

SD: My readers seem to think so.

SH: Who would win in a fight? Melissa Stone or Jack Reacher?

SD: Whew. Jack Reacher is pretty tough. I am afraid to admit that in hand-to-hand combat, Melissa would most likely be crushed by his sheer physical power. But this is where I am able to introduce the difference between the male and female minds in my book. Melissa uses her wits to defeat an opponent who is physically bigger and stronger. She thinks before charging into any situation and this gives her a level of strength beyond pure muscular dimensions.

SH: So, is Melissa's story finished with this book?

SD: Not at all. I have recently rebranded Inherit The Throne as the first the Melissa Stone Adventures series. She will be returning to fight another foe. Her nemesis, Hannah, will also be returning. Readers will have the chance to find out more about this mysterious villain in future books.

SH: Why did you decide to commit to writing another Melissa Stone book?

SD: Because I received too many emails demanding to know what happened next for Melissa.

SH: Ha ha, that's hilarious. You gotta love being goaded into writing more, especially when the character is this compelling. Alright folks, be sure to check out Inherit The Throne and Steve DeWinter's other books at Amazon.

SD: And be my friend on Facebook and Twitter!

SH: Ahh, a social marketer to the core.

SD: It’s the best way to connect with readers and fellow writers.

SH: Looks like Steve's got most of the game figured out already. Thanks again, Steve, and happy reading, Dear Reader.

Character Monday: Elizabeth, A Woman With Flair

SH  Welcome, Donna.  Before we get to the life of your alter ego Dr. Elizabeth Allerton, tell us something about yourself.

DFC There are quite a few parallels, actually.  I was an English Literature major and taught (briefly) in a small liberal arts college and I’m a huge Dorothy L Sayers fan with a taste for drama.  As a matter of fact, the mystery week Elizabeth and go to is modeled on one my husband and I attended along the Hudson River Valley about 20 years ago.

I’m afraid the parallels end there, though.  At least so far.  If Elizabeth is a passionate gardener she hasn’t mentioned it to me and, since she’s so much younger, I don’t know whether or not she and Richard will go on to have a family.  My real life hero and I have three sons and a daughter and 10 (soon to be 11) grandchildren. One other thing we do have in common, though, is our love of drinking tea.

SH What about personality differences or similarities?

DFC  Probably more differences than similarities.  Elizabeth is very career-oriented.  She has given herself so totally to her teaching position that she has been promoted to head of the English Department of Rocky Mountain College at the startling young age of thirty-four.

She is also absolutely sure she is right, which I seldom am. (I’m usually right, you understand, I’m just not that sure about it.)  Elizabeth is so sure of herself that she feels perfectly free essentially to order her newest faculty member Dr. Richard Spenser, to attend the mystery week because she feels he is too academically stuffy.

She also knows her own mind well enough that she confidently, but gently, refuses his repeated proposals of marriage.

SH So this confident, self-sufficient woman runs straight at her goals and gets there.  That must make a pretty short novel.

DFC  (laughing) Oh, if only life, or fiction, were so simple!   I think that gets us to about chapter two.

SH Ah, the plot thickens.

DFC  Yes, and so does the soup.  Actually, the soup cools when a stunningly perfect English gentleman steps straight from Elizabeth’s imagination to stand in front of her and kiss her hand. Nor is Sir Gavin Kendall, one of the actors in the mystery week plot that is to be enacted for the teams of guests who will compete to determine whodunit, immune to Elizabeth’s many charms.

SH  You said Elizabeth, as well as her creator, was a great Dorothy L Sayers fan.  That must have helped her with her sleuthing.

DFC  Yes, indeed, especially since the mystery is being enacted in the Golden Age style of a Dorothy L Sayers novel and Sir Gavin is basing his character on Lord Peter Wimsey.

SH It sounds like great fun.

DFC  Elizabeth thinks so, too.  Until she finds a dead body in her bath tub.  Or was it only an actor?  The lines begin to blur dangerously and Elizabeth must use all her powers of deduction to sort out the dividing line between fantasy and reality.

SH I see what you mean.  The goal wasn’t the slam dunk Elizabeth thought it was going to be, was it?

DFC  That’s right.  The first thing Elizabeth learns is that she has a lot to learn:  about the mystery, about Richard, about life.  But most important of all is what she has to learn about herself.

SH Would you like to share a review for THE SHADOW OF REALITY?

DFC Thank you for asking.  Several reviewers have mentioned some of the points this one highlights:  “This book will keep your brain active as you follow the complex plot and interesting characters. Trapped in a Colorado mansion by bad weather, a group of mystery lovers are left to figure out the fictitious killer as well as the real killer. A mystery inside a mystery is always a winner.”

SH  THE SHADOW OF REALITY is listed as Book 1, The Elizabeth & Richard mysteries.  Is there a book 2?

DFC Yes, indeed. In A MIDSUMMER EVE’S NIGHTMARE Elizabeth and Richard are at a Shakespeare festival.  What better place for two English professors to honeymoon?  Until the leading lady turns up dead, that is.

SH  So we have a literary theme going here along with the mystery and romance.  That should keep even someone as energetic as Elizabeth busy. So what about book 3?

DFC  You’re quite right.  Elizabeth is never still a moment.  As a former English teacher myself, I haven’t figured out yet how she gets her papers graded. I can tell you, though, that she is now on the trail of a very hot literary property in England.  If I use the words “letters” and “Jane Austen” in the same sentence all the Janeites among our readers will be on the scent.

Character Monday: People Watching Not Profiling

Character Monday: Who is Harvey Marsburg?

SH: We're talking this week to Chris White, co-author of Airel with Aaron Patterson. Chris is a relative newcomer to the scene here, but he's one to watch...or so we've been told. He's got an illustrated kids' book out right now called The Great Jammy Adventure of the Flying Cowboy, and that's the OK-to-color-in picture book. This year alone, he's releasing two more books, though. One of them is The Marsburg Diary, and the other one is an all new novel, K: phantasmagoria that he's writing all by his bad self, right?

CW: Rumor has it.

SH: The Marsburg Diary is sort of a spin-off of Airel?

CW: Yep. It’s based on the prologue to Airel, and delves deeper into the plot that was introduced there, centering on William Marsburg as seen through the lens of his diary. For Character Monday though, I'd like to focus on William's son, Harvey Marsburg, who is drawn into reading his father's diary by circumstance, and then by necessity, as it turns out in the end.

SH: So. Who is Harvey Marsburg?

CW: Ol’ Harv is a British expat who moved to the States about thirty years ago; when he was nearly twenty. His father William died shortly after going totally nutters, when Harvey was about ten. Harv has issues about that. The move to America, to put everything behind him, was a logical decision for Harvey, and he couldn’t wait to grow up and get out. He has an older brother named Jack, but the details of that are still top secret.

Harvey is a complex guy. He’s bitter toward his father, but he doesn’t like that he’s bitter. He’d rather things had worked out—maybe—he’s grown quite used to life as he knows it; the bachelor lifestyle, and he prefers to live unmolested and alone. He’s not much for fending for himself, though. He gets by on a trust fund and dumb luck. What he usually makes for dinner is a phone call for takeaway. He has tried to assimilate into American culture by driving a massive old Ford from the early seventies, but he’s still unafraid to rankle people who’d rather be politically correct—he hates all that crap. He has a massive Ruger six-shooter for home defense, but it’s kinda clunky in his hands because he’s not that self-assured.

Harvey likes old blues, old books, thin crust pizza, and has a secret crush on the neighbor’s wife, who looks like a wildebeest when she comes out each morning for the paper. “Even wildebeests need love,” he’d probably say. Harv lives in the tiny little American village of Chatham, Illinois by himself. He has no pets. He likes playing the board game Axis and Allies by himself for weeks at a time, is addicted to Dr. Pepper and cigarettes, and abhors exercise of any kind.

SH: He sounds like a total loser. So anyway, when’s the book out?

CW: The Marsburg Diary releases as a digital short on Kindle next month, if all goes well. If not then, Look for it in August.

SH: What’s up for Character Mondays next week?

CW: You’ll have to wait and see; I haven’t decided.

SH: That’s messed up. You were supposed to be prepared here.

CW: Well I was. But I decided just now to change my mind about it, and I remembered that I forgot.

SH: That doesn’t make any sense.

CW: Yes it doesn’t.

SH: Okay I’m pulling the plug on you.