MONDAY MAGIC - Emma Lane

For Monday Magic today we have Emma Lane, aka Janis Lane...thanks so much for dropping by Emma!   

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Hello. Thanks for having me here today. 

I’ve been thinking of how important it is to develop personality traits for my characters. Character driven books are some of my most favorite. (How about JD Robb with Eve and you-know-who?) Romeo/Juliet represent for all times the intensity and folly of young love.

      

Once you fall deeply in love with the characters in a novel, your appetite for more is insatiable. Or at least mine is. So character development is a very important part of the work in writing a novel. How about Elizabeth and Jane? Well-rounded ladies with firm, albeit somewhat prejudicial, characteristics. Well, Eliza at least. Jane is too good, almost insipid for most of us--definitely white bread to Eliza’s wheat.

       

This task is also a source of amusement to me as well. A new character I’m working on is almost finished and now she keeps following me around. Talk, talk, talking all the time to me in the back of my mind. Never shuts up. The only way to get rid of her is—you guessed it--to write her story. Her name is Felicity Malsturripson and she is a dark-haired beauty with a wicked tongue. She was a minor character in my series of Regencies about the vicar’s three daughters, one published and two more about to be. I’d never given her a thought until recently when she popped into my head and demanded her own story.

    

Probably two thirds of the information I’ll put together about Felicity will never get into the novel. Nethertheless, it’s important for me to know everything I can about her character. Who she is, how old is she, where she came from, rich or poor, number of siblings, her space in time. Were her parents mean or nice? Once I know this character, I’ll pretty much understand what her actions/reactions are to be.

    

Okay, you argue, what about that place where they all decide to do as they please and never you mind what you want them to? Have you never heard of a surprise ending?

It makes writing an interesting task, for sure. I’m usually as surprised as the reader.

       

I do find it useful to keep a 3x5 card handy with all the personality traits listed.

Who are some of your favorite characters? Do they ever make you gasp with shock? Are they predictable and placid? Which do you like better? 

Felicity is a fiery young women with a bad temper. I’ll try to keep her in line.

Find Felicity with her own story soon.

Find her walk-on debut in A SCANDALOUS DESIGN—Emma Lane—coming soon @ MUSA PUBLISHING PRESS.  

Can Melanie Robinson give up her dreams to wed a respectable, very desirable, not to mention handsome,  peer of the realm in a love match or will she hold fast to her personal ambitions by saying yes to a handsome, devilish rogue who becomes her friend and accepts her as she is?

My contemporary SANDPIPER AFFAIR—Janis Lane, available right now @ DESERT BREEZE PRESS and other popular downloadable sites.  

Wild life photographer Abby Neycomb never dreamed her camera would frame a giant blond, total hunk of eye candy when she trespassed in the State Park. Did the Ranger uniform he was wearing have serious meaning? She certainly hoped so!

While the urge to create can be a powerful drive, Emma aka Janis Lane often wants to chase her muse away for disturbing her peace. When not writing her own novels, she enjoys reading what others write, preferably sitting in the shade with a pitcher of ice tea. Nature is a favorite subject and is tucked into most of  her stories. Lane is an experienced bird watcher.  She is also part owner of a small “Herbtique” and can be found in Western NY in summer assisting in the creation and design of beautiful gardens. She belongs to WNYRWA and RWA. Check for Emma J. Lane on Facebook.

Thanks again for coming Emma!  Hey everyone - don't forget to let us know who your favourite characters are!