CADEN’S CORRIDOR

 December 2018  

Where Do You Live?

I recently researched how Christmas was celebrated in Devonshire, England in 1898; in another, how it was celebrated in Greece. How is it celebrated where you live? Where your characters live? What kind of impact does family play in your story?

Without children around, Christmas has lost much of its magic for me, and I find myself resenting the commercialization more and more. Grown children just want the money. And everyone wants electronics. So, what would happen to life as we know it if we were to lose all electricity? In my 1898 novel, people are just getting electricity, telephones, and  the automobile. What impact do things have on the characters who people your book? What did we possibly do before cell phones, post-it notes, and ziploc bags? In your last story, did losing a cell-phone signal affect the outcome of the story?  Do you sometime wish you could write something important backwards on a post-it note and stick it on your forehead – so you’d see it in the morning when you looked in the mirror?

Does your character make his/her own Christmas cards and sign them with ink and a quill pen? Or do they text a Santa emoji to a friend? Do you live in the past or the future? When the table is set for dinner, are there paper plates and plastic cups or china and crystal, or something in-between? Where your characters move and have their being is vital to involving your reader in their lives. Don’t forget the details.

Wishing you a Magical Christmas this year, wherever you live.

Thanks for walking through the corridor with me.

 http://cadenstclaire.com

 

 

 CADEN’S CORRIDOR

 November 2018  

Movie Star Material

When I get far enough into my novel to learn who my characters are (yes, I’m a pantser – no foreplay, please), I go to the movies! Sometimes, I see the character in my mind, and sometimes not. In either event, I go online and search for a face that fits. This visual aid helps keep the character in mind when I’m writing so it’s easier to describe him or her, especially in my latest WIP, a(n) historical romance set in 1898 Devonshire. I created folders where I saved pictures of late Victorian dress as well as the approximate time when men gave up the mustaches and beards (except for soldiers in remote areas, who were commanded to keep their facial hair).  Between Scottish, Irish, and English movie actors and models and bearded men in old black-and-white photos, I found everyone I needed except for my leading man! I required someone tall, dashingly handsome, witty, gorgeous eyes, flirty, and classy. And speaks French.

I finally found him in Canada!

If you haven’t heard of an absolutely gorgeous Canadian actor named Thomas Beaudoin, check him out in romantic movies like “The Spirit of Christmas” and “The  Trouble with Mistletoe.” This man is so beautiful, it takes your breath away (and he speaks French).  The moment I saw him, I said, “That’s Parker!” All eight people in my critique group – even the two men – said, “That’s Parker!” Knowing how he moved and spoke in real life made the character come to life in my novel. Now, if I could only get a screenplay to his agent! LOL

So, if you’re stuck, go trolling on the net and find someone who inspires you, who adds depth and passion to your character as well as to your writing! If your book were made into a movie, who would be your main star? Your minor characters? Happy hunting!

Thanks for walking through the corridor with me.

 http://cadenstclaire.com