ORNAMENTAL CHARACTERS

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season and the new year finds you busy writing, plotting, or selling books!

As I took my tree down a couple of weeks ago, I was reminded of a conversation I had when I attended a party hosted by one of my friend’s aunts. The aunt had a large, beautiful tree decorated in black and white. The decorations included black bows, a couple of very large white owls, and smaller blackbirds. Black and white ornaments were scattered amongst the branches and complimented by white icicles and white bells.

When I asked if she always has a black and white tree, she replied, “Oh, heavens no. I have decorations to do an all-teal tree, but my favorite tree is decorated in purple.”

My hostess was drawn into a conversation with another guest. I stood in front of the black-and-white tree, wondering if I could ever embrace this type of décor for my tree.

Decorating my tree is my favorite part of Christmas. When I open boxes of ornaments, I feel like I’m greeting old friends. Each decoration has a story, and I love remembering the ornament’s origins. I like grouping my Nutcracker ornaments together and keeping the handmade gifts from my kids and grandkids in the same area of the tree. I also like distributing my collection of Santa ornaments throughout the branches.

My nine-foot tree tells the colorful story of my life. Ornaments handed down from family members no longer here bring a smile to my lips as I remember past holidays. Each time I place my glass avocado next to the small plastic tequila bottle, I find myself longing for the beaches of México. And though my grandkids don’t visit at Christmas, I still hide the dill pickle ornament they gave me just in case they make a surprise appearance.

Recently, one of my readers asked me why I decided to write a series featuring repeating characters in the same setting. The question echoed in my mind this year when I returned my ornaments to their storage containers, and it occurred to me that my fondness for the characters in my novels is like the adoration I feel for the baubles that brighten my tree each year.

Luckily for me, I write two series. My suspense/thriller series, México Mayhem, has some repeating characters, but each book has a new heroine, hero, and villain. The locales change, too, since I move one or two minor characters from the previous book forward into a new story.

I can’t imagine never creating my very first heroine, Clara Marsh. When I wrote “Peril in Paradise” long ago, in 2008, I had no idea that I would suffer losing a child as Clara does. It stunned me the first time I reread the passages in the book after Clara’s daughter was murdered. How did I know her grief so well before I’d experienced it myself? And though Clara is a figment of my imagination, to me, she is real and a kindred spirit in my life.

My first hero took me by surprise, too. I’m a very independent woman, so when Jackson Brady wanted to protect Clara and rescue her from Damian, I found it hard to let her be rescued or trust Brady. Growing up, I never bought into the whole white knight coming to the damsel’s distress. But being part of Clara’s journey into Brady’s arms was a fabulous experience.

The only writing kudos I ever received when receiving countless rejection letters was: “You do write an excellent villain.”

Creating my villains is one of my favorite parts of crafting a story. I find it easy to heap on evil traits, but I also try to craft a backstory explaining their bad behavior. In “Peril in Paradise,” the reader eventually learns that Damian Garza thinks his stepmother killed his biological mother. Damian’s hatred for his stepmother causes him to mistreat women, but his ego eventually leads to his undoing.

In my mystery/suspense series, Stoneybrook Mysteries, I created a fictional town full of fabulous characters that starts the reader’s journey in “Redneck Ranch.” Every time I open a WIP for a Stoneybrook novel, I feel like I’m home. The chatter of patrons at the Babbling Brook Café fills my mind, and I can smell the bacon and eggs. When my heroine, Harley Harper, trudges to the barn to feed her animals, I’m reminded of my childhood on the family dairy. And though I’m lucky to have numerous friends, I never really bought into the “best friend” label. But I thoroughly enjoy writing about Busy and Harley’s “bestie” moments.

Sheriff Wyatt Stone is a culmination of all the incredible male role models in my life. Wyatt is diligent in his quest to protect the residents of Stoneybrook from harm. I don’t consider myself a romantic, but I enjoy the developing relationship between Wyatt and Harley. He exhibits quiet strength and endless patience, especially when interacting with his autistic cousin, Deputy Derrick Stone.

When I get to write a scene with Derrick, it takes me back in time, just like the ornaments on my tree. I love remembering our lunch dates after shopping at the local Goodwill. Derrick would always find some treasure he had to have, some of which I kept after his passing. Creating a fictional character to honor my son has been a soothing elixir.

The only rotating character in this series is the villain. And once again, what I lack in romantic tendencies, I make up for in crafting dark and twisty bad guys.

My Christmas tree ornaments have been stowed away for another year. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season has settled down, and the usual demands of everyday life await me each morning. I feel blessed to have these characters, recurring and newbies waiting in the wings, to greet me when I lift the lid of my laptop and place my fingers on the keys.

Just like decorating my tree, I enjoy greeting each character like an old friend or introducing myself to someone new, placing them exactly where they need to be in the book. Oh, what a journey each story promises to take me on… one ornamental word at a time.