I have a couple of series I've written where the main characters are witches, warlocks, sorcerers, sorceresses, genetically altered, vampires, werewolves, angels, grim reapers, and soon, but the one thing all of these fantastical beings are is human. They're just like us, only they have some other traits, too.
I'm going to do a series of posts which will be miniature character studies. Today I am going to focus on the general- why do my characters resonate with readers? The answer is because they are real people- flaws, foibles, quirks, good sides, bad sides, and all. They are troubled heroes, struggling heroines, and often just ordinary beings trying to live their lives to the best of their abilities. In two series, The Archetypes and Black King/White Queen, they're also trying to raise their children and keep their families together.
They also all live in the ordinary, every day world you and I live in. They have homes, live in small towns or cities, live in the suburbs, and most f them have jobs. Dr. Giles Talon (the grim reaper in the Talon series) is a Medical Examiner and coroner, plus he works in a hospital as a pathologist. His night receptionist is something more than a struggling young woman trying to find her way in the world. She's not aware of what else she is, but through the currently four book series, she makes discoveries, and grows into her role in this world and the other realms she can access. Romney Sharpe (Black King/White Queen series) is a powerful warlock who is thrown prematurely into the role of guardian of a great magical treasure hoarde when his evil black witch sister has their father killed. She also wanted him killed, but his father managed to save him at the last moment, so now he's a king. Which leads him to claim his queen, the unassuming white witch/druidess, Ivy Greenaway. Ivy's young and not fully aware of her powers, but as queen, she has to adjust, learn, and grow in leaps and bounds which tests her strength, her bravery, and her overall character. Through all their ordeals, Ivy and Romney place great value on family and friends, and home life. In the Amberton Paranormal Investigative Society series a group of ghost hunters in Vermont encounter ghosts, but Tracy Beck encounters a young woman who works at an Inn in Maine who is more than she appears to be. Grayson Cole can communicate easily with ghosts...and it rocks the entire teams world when they discover who and what Grayson really is. She is a being who is art human, part spirit. She can cross through the veil. She is what Dr. Beeler has been looking for, the link between the living world and the spirit world. Yet, Grayson appears to be an ordinary human being in every other aspect, so the struggle now will be- will Beck allow Dr. Beeler to exploit her, or will they keep the truth about her a secret while they study her? Book three will explore all that.
In Out, vampires work for city government, sell cars and real estate, deal in antiquities, design clothing and many other normal everyday jobs. They have co-existed among living human beings for centuries. Only recently have they begun being outed by radicals who feel they are abominations, monsters, and should all be destroyed. They struggle to co-exist in the world with humans while they are being hunted and slain by those who are intolerant of them, and admired and entertained by those who don't see them as evil beings. Irina is thrown into the chaos swirling around vampires when Adrick choses her to be his queen. Irina's father belongs to one of the societies sworn to protect citizens from vampires. And Adrick has a powerful enemy who wants to destroy him, which places very human Irina's life in danger.
J. Rand Beresford had a terrible experience during a camping trip with friends when he was fourteen that changed his life. He was attacked by a werewolf and was the sole survivor, yet he can tell no one what really happened during that fateful weekend. He flees his home town immediately after graduation and it's not until a few years later that a young woman makes the discovery that J. Rand is living in Europe and has made a name for himself as a maker of amazing mechanical clock towers. His father is a clockmaker, but not these types of clocks. J. Rand is drawn home when the powerful werewolf who transformed him starts attacking the young girl's family and friends. J. Rand knows he'll kill her because the werewolf knows him, can read him like a book and knows his heart belongs to her.
Very real life characters with paranormal, fantastical, and supernatural powers just trying to make their way in the world you and I live in...those are the types of characters I write.
We'll look at other characters in future posts.
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