Writing Meme Day 5

[erastes]

5. By age, who is your youngest character? Oldest? How about “youngest” and “oldest” in terms of when you created them?

Youngest:  I’m not really sure about this. (are you seeing a theme here – am I in control?  Doubtful…)I think it’s probably Rafe’s son, Sebastien in Standish - who is about 7 or 8 at the beginning of the book. He’s not seen that much though, and is generally a foil to show off the other characters’ behaviours. He’s a catalyst in many ways, he’s the reason why Rafe comes home to England, he’s the reason why Rafe is looking for a decent tutor.

Sebastien was actually supposed to die—and I had this lovely funeral planned, at St Paul’s or somewhere magnificent filled with everything that Rafe’s money could throw at it, fabulous music, little black ponies pulling the small coffin, not a dry eye in the house, and Rafe sitting like a graven image, shocked beyond belief that his son is dead.  That was where Rafe and Ambrose were supposed to have met up again after Newgate instead of the theatre.

But when i got to that spot in book, I couldn’t do it.  It wasn’t only that Sebastien had become more important to me than I had anticipated, but it felt wrong that Ambrose would have gone back to Rafe for this reason.  He would have, but the relationship would not have worked, it would been based on pity, and not the realisation that—stubborn and stiff-necked though they both were—they loved each other.

Oldest: Hmm. For my short stories, then it’s probably Magnus, the vampire with an obsession for humanity in Bright Souls.  I also have two vampires I’m writing about in “Yours, for a little while” who were around 4000 years ago.  As regards novels, it’s either Yuri or the Countessa in Chiaroscuro. But I don’t really have older characters who are non-paranormal. That’s a bit rubbish of me, isn’t it?

I don’t know what the second half of the question means so I’m not bothering with that.

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Comments

[gehayi.livejournal.com]

I think the second half of the question could be rephrased "What is the first distinct character that you created, chronologically? And what's the most recent distinct character that you've created?"

I did not know that Sebastien was supposed to die, but I think you're right--it would have been a bad reason for Ambrose to get back together with Rafe, and a relationship based on pity would never have worked for those two.