Character Introduction: Luka

Welcome to the second post of the character introductions to the men of Drasia :) (Once again, Drasia is my WIP. Glance around the blog to learn more about it!)

Today, we are going to meet Luka.

Character Introduction: Luka

1. Who is Luka?

Luka lives in the small village of Cindreth, just below the castle of Drasia. He is a field worker in the appropriate seasons, but he also has the shop his father left him, the carpenter/blacksmith shop attached to his home. However, his father's old apprentice has taken up most of the work that comes from the shop, for Luka prefers to work the soil.

Luka grew up with his father, mother, and younger sister. When he was twelve his father refused to pay the king's men his portioned share of the harvest, for he needed the extra food to pay for medicine because Luka's sister was very ill. Without consent of King Ewan, the king's men burned the shop a few days later, not realizing Luka's father and mother were both in the shop at that time. Luka tried to save them, earning a horrible burn on his arm that left a ghastly scar, but it was in vain. Ellyn's parents took Luka and his sister into their own home and became a set of second parents to the siblings, but Luka's heart was hardened in bitterness toward the king and his men from that day forward. A year later Luka's little sister, who was only seven, died, which he also blamed on the acts of the past, but also on himself.
Luka more than likely would've been hung for speaking treason against the king, for he took every opportunity to speak ill of the kingdom around anyone, but young Ellyn's cool head soon calmed him. He leaned on her for support, trusting her to keep him from acting foolishly, and she gladly gave her help. When Ellyn's brother Hugo ran away from home, Luka returned the favor by fully becoming Ellyn's surrogate older brother. However, do not think he doesn't still struggles with feelings of guilt for his sister's death and hardened thoughts towards King Ewan.

2. How do Luka and Ellyn tie in together?

(Learn more about Ellyn here: http://writingexploration-sarahellen.blogspot.com/2013/03/character-introduction-ellyn.html )Well, I've already gone over that in the above answer. Luka lived with Ellyn's family from the time he was twelve until he was sixteen, which is when he moved back into his own home, yet he is still an involved part of Ellyn's family. Though Luka and Ellyn started their relationship off as friends and it grew into a sibling bond, they both recognize the signs of their increasing feelings for each other. Luka is starting to feel ready to accept this and move ahead, but Ellyn is far more hesitant, as she doesn't care for change.

3. How old is Luka?

Luka is 21 years old.

4. What does he look like?

Luka is 6'4" and has short, dark blonde hair and blue eyes. His build is, simply put, huge, as in muscular. His arms are probably 75% of his body weight, ha! With the work he does, he has to be very built. As mentioned before, he has a horribly scarred arm (little extra tidbit, on that arm he wears a cuff of leather and horse hair that Ellyn crafted for him soon after his sister passed away.) See pictures posted for more detail.

5. In three words, describe his personality.

Stubborn. Protective. Sweet.

6. Would I describe him as a likable character?

Again, yes, I hope he comes across as a likable character. Luka loves to tease Ellyn, but he is also very sweet with her and protective of her. I find their relationship fun to write because one moment Luka can be irritating Ellyn with various things to no end, and the next moment she's in his arms listening to his kind advice. Luka is a sad character who needs to let go of certain things in his past, but I think we can sympathize with the trauma he went through as a young boy and understand from where his bitterness stems. Luka will stop at nothing to defend those who are weaker, and he is well-liked in his village. Those who meet Luka for the first time are wary of him, his dark, quizzical brow and large stature intimidating, but most come to appreciate and respect him once they get to know him.

Tom Hopper looks very much like Luka. His facial features and stature are perfect, and I think he captures his air of strength and sadness very well.



Here is the link to my pinterest board for this WIP, The Descendants of Drasia: The Prequel :) http://pinterest.com/wildwestfantasy/the-descendants-of-drasia-prequel/

Character Introductions 2: The Men (Frederic)

So, I only got one response on my question about whether or not you wanted character introductions for the men in my book. I'm not sure if it's just because you didn't respond or if you REALLY DON'T WANT THEM, but I got one yes and apparently that's enough for me ;) So sorry to those of you who are groaning, but yes, this is what's coming next.

So, the five main men characters are Frederic, Luka, Owin, Deryk, and Hugo, and that is the order in of both their age and in which I will introduce them. Depending on the length, I may do one at a time or several together. So, here goes:

Character Introduction: Frederic

1. Who is Frederic?

Frederic is a respected knight of Drasia. Though he is fairly young, he earned status quickly as one of the harde st-working, most honest, and most humble of knights in the kingdom. The young knights of the court look up to him, striving to equal his excellence in both character and skill, and Frederic is "in charge" of a large section of the knights; the king trusts him completely.
Part of the king's faith in him stems from his past. Frederic's father was also a knight and a well-respected one who was killed in battle when Frederic was eight years old, and his mother died a year later. The king took an interest in Frederic's education since he had no son of his own, and encouraged him in his journey into knighthood, occasionally taking the responsibility of training Frederic himself. This also provided the opportunity for Frederic and Ivanya to become good friends.
When Frederic was 22 he married a young, beautiful woman he loved and they had a son, Kenric. However, the childbirth weakened his wife and she died a year later, breaking Frederic's heart. Frederic turned his attention to his son, becoming a completely loving father but rather protective. Frederic learned to move on from his wife's death, but the event left a scar on his heart that would never fully heal.


2. How do Ivanya and Frederic tie in together?

I made a brief mention of Frederic in Ivanya's introduction (written on March 10, check it out!). After the great battle, when Ivanya was brought to the castle of Drasia, Frederic was ten years old at the time. Four years later, five-year-old Ivanya found her way to the training grounds where fourteen-year-old Frederic was performing a combat test. Frederic made a minor mistake, but young Ivanya caught it and marched into the field, grabbing his hands and showing him how he should've parried the blow. The other knights teased, but Frederic took a chance and ended up passing the test due to Ivanya's keen eye. Since that day, despite their nine year age difference, Frederic took it upon himself to look out for Ivanya since he too had no family. Their relationship was that of deep friendship, almost as brother and sister, and never once grew into anything more.


3. How old is he?

Frederic is now 30 years old.

4. What does he look like?

Frederic is 6'3 with curly ginger hair and a thin beard, and greyish-green eyes. His features are fairly slim for being a fit knight (ha...that just sounds a little funny.). I'm not positive on how else to describe him, however, check out the pictures I've attached since these characters don't have a specific board for themselves on my pinterest account.

5. In three words, describe his personality.

Loyal. Compassionate. Wise. You could almost describe him as the daddy of the group, haha.

6. Would I describe him as a likable character?

I say yes, and I hope others would agree. I love writing Frederic's character - he's the true "older brother-image" character in the story in regards to his and Ivanya's relationship (he certainly loves to tease her), and I adore his compassionate heart. I forgive him his protective nature over his son, because he just wants to do what is best for him and loves him so much. We are introduced to his past in snippets here and there, which makes him most definitely a minor character and yet an intriguing one - he's not just a knight of Drasia, but an orphaned son, widower father, and loyal friend.

Rupert Young looks exactly like Frederic. I had another "face" for Frederic in the beginning, someone completely different looking, and I soon realized my mind kept jumping back to someone like this for the character, and he really is perfect.




If you're just coming to the blog, please check out my overview of my WIP, The Descendants of Drasia: The Prequel so you know what on earth I'm talking about http://writingexploration-sarahellen.blogspot.com/2013/02/overview-descendants-of-drasia.html and my pinterest board for The Descendants of Drasia: The Prequel! http://pinterest.com/wildwestfantasy/the-descendants-of-drasia-prequel/

Boldly

Today I'd like to write about...writing. No, this is not on whether or not you CAN write, and not to be mistaken with my post "A Writer." This is a more personal entry to convey to you how I feel about writing.

Before I begin, I would like to say I'm not directing any of this to anyone in particular, but merely sharing this in general to hopefully encourage all of you to become bold in whatever passion you may wish to cultivate!

When one decides to write something, whether it be a personal report for school or a novel, a few things must be taken into consideration. Why am I writing this, what do I want to convey, what is my topic, what is my theme, who is going to be reading this, how am I going to write this. I'd like to take some of those questions and talk about them from my perspective as a wannabe writer of novels.

1) Why am I writing this: What makes me want to write this specific story? Is it the characters I love? Or is the theme something dear to my heart or something I want to promote?

2) What do I want to convey: As with any writer, in order to write a good story there will undoubtedly be some "bleeding" of yourself onto those pages. Each story contains elements of the writer himself, whether it be characteristics mirrored in his characters or personal views on life, religion, politics, ect. No matter how hard you try to hide yourself, writing is one of the greatest eye-openers into an individual's life - if you do it right.

3) Who is going to be reading this: Well, that's a tricky one. Perhaps you're going to be writing a piece for a specific family member or a friend, or perhaps for your own personal enjoyment such as a diary. Perhaps you're writing a children's story, or maybe a novel centered for teens. However, does that mean ONLY children will read the children's stories? Of course not - some children have to be read stories by their parents. Sometimes you have to accept that an entry you make into a personal diary may not become so personal if you pass away or "heaven forbid" your nosy, concerned mom come across it while cleaning your room. ;) Stories meant for a particular audience are not secure in that one section - people will get a hold of your stories, people you never thought of reading your book. Some of that might be pleasing if you reach a wider circle than you anticipated and become a best-selling author, others maybe not so much, like I mentioned with the mother.

Are you getting nervous yet?

4) And finally, HOW am I going to write this: Well...I'm going to research, plan, and write accordingly. Right? WRONG! Well, partially wrong. Yes, you're going to do all those things, but let's dig a little deeper. Repeat: HOW ARE YOU GOING TO WRITE THIS? What is going to influence you? Better yet, what are you going to ALLOW to influence you?

There are many things that could have an impact on the way you choose to write. Culture, religion, your values, you're parents' values, your friends' values, ect. As you're writing, you must decide what and who you'll be thinking about. True, you don't want to write anything outside of what you think is wrong. As a Christian, I do my best and make sure that what I write is pleasing to God, and anything I include that might be a controversial issue I try and portray tactfully but in a honest light according to my views.

However, what I think is good or wrong, someone else may think oppositely. For instance, with a certain character in my book, I tend to be tempted to write very darkly and realistically with the intention of giving a disconcerting feeling. I personally don't believe I write anything bad, but I often find myself wondering, "What is so-and-so going to think of this when he/she reads it if publication happens? Will they approve, or will they be shocked and angry with my writing? Perhaps I should tone it down."

STOP!

I've done this. I've edited scenes because I was scared. I thought they were good, but I'm generally thought of in my "social circle" as a sweet, innocent girl (as my brother says, "sweet little baby Sarah") and thought others reading it might be shocked. Okay, so if at all possible you'd probably rather not offend anyone. But let me ask you, for example: For those of you who share my belief on how abortion is a sin, if you were asked to write an oral report on your personal beliefs on the matters of abortion, would you conform? Would you say, "Well, I don't want to offend my classmates, so I'll just state the facts and statistics of abortion and not get into my personal views." What a waste of precious opportunity. I would hope both you and I would write a puncher and do our best to convey the horrible brutality of abortion and the scars it leaves.

The fact is, we can't be afraid. We can't stop ourselves from writing what we believe to be right and good just because someone else may take offense, whether you're concerned about your parents, your friends, or the world for that matter. As long as you are following the guidelines God has given us, for goodness' sakes write what you want. Show others you mean business. Display boldness. As you write, don't be thinking about the world and letting that cloud your vision.

Of course, questions begin to arise. But what if other's think of me differently? What if they misread what I'm trying to say and I portray myself in a bad light or, again, cause real offense? We can't let the fear of other's reading our work stop us from writing, because then, obviously, we would have nothing to say. All we can do is make sure we write in a way that is clear and mature and hope others understand. If they don't, it's time to start building that backbone!

As a quote I saw on pinterest said, "Write like nobody's reading." When you are writing, let it just be you and the paper, with the tool of a pencil or keyboard to let your thoughts flow out onto the page. Constantly wondering about the opinions of others will greatly hinder you in your writing, and undoubtedly 98% of the time you'll end up not fully explaining yourself in the way you wished. This happens to me. I'm plagued by thoughts of doubt and constantly bring myself down in my writing. I hope to take a tight hold of the gift God has given me to write and use it to its fullest potential in a God-pleasing manner, not a world-pleasing one. I hope you'll be encouraged to not give up in your endeavors, whether it be writing or another talent, and you'll take charge with confidence.

**Please check out Abigail Hartman's post dealing with some similar issues and beyond inspired by the quote "Write Like Nobody's Reading" on her blog Scribbles and Ink Stains. Abigail is a young published author and has a wonderful grasp on the complex world of writing; I highly recommend her blog :) Here is a link to the post: http://scribblesandinkstains.blogspot.com/2013/03/like-nobodys-reading.html Thank you, Abigail, for letting me include your post in my entry!

Character Introduction: Aelwyn

Finally at the last character introduction for my four main characters! I hope you've enjoyed getting to know these characters a little more and now may have some grounding for when I talk incessantly about my book ;) If you did enjoy these, please let me know if you'd also like character introductions on the five main male characters in my book (their "introductions" won't be as long.)

So now I will introduce to you Aelwyn (pronounced ail (like what's ailing you?) - win (wind without the "d") * (please see the note at the bottom of the post.)


Character Introduction: Aelwyn


1. What does she look like?

Aelwyn has ghost-pale skin, bright blue eyes, and flaming red hair. She is about 5'3" and nothing but skin and bones, the reason for which you will find out in #4. She has strong cheekbones, slightly due to the fact that she is so skinny, and a dainty, slightly upturned nose.


2. How old is she?

Aelwyn is about 19 or 20 years old.

3. In three words, describe her personality.

Fighter. Bitter. Determined.


4. Who IS Aelwyn?

For a long time, Aelwyn would not have been able to answer this question herself if you had asked her. All she knew was the fact that she was a prisoner of King Theon's, and he passionately hated her, and she him.
When King Theon of Oedria was planning to attack Drasia and it's outlying kingdoms, he went to a seer named Mirelle to recruit her help, thinking she would be able to tell him the weak spots of each kingdom he planned to attack. Mirelle refused him, earning banishment from Oedria of both her and any related to her, but before this happened Theon found himself bewitched by Mirelle's niece, Aelina. Being the wicked man he was, he had a brief affair with Aelina, and then sentenced the banishment. A while later Aelina secretly returned to Oedria to inform the king she had his child. Once Theon discovered he was to have a child outside of his marriage, Aelina was never seen by anyone again.
Only King Theon and an old friend of his, the man who served as a tutor to his son, Owin, knew of the child that stayed in existence. Theon took the child to the cells in the caves beneath the castle of Oedria and kept her there, hidden from all. Why he chose to keep the child, yet in such unimaginably horrible conditions, will have to remain a secret for now.
Aelwyn did finally come to the knowledge of the real circumstances of her birth, thanks to the tutor, actually, and her bitterness and hatred towards the king was heightened. She is determined to escape her prison, whatever the cost, and she must battle those who would try to stop her...including her mind.

5. Does she have any habits?

She pulls on her hair when filled with stress and anxiety.

6. What are some things she treasures?

Aelwyn's life is filled with solitude and darkness. She treasures nothing, only the idea of freedom.

7. What does she passionately hate?

King Theon. Injustice.

8. Any special markings, treasured items?

She has been scars from being abused and malnourished. // She owns nothing.

9. Would I describe Aelwyn as a likable character?

In a way. We can admire Aelwyn for her resolve to never give up, her courage to stand up to King Theon when he could kill her in a moment, but her mind is clouded with bitterness, which can make her a sad character we wouldn't want to always follow. Whether or not she will turn into a truly "likable" character we'll just have to wait to be seen.

10. If she had one quote to describe her, what would it be?

"I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees." (credit to whoever said this marvelous quote.) This is perfect for Aelwyn. She would rather die than spend another day until the brutal abuse of the king, and she'll do whatever it takes to remove herself from his rule. She is tired of being shamed and mistreated and will not back down to King Theon.

*This name is not set definitely, I have been thinking of changing it. I also know technically the pronunciation is wrong. However, if you like the name, would you like to see Aelwyn's name spelled a different way? If so, do you have a suggestion?

Here is Aelwyn's pinterest board:
http://pinterest.com/wildwestfantasy/character-board-aelwyn/

Character Introduction: Ivanya

Welcome to the third character introduction for my WIP, The Descendants of Drasia: The Prequel. Let's get right into it.

Character Introduction:Ivanya

First of all, I will say (since some people have asked) the pronunciation of her name is "ee-VAHN-ya."

1. What does she look like?

Ivanya is a bit of what I would call a raw beauty. She has extremely long, wavy light blonde hair and blue-grey eyes (fun fact: blonde hair and blue eyes were considered a height of beauty in the medieval ages, which is when this story is based). She is around 5'6" with a feminine figure (as in certainly not anorexic but by no means overweight). Her jawline is soft with fairly defined cheekbones, and often carries a very resolute demeanor.


2. How old is she?

Ivanya is around 21 years of age.

3. In three words, describe her personality.

Strong-willed. Rebellious. Passionate.


4. Who IS Ivanya?

Ivanya de Monfort is the only living relative of King Ewan of Drasia; she is his niece, the daughter of Ewan's sister who died in childbirth. (For such a powerful family, they were small, having been plagued by deaths of sickness and war.) Her father, Amis de Monfort, was viceroy of Caeron, a smaller land barely within the boundaries of Drasia, and he fought alongside King Ewan in the great battle against Oedria, where he was killed. King Ewan then took Ivanya to his kingdom to raise her himself, for she was only a year old, and his own wife was dead, leaving him childless and without an heir to his throne.

Ivanya was accessible to every pleasure and comfort of the highest royal family, but she had the wild spirit of her father still within her heart. Her strong will provided to be a nuisance to the king, for she proved to share none of his views on the way the lands worked. Opinionated, Ivanya often spoken when she was to be silent and defied the boundaries the king had set for her.

She was not simply a rebellious, high-spirited child; she was lonely, for to be the only child in a castle of which she must remain meant hours on end of keeping her own company. Ivanya was also plagued with nightmares of her father's death, for though she did not have much memory of him, she had an active imagination and often wondered how he died. The one person that held her up in this time was a young man, Frederic, who was a squire on the journey of becoming a knight. He was nine years her senior, but always paid special attention to her, and they became like brother and sister. He was a sensible person, but he too secretly encouraged her to have opinions and understood her loneliness and frustration.

5. Does she have any habits?

Basically her only habit is doing the opposite of what she is told.

6. What are some things she treasures?

She treasures any moment she can sneak away from the castle and spend time in solitude.

7. What does she passionately hate?

Restrictions. She is also against the harshness of the king's decrees on the fire breathers and dragon riders, though having never met one herself causes curiosity and uncertainty towards them. When you have been consistently fed with words of hatred towards them, one can't help but judge at least slightly.

8. Any special markings, treasured items?

Her sapphire hilted dagger was her father's, and she as a small silver box that was her mother's.

9. Would I describe Ivanya as a likable character?

Definitely. I believe Ivanya is a very relatable character. Though the average person may not face not being able to freely leave their home or an arranged marriage, at some point or another, everyone feels trapped. Ivanya is someone trying to discover who she is, and she is faced with many challenges and choices that will affect her life. Also, not only does Ivanya stand strongly for her beliefs, she has wit, courage, and spirit (a.k.a. yes, I mean attitude) which makes her a fun character to write.

10. If she had one quote to describe her, what would it be?

"Hurt me with the truth but never comfort me with a lie." (credit to whoever said this.) This quote is Ivanya exactly. She despises being lied to and would much rather suffer the pain of the truth than live a lie. Her own speech is comprised of plain speaking, and she'll never sugar-coat anything, no matter how offensive it may be to the recipient.

Here is Ivanya's pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/wildwestfantasy/character-board-ivanya/

One more main character (of the girls) to go! Please come back!

Character Introduction: Marta

Welcome to my second character introduction!
Marta is perhaps my favorite character; I know, unsafe to have favorites, but I can't help it. She intrigues me, and I still haven't found out everything about her yet. ;) She might be a little harder to do an introduction for without giving too many of her secrets away, but I shall do my best.

Character Introduction:Marta

1. What does she look like?

Marta has very dark brown hair that is always pulled back into a long braid, deep-set brown eyes, and olive skin. She is about 5'9 and slender but well-built - she has to be for living in the trees and hunting her food with a bow. She has a strong jawline and cheekbones, but her face is still extremely feminine and rather beguiling to others.


2. How old is she?

Again, I'm not certain on the ages yet, but Marta is definitely around nineteen years of age.

3. In three words, describe her personality.

Loner. Strong. Distrustful (of others).


4. Who IS Marta?

Marta is a fire breather. If you've read the overview I posted on this book, you will know that the fire breathers were hunted down by the men of King Ewan of Drasia and slaughtered. Marta's village was one of the first attacked, and she witnessed the murder of both her parents. She was the only one to survive in her village of fire breathers, and she was 'five' years old. (Fire breathers age differently than man; while she is only about nineteen years old and the purge happened twenty years ago, she was at the maturity and build of a five year old. They grow rapidly in the first four-five years and live longer than man does.) With no other fire breathers of surrounding villages to aid her, Marta fled deep into the forest and lived in a tree for two years to escape the king's men, only coming down to kill a small squirrel or rabbit for a meal. She has lived in various parts of the forest ever since, striving to cope with her young feelings of loneliness and bitterness. Through this, however, she learned to quell her bitterness towards the kingdom and focus her energy on mastering the art of archery, crafting her own bow. However, though her anger had been tucked away, it didn't mean it was gone forever; she still fights feelings of taking her revenge on the inhabitants of the castle.
Having lived practically her whole life alone, that is of course what she prefers. She does not care for any sort of person invading her space, and is extremely private of her camp, wherever she may make it; unfortunate fools who dare try to take over her camp. She has also devoted her life to protecting small, outlying villages from a group of pillagers who also have made camp in the woods. She protects one particular village, though the reason I can't reveal just yet ;) Aha - Marta has a secret.

Marta is also interesting because it is possible she is part of a legend, a prophecy. There are different abilities in the fire breathers: Some have extreme gifts in fighting with their fire, some are healers, and others are "seers" - they display the past and the future in images through the fire. It is said in the legends of these people that one day a great warrior will rise from them; the most powerful fighting fire breather to have lived. Marta's parents were the leaders of a community of fire villages throughout Drasia, making Marta a kind of princess, and it was speculated when she was younger that she would be this warrior. Marta doubts the prophecy, but does not completely throw the notion away. She simply is waiting to see what will happen in the future, and if this will be her.


5. Does she have any habits?

Marta has a habit of going completely silent with no warning, even in mid-sentance. She is either remembering back to her past, or the pieces are coming together in a problem and she must have total concentration.

6. What are some things she treasures?

Peace and quiet! Falling asleep in a tall tree, watching the sun go down and listening to the forest. Honesty. Privacy.

7. What does she passionately hate?

Betrayal. Tyranny. Plain old bullies, haha. People who chatter.

8. Any special markings, treasured items?

She crafted her bow herself and is definitely a treasured item. She also wears a necklace which bears significance, but this is a new idea to me so I'm still working on what exactly I want. Fill y'all in later ;)

9. Would I describe Marta as a likable character?

I think so. Marta is a character who shows herself through expression, not words, which can be refreshing. Her quiet personality adds a hint of mysteriousness to her character and brings questions up in your mind, which personally I love in a character; if they don't cause you to ask one single question, what good are they? Underneath her strong, silent personality, she has fire (no pun intended), wit, and wisdom, which calls for some fun times in both writing and reading.

10. If she had one quote to describe her, what would it be?

Ah, the wonderful pinterest has provided me with so many different amazing quotes that fit her beautifully, but since I must pick one, I would say this quote keeps coming back to me: "Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it." (credit to whoever came up with this, I don't know who.) As I mentioned before, Marta has tucked her feelings of anger and bitterness towards the king deep within her so she will not do anything she will regret, and has also made herself "numb" to her past - both the destruction of her village and other things that have scarred her. What will happen when the past comes back to haunt her? Will her strength prevail, or will she break?

Marta's pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/wildwestfantasy/character-board-marta/

Thanks for reading :) Ivanya will be next, either Saturday or next week (yeah, I said just one or two a week..forgot that things get boring when all you can do in a day after having your tonsils out is lay on the couch, haha) and she such a fun character to write, so I hope you'll come back for hers!

Character Introduction: Ellyn

Hello all! Finally, I'm ready to give you the character introductions! :D I should post one a week, maybe two a week, we'll just have to see ;) My friend Lindsey suggested I make this in a format of a character interview; while I love the idea, I'm not sure I would like how it would work with these characters. I may do something similar with them in the future, or perhaps with different characters with a different project, but for now I'm just going to tell you a bit about them "myself." Thanks for the suggestion though, Lindsey! :)

These are the beginnings of my character introductions for my WIP, The Descendants of Drasia: The Prequel, and I hope you will enjoy being able to 'meet' the characters I love so much, and you might be able to see a little more into this world.

Character Introduction:Ellyn

1. What does she look like?

Ellyn has flowing sandy blonde hair that reaches down to the small of her back and big, soft brown eyes. Of course, there are a few freckles on her nose and cheeks - the result of working in the sun for too long. She is a slender, petite girl with dainty, long fingers and stands at about 5'6", which is short for someone like her. Her facial features are soft with rounded cheekbones and a light, wide smile.


2. How old is she?

I'll admit, I'm a bit shaky on the ages at the moment, but Ellyn is probably around eighteen years old.

3. In three words, describe her personality.

Innocent. Kind. Confused.

4. Who IS Ellyn?

Ellyn lives in Cindreth, a working village of about 10 homes and two shops in a valley that lies just below the castle of Drasia, and lives with her father and mother, a slightly older couple. She has an older brother, Hugo, who ran away when he was sixteen to join the knights of Drasia - an act which shocker her parents, seeing as how the kingdom is a dangerous place for their family . She has been protected and rather spoiled by her parents, the results being her innocent and ignorant way of life, but she is the perfect example of true kindness. All her life she has had to hide who she is from the kingdom - a dragon rider, a kind of person whose kind had been hunted ruthlessly for twenty years prior. Though she has not found it a real struggle to hide her identity, Ellyn begins to see evil workings in man's heart around her, and feelings rise within that lead her to think new thoughts; thoughts of, you might say, a kind of revolution. To her innocent mind, these feelings spark fear and deep confusion.


5. Does she have any habits?

Not specifically a habit like chewing on nails or playing with hair, but I will say you will often find her on her small balcony outside her room (it looks rather ridiculous on her small house, but was built specially for her because she cannot bear to feel trapped) gazing out towards the Mountains of Minaeth.

6. What are some things she treasures?

Peace. Friends and Family. The rising sun over the mountains on a clear, warm morning.

7. What does she passionately hate?

Strife in any sort of form.

8. Any special markings, treasured items?

Every dragon rider has the mark of a dragon claw on their right shoulder, and Ellyn is no exception. // Her friend, Luka, carved a dragon out of a small piece of wood for her when they were young, and she keeps it hidden in a small box underneath her bed.

9. Would I describe Ellyn as a likable character?

Well, considering she is technically my main character, of course I would! Ellyn can be frustrating because she is so ignorant to the world around her, but partially that isn't her fault. Her parents have sheltered her from even knowing about the past evils of the kingdom, and she has been taught by her mother to expect the good in all around her, leaving her blind to those who may wish her harm. However, Ellyn is a light in the darkness, a symbol of hope in despair. She is 100% loyal and sweet, a friend to all,

10. If she had one quote to describe her, what would it be?

"Most fear to become small. I fear to become great." (quote by Leah Tyrell, an aspiring author.) I think this quote describes her perfectly when things come to a crisis in the book. Ellyn has been a small village girl all her life - her world consists only of that place. She knows change is coming and she must change with it, but fear tempts to hold her back.

This is her pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/wildwestfantasy/character-board-ellyn/


More to come! :)

Please Help! :)

So I've been gone for quite a while! First, my friend came up for a visit, and we had so much fun, but I didn't have time for a blog post ;) Then I got my tonsils out last Thursday, and I've been pretty lousy. I'm finally feeling a bit better, so those character introductions I promised you a while back will be coming soon!

For today, however, I want to enlist your help! I have a new story I'm developing (just a smidgen) and I need lots of names. Boy names, girl names. The story is set in modern day, the "cast" is kids a variety of ages ranging probably from five to seventeen. So tell me...what are your absolute favorite names? :) GO!