How Much of Yourself is Revealed in Your Books?
Certainly, I am not any of the characters in my books, nor are they based on me.
As far as Deputy Tempe Crabtree is concerned, we have but one resemblance to one another. Certainly it is not in ethnicity--I have no Indian blood whatsoever. My ancestors came to the states in the mid to late 1700s from places like England, Holland, Scotland and Ireland. Or at least that's what I've been told, and in some instances searching genealogy has proven.
I don't look anything like Tempe either, I'm short, she's tall, I'm chubby and she's not, and she's nearing middle-age and I passed that up long ago.
I've never been in law enforcement either. The closest I've come is to have many relatives, past and present, who have served as police officers or deputy sheriffs.
What Tempe and I, and some of my other female characters, do have in common is a strong streak of independence, bravery and willingness to stand-up for those who are falsely accused.
Though I am writing fiction, ever so often something that has happened in my life or the life of someone I've known, will creep into what I'm writing. Of course it won't be a retelling of the actual incident, but rather the essence of what happened.
I always draw on my own feelings and emotions when I'm writing, asking myself, "If that were happening to me, how would I feel, how would I react?"
What about you? How much of yourself makes its way into what you write?
Marilyn
As far as Deputy Tempe Crabtree is concerned, we have but one resemblance to one another. Certainly it is not in ethnicity--I have no Indian blood whatsoever. My ancestors came to the states in the mid to late 1700s from places like England, Holland, Scotland and Ireland. Or at least that's what I've been told, and in some instances searching genealogy has proven.
I don't look anything like Tempe either, I'm short, she's tall, I'm chubby and she's not, and she's nearing middle-age and I passed that up long ago.
I've never been in law enforcement either. The closest I've come is to have many relatives, past and present, who have served as police officers or deputy sheriffs.
What Tempe and I, and some of my other female characters, do have in common is a strong streak of independence, bravery and willingness to stand-up for those who are falsely accused.
Though I am writing fiction, ever so often something that has happened in my life or the life of someone I've known, will creep into what I'm writing. Of course it won't be a retelling of the actual incident, but rather the essence of what happened.
I always draw on my own feelings and emotions when I'm writing, asking myself, "If that were happening to me, how would I feel, how would I react?"
What about you? How much of yourself makes its way into what you write?
Marilyn
Comments
Frank A. Ruffolo www.frankaruffolo.com
It's interesting that you should ask this question today because, just last night, I was thinking about the fact that several of the characters in my Malone mystery series have some of the same physical/personality characteristics that I do. Just bits and pieces but there's no doubt that they're there. :)
JL, thanks for your comments--fun to see you here. It's been awhile since we've seen one another.
I agree with you regarding my own protagonists and sleuths. I've never owned a company like Lydia Krause, but there's a bit of me in all my characters. The number of felines that appear in my books reflects my love of cats.
But they can be male or female, tall or short, any race/religion, etc. The characters are determined by the stories I'm telling. But the essence of the characters is from me. To me, that's what represents the author's "voice".
There are parts of me in some of the characters, but I can say they aren't me.
Interesting subject, Marilyn! Thanks.
Marja McGraw