Thursday, June 9, 2011

My Favorite Character or Yours?





Good Morning. Pull out a blanket, pack a picnic, grab your current novel and enjoy the sun. As a Steampunk writer I have become very familiar with certain characters, even the average modern person know, for instance Queen Victoria, Tesla, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and of course Sherlock Holmes.


I'm sure you're wondering which character is my favorite. My favorite to read has always been, and probably always will be, Count Dracula. In all the different aspects he's been in, but my favorite is Bram Stoker's version because of the love story between Dracula and Mina. As a writer, I have written hundreds of characters, but it is the hero of my current novel that is my absolute favorite so far.


Dante has spent his life battling the power corrupted creatures of the world with his trusted Amber Phoenix Daggers. He is handsome, ancient, and not afraid to sacrifice himself for the good of the human population. I'm sure that by now you're wondering why I put "ancient" in his description, right? Well, Dante is a being, an Ettari, from an ancient race of creatures, similar to vampires but with important differences. Yes, he still drinks blood when he needs to, but no he's not allergic to sunlight. Anymore. Oh, did I mention he's a brilliant inventor? Dante has created a horseless carriage among many other really neat inventions.


Dante came to me out of a dream, of a brilliant minded man who was creative but knew how to use a weapon when needed. He stuck around poking at me every time I saw something that resonated with him, until I could do no other than write his story. I hope in the near future you'll be able to join me in his world and fall in love with him as much as I have.



Who is your favorite character and why?

8 comments:

Judith Ashley said...

Hi Mae,
Interesting post. I'm learning so much about Steampunk from you.

I don't know that I can name one favorite character. Actually I know I can't...there are just too many of them that I like just as there are too many authors to name just one favorite.

Even with my own writing, I've seven heroines and seven heroes. It feels 'wrong' to have a favorite among them. I can say that I'm most involved with whichever story I'm currently working on ...

Judith

Tam Linsey said...

Thank you for introducing us to Dante. He sounds interesting!

maepen said...

I know what you mean Judith. It is hard to choose, and yes I think as a writer you have to love the characters you're working with at the time, but I think Dante will always have a warm spot in my heart.
Thank you Tam. What about you? Whose your favorite character?

Sarah Raplee said...

I enjoyed your post, Mae. Dracula is a fascinating character, as is Dante, your WIP hero. :)

I commented about my WIP h/h on BA's blog, so I'll talk about my YA Steampunk heroine, Sojie. I'm still getting to know her, but I already love her.

Sojie's a creative crusader who is smart, loyal, and rebellious. After all, she's coming of age in the (alternate history) Victorian Age,the only artist in a family and a society that values science above all else.

I love her integrity, her independence, her well-deserved teenaged angst (her mother is a mad scientist), and her determination to find her missing father and brother.

maepen said...

Sounds like Soji has a lot on her plate at such a young age. I'm interested in getting to know Soji when she joins our world. I especially love the clshing of an artist person in a scientific world. Great imagery there!

Tam Linsey said...

There is no way I can choose just one, Mae :) One of the earliest characters who influenced my writing was the Vampire Lestat. Most recently, I am drawn to the character of Katniss in The Hunger Games.
I love complex characters, with serious flaws who somehow the writer makes me love, anyway.

Vonnie Alto said...

Count Dracula... Just the name conjures up the ultimate in a vampire. Fortunately, we live in an era in which Dracula and Mina stories abound. However, your Dante sounds like an incredible hero. I can't wait to read your book.

Actually, Bram Stoker's Dracula has been on my to-be read list this year. What a coincidence! I also plan on reading other Dracula tales: "Mina" by Marie Karally, "Dracula, My Love" by Syrie James, and "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova. Have you read those?

However, my favorite character is the Scarlet Pimpernell. An aristocrat who disguises himself as a fop or fashionable fribble while risking his life to save others from the guillotine. He's dashing. Daring. An action adventurer. Oozing in intelligence. A spy. And romantic. I adore this story character! In movies and books, there is none other like him. He's my hero! Now if I could only meet him that would be thrilling!

maepen said...

Hi Vonnie, I haven't read "Mina" ot "The Historian" but I have read "Dracula, My Love". It was a good read. I agree with the intelligent and yet daring hero. If only we could bottle that huh?