Beautiful People: Gael and Morella Whalen {April 2015}

Greetings, fellow blog people! I wanted to post this yesterday - it was National Siblings Day, after all - but I was so busy I didn't have time. To be honest, I was super excited when I found out that this month's Beautiful People linkup (hosted by the lovely Sky @ Further Up & Further In and the awesome Cait @ Paper Fury) would be about siblings. I adore my brother and sisters, so it's always fun to write about fictional siblings. (Come to think of it, I literally can't name a single novel I've written where a character didn't have siblings. o_O)

I thought about using Elroy and Donovan Plemmons this month, but I had already talked about them in a recent post, so I decided against it. Instead, I suppose we'll talk about Gael and Morella Whalen, from that novel I'm always working on. >.> Their whole plot is really spoiler-y (Gael is really spoiler-y), but I love them and, besides, Elroy and Donovan hog the spotlight all the time. I wanted to find an image for Gael and Morella, but they are no doubt the hardest characters to find faces for. No one is as cute as Morella or as angry as Gael (except for Kim Myungsoo, but his eyes are brown, not blue <3). Ah, what the heck? There has to be a picture of Myungsoo and a little girl somewhere . . .

"Where did Mommy and Daddy go?"

     For a long moment, Gael stared at her in silence. The question - so direct, yet filled with so much confusion - had caught him off guard. In the months that had passed since their parents left, Gael had received this question countless times. He knew Morella deserved an answer, he knew she deserved the truth, but he knew better than anyone that the truth, once discovered, wasn't at all freeing, but instead a prison that kept one tied to the bitter reality brought out by secrets. He couldn't - no, wouldn't - do that to Morella. He refused.
     "I've told you before," he explained, his voice soft so he wouldn't upset her. "They're away, taking care of people."
     "What kind of people?"
     "Family."
     Morella paused, pondering this. "But . . . We're family, too. Why don't they take care of us?"
     It was an innocent question, asked by an innocent girl. It was a question worthy of a response, but, for this, Gael had no answer. He sighed, leaning forward to plant a kiss on the top of her head. "I don't know, Morella." He pulled the blankets up to her chin and offered the smallest of smiles. "Just get some sleep. Sweet dreams." He stood, starting toward the doorway after blowing out the candle next to her bed.
     "Bruhder?"
     He stopped at the doorway, forcing his gaze to meet hers. "What is it?"
     She blinked at him, blue eyes wide. "Mommy and Daddy were like the dragon, right?"
     "What dragon?"
     "From your story. They're not here." Her smile returned and she beamed at him. "But that's okay, Bruhder! We still have each other."
     Another sharp pain stabbed through his heart, but he forced it away. "Oh, really? And who were we, in the story?"
     "I was the princess!" She grinned and he noticed the gap between her two front teeth. "And you were my smile! We made other people happy and, even when things were tough, you never left me like the dragon did! Right?"
     This hit him like yet another punch in the gut and he hoped she couldn't see the tears that sprang into his eyes. He tried to blink them away, but one escaped and rolled down his cheek just to spite him, to remind him that he should have been wiser, he should have been a better brother to Morella than he was. "Right," he spoke, but his voice caught and his next words came out in only a whisper, "I'm sorry."
     If she heard him, or even noticed anything was wrong, she didn't let on. Instead, she offered him a wide grin. "Good night, Bruhder! I love you!"
     Wiping another stray tear away, he smiled softly at her. "I love you more."

~ * ~ * ~

1. What is the first memory they have of each other?

Gael's first memory of Morella was just after she'd been born. He was only twelve at the time, terrified of holding children, but when his mother finally convinced him to take her, it was a perfect fit. He fell in love with her immediately, already giving in to her adorable charms.

Morella's first memory of Gael, on the other hand, was several years later, when she was three and he was fifteen. Their parents were out of town one night and she woke up in the midst of a thunderstorm. She was terrified and raced into Gael's room. He let her climb onto his bed and he sang soft lullabies until her tears subsided and she fell asleep.

2. Describe their relationship in 3 words?

Close, protective, complicated.


3. What kind of things do they like to do together?

In spite of their age difference and responsibilities, they try to spend a great deal of time together. Most often, Morella convinces Gael to play dolls with her on a pretty regular basis. She enjoys this, because Gael made the dolls for her when they couldn't afford to purchase any. She also enjoys doing his hair (and her own).

Aside from that, Gael likes taking her to visit the dragons. As a dragon caretaker, he finds it important that he teaches Morella some of what he knows. They both enjoy caring for the dragons and going on adventures together (which really means that Morella pretends they're in the sky while Gael works).

4. What was their biggest fight?

Their biggest fight was shortly after their parents left. Morella missed them terribly and felt ignored by her older brother, who was stressed and working day and night to provide for himself and Morella. There was a lot of screaming involved in their fight, Morella was crying, and the conversation ended with Gael telling her that their parents didn't love them. Morella then called Gael a liar and said she hated him before running to her room. It was then when he decided not to tell her the truth about what had happened with their parents, for he never again wanted to hurt her the way he had that night.

5. How far would they go to save each other?

Throughout the entire novel, Gael shows his willingness to sacrifice many things - including his life - to save his sister. Morella is what drives him, what keeps him working so hard to make a better life for them. She is most important to him and he would go to any length to keep her safe.

Morella, only five years old in the story, doesn't know much about sacrifice at all. She loves her brother more than anyone, and she would stand up for him in a heartbeat, but she is still only a child, afraid of danger and trouble. She would do many things to save Gael, but she wouldn't go as far as he would for her.

6. What are their pet peeves about each other?

Most often, Gael finds himself annoyed by the fact that Morella refuses to listen to him. She has a tendency to wander off without telling him, or to open the door for strangers. Perhaps it is because adventure runs in their blood, but Morella is intent on inserting herself into dangerous situations and going on perilous adventures. This annoys and worries Gael to no end. Aside from that, he utterly despises being told he is just like their parents.


Morella finds herself most annoyed by Gael's busy schedule. She longs to spend every waking moment with her brother, but that isn't at all possible with his work schedule. And, on the rare occasions when he does have a moment to spare, he's too tired to spend hours upon hours playing dolls with her. Even worse, she cannot stand how bossy he is. She's a big girl now - she can open doors and wander off whenever she wants to.

7. What are their favorite things about each other?

Gael knows there would be a neverending list of things he loves about Morella, but, if he had to pick only a few, he would say, first, he adores her forgiving heart. Being one to hold grudges, Gael finds it both beautiful and refreshing to watch Morella forgive so effortlessly. He admires her heart and love for other people. Second would be tenacity. No matter what she is attempting, Morella refuses to quit until she has accomplished something.


Morella's favorite things about Gael are both his bravery and his love for her. She admires his strength in the midst of tough situations. She hopes she will grow up and become as brave and strong as he is. She also loves his love for her and his want to help those in need.

8. What traits do they share? Mannerisms, clothing, quirks, looks, etc?

They both have dark brown, almost black hair, and midnight blue eyes, for starters. Aside from physical appearances, however, they share the same stubborn nature. Once their minds have been made up, that's it - there will be no convincing them otherwise. And, although Gael would argue, they both have big hearts. A lot of their mannerisms are similar as well, but mainly because Morella enjoys mimicking her brother.

9. Who has the strongest personality?

That's a tough one - both Whalens can be quite the handful when they want to be. However, Morella's personality is probably the strongest. Although Gael's anger is what drives his personality, Morella is much more outspoken and energetic, in contrast to her cold and anti-social brother. During a tantrum, she can become your worst nightmare and, when in a good mood, she is the kindest, most outgoing person around. She's always intent on getting what she wants, though, and she's not afraid to let anyone know it.

10. How does their relationship change throughout your story?

When the novel begins, the siblings are close and Gael's love for his sister is evident in everything he does. As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Gael is literally willing to go to any length to protect his sister. It isn't until the end, however, that Morella makes her love for her brother known as well and it is then when Gael realizes just how close they are. Even through all of the crap I put them through in that book, their relationship was much stronger in the end than it was in the beginning, as Morella realized the extent of Gael's love for her and vice versa.

So, that's it! Beautiful People is just so much fun! ^___^ I learn so much about my charries this way. Let me know what you think! :D

What about you guys? Do you have any siblings in real life? What about in your books? Do you prefer writing about only children or big families? Let me know! I'd love to hear about them! ^_^

Meet the Characters: Elroy and Donovan Plemmons

Well, as mentioned a couple posts ago (did I ever mention it?), the plan is to better introduce both my novel and my characters on this blog. Since I'll be busy obsessing over this book, anyway, why not share it with you all? I plan to post excerpts and snippets, character introductions, Beautiful People posts, etc - whatever it takes to get this blog up and running again. Besides, I miss writing dearly and it has been nice being reunited with it. ^___^

If you've been reading my blog, you probably remember meeting dear Elroy Plemmons back in November of 2013, when I first decided to make my characters write journal entries. Yes, he is still oh-so-cocky and the daredevil he's always been, but, when I started the sequel to Pro Deo et Patria, he took an unexpected turn: He became more like his brother. Whether that was Donovan leaking out into my writing or the aftermath of all Elroy went through in the first book, I have no idea, but it intrigued me and, upon returning to writing, the first thing I read was an exchange between the twins. It was one scene, their introduction, that pulled me back into writing. And it is that very scene that I will share with you today.

Of all the characters I've written in my lifetime, these two definitely have a special place in my heart. Maybe it's the way Elroy feels like he's older than Donovan, like a few minutes can make a difference. Or maybe it's the way Donovan gets so angry when Elroy messes up. Whatever it is, I love these characters and I hope you will, too.

This is Elroy (top) and Donovan (bottom).

Their skin is supposed to be darker, but . . .

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find boys with fiery red hair?

~ * ~ * ~

The room was getting smaller, walls were closing in, the air was becoming thicker and harder to breathe. Sweat dripped from his forehead and, as even the smallest of noises rang through the night air, he could feel his stomach tighten, his heart begin to pound. The world felt as though it were spinning faster than ever before and he was begging it to stop.
     Daytime wasn't so bad - the light, the people, the voices to distract him from reality. Anyone could slap on a fake smile for a few hours. They all did, he'd noticed. Not that he was any better. They were pretenders, but he was the fakest of them all. He plastered grins onto his face, told lies even he didn't believe, but they played along, for who really wanted to know how he, or anyone, was doing these days?
     Nightfall would always come, though. The frauds would go home, his mother would retire to her room for the night, and he would be alone once again. He'd tried to convince himself that he was okay, but he knew he was a terrible liar. He knew the shadows would bring to light the things he'd tried so hard to keep hidden. He could run from a lot of things, but he was for certain he could not run from the past, from the memories, from himself.
     Even sleep couldn't block it all out. It haunted him, turning dreams into nightmares and nights of peace into insomnia he couldn't escape. There was no cure for this, whatever it was. The only conclusion he could come to was that he was losing his mind and no one would ever know.
     Leaning against the door of his wardrobe, he placed his hands over his ears, attempting to block out any sound, for even the most minuscule of noises reminded him of that terrible night six years ago, the night everything changed. He couldn't breathe now, no matter how many lungfuls of air he attempted to inhale. He wanted to scream, but the silence had trapped him once more. He lowered himself to the floor, squeezing his eyes shut, praying morning would come soon. At least the Donovan Plemmons who pretended to be all right was halfway okay; whoever this was would never be.
     He was almost positive he couldn't take another second of this torment, another moment of restlessness, when, without warning, the window across the room swung open and a figure climbed inside, dropping a bag to the floor. "Donovan?"
     He knew who it was immediately. If the obnoxiously loud whisper didn't give it away, the fiery red hair did, but Donovan didn't respond. This person didn't deserve a response.
     Clenching his teeth, the teenager tried to calm his pounding heart, tried to pull himself together, but there was no use. He'd already been spotted.
     "Donny?"
     Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around his small body and he could feel a head on top of his. His brother had never done this before. It was unlike Elroy Plemmons to comfort anyone, let alone Donovan. But they were twins; one could feel what the other was feeling. At least, that's what their mother had always told them.
     "Ssh. It's okay, Donny. You're okay. We're okay."
     Donovan tried to shove him away - after all, he'd gone six years without comfort, why should he need any now? - but Elroy refused to let go.
     "You left us," Donovan whispered. Tears of anger were flowing from his eyes as he clenched his teeth, still struggling against his brother. "You've been gone for months. What were you thinking, you idiot?"
     "I was trying to help."
     "By doing what? Leaving me all alone with Mama? You have lost your mind if you think she can survive without you here. She's running all of our customers away and spending every waking moment searching for you! She thought you'd been killed!"
     Elroy felt a pang of guilt surge through him, but he ignored it. Donovan was the favorite son. It had always been that way. He never got into trouble, never disobeyed their mother, never messed up, and he would never abandon his family when they needed him most. Elroy, on the other hand, embraced his own mistakes and took pride in the things he did wrong. He didn't want to end up like his brother, stressed and anxious - that wasn't a way to live.
     "Well . . . I wasn't killed." He offered a sheepish grin, but Donovan finally escaped his grasp and smacked him on the head. "I'm sorry, okay? I know it was selfish of me to leave. I was trying to find work elsewhere, earn some extra money to help you and Mama. Hanoria is a poor village, we'll never make it here."
     Donovan rolled his eyes, thankful anger could distract him from this terrible night. "You know better than anyone why we're forced to stay here. We cannot start over anywhere else. We had one chance and this was it. We can't leave Hanoria."
     "Why not?" the elder of the twins snapped. "Because you and Mama are too afraid of what might happen? Because you seriously believe the lies they fed us about the war? It's been six years! Every kingdom left believes there were no survivors and, even if they found out we made it, what could they do to us now, after all this time?"
     Donovan sighed. "Don't you get it? We are the only ones left. Everyone else was executed. If they find out we're still alive, they'll eliminate us immediately."
     The war that had destroyed their home country, Rondonia, had been a short one. They had been fighting against Spirulous, a mighty nation, one filled with powerful people, whose only goal had been to take more land for themselves. It had ended in the destruction of Rondonia and all of its people, except three, who'd escaped to Dalithorne before their lives, too, could be taken. With their tan skin and dark red hair, they could be spotted for miles. They would have been located long before now if it weren't for the fact they'd taken refuge in this place, a kingdom whose ruler was kind, building up a gentle nation, who accepted all with open arms.
     "I don't get what you're so afraid of," Elroy snapped. "We should be proud of who we are. We shouldn't have to hide from it."
     "We don't have much of a choice, Elroy. Hanoria is the safest place for us now. No one would ever think to search here."
     "They're not trying to find us. It's been too long." He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I know you and Mama think I'm crazy, but I don't want to be stuck here forever. Why can't you two just take chances every once in a while, let life happen, stand up for who you are?"
     "Because Papa took a chance and he is no longer here." Donovan turned away from his brother, not wanting to see the pain he knew he'd just caused. "I'm sorry, but . . . We can't afford to take chances anymore."
     Elroy knew he and his brother would never see eye to eye on this matter. Because of their father, he would always want to take chances, he'd want to enjoy life and see his family move past what had happened long ago. But, because of the same man, Donovan would always be afraid; he would fear the unknown, keep himself from starting a new life and forgetting what happened in Rondonia.
     They were twins, but Elroy couldn't for the life of him figure out how they'd ended up so different.
     "It's okay to be scared," he said, giving his brother a hard pat on the shoulder, "but it's never okay to live in that fear." He stood up, ruffling Donovan's hair. "I'm leaving the money I made on the table. If you can't sleep, I'll be in the kitchen. It's been a while since I've eaten. Try not to wake Mama, okay? I'll see her in the morning."
     He had only just reached the door when he heard his brother's soft voice behind him, "Hey, Elroy?"
     "Yep?"
     There was a long pause. "I'm glad you're back."
     "Me too, Donny." He reached for the doorknob.
     "Oh, and Elroy?"
     "Yes?"
     "You're still a jerk for leaving us. Don't do it again."
     He smiled in spite of himself. "I don't plan on it."

~ * ~ * ~

So that's Elroy and Donovan! I want to go more into detail about their past and what happens to them in the second book, but it's all too spoiler-y for now, so I suppose you'll have to wait. During the first half of the first draft, the twins were merely background characters, of sorts. They were part of the main cast, but it wasn't until the middle of the book when I began delving into who they truly were and what had happened to make Donovan so afraid. It started with a few paragraphs, then a few more, and then I added a section to the book and I found myself in love with the two of them. Elroy even decided to hog the majority of the sequel I started in November. Apparently he wanted to be the main character (still trying to talk him out of that one).

Although it is rather ironic, Donovan has been the more difficult of the two to write. Of course, he cooperated nicely in the excerpt above, but that's about as far as it went. While Elroy insisted I dive into his story head first, Donovan was harder to reach and still is. Some characters are just like that, I guess - too afraid of the spotlight. Let's just hope he'll come out of that shell sometime soon.

 So, now let's hear your opinion! Are your characters difficult to write, hard to get along with? Do they think the sun rises and sets for them everyday, or do they shy away from attention? Let me know! I love hearing about the adventures of other writers! ^_^

If you liked the twins, keep an eye out for them in upcoming Beautiful People linkups! I figured they deserve a little more attention than they've been getting. ;) Thanks for reading!

Beautiful People: La La La Love {February 2015}

What is this? Another post, and so soon after the last one! This is definitely a rarity. Anyway, I've never participated in Sky and Cait's "Beautiful People" linkup for writers, but I have a couple friends who do! So, I figured, if I wanted to get back to writing, what better way to do this than by participating in such an awesome linkup? Much to my surprise, and dismay, this month's theme was the Valentine's Day edition. I'm not anti-Valentine's Day or anything, but . . . Let's just say my characters aren't doing so hot in the love department right now. They're too into things like independence, or betrayal, or saving their kingdom. They don't have time for romance. >.>

Things weren't always this way. In fact, when I started my current medieval fantasy novel, Pro Deo et Patria, I planned to unite three couples. But, as usual, they had other ideas (apparently Rylan is incapable of loving anyone and Neala's plot is too spoiler-y for love). The novel is about six boys from a poor village, who are bribed by a princess in disguise to head across the kingdoms in search of their missing king. The books tells of their mishaps and adventures on this journey, their rise and fall as they attempt to stop a coming war. It's quite possibly the most exciting thing I've ever written! ^_^ Now, you're about to meet one of the six boys and his dearest friend.

Please welcome Fiona Harren and Driscol Gallaugher.

"Why'd you come here?" Driscol questioned suddenly and Fiona could feel his dark eyes burning a hole right through her. She raised her eyebrows as though he were asking an unreasonable question.
     He shot her the same look. "The truth, Fiona."
     She sighed. "I was worried. Some strange guy showed up with six hundred gold pieces to hand out and you all went without asking any questions." She elbowed him, offering a half smile. "I couldn't let you fall for it without investigating first."
     He could tell she was lying. She was clueless if she thought he couldn't, after all this time. This had less to do with his safety and more to do with Rylan Laury. He was trying hard not to be envious and it wasn't easy. He just hoped his smile was more convincing than it felt.
     She must have noticed his expression, though, for she quickly added, "Besides, Morella was alone and my mother was too busy to watch after her all the time. She needs Gael."
     Driscol looked up, almost as though he were challenging her. "He's not her father."
     "I didn't say he was."
     "Then why did you bring her with you?"
     "I didn't. That was her decision."
     "She's a child."
     Her face scrunched up in utter disgust. "You're a child."
     "Am I?" he questioned, trying not to smirk.
     She snorted. "It's kind of obvious."
     "Obvious like it shows in my speech, or obvious like your lies?"

~ * ~ * ~

1. How long have they been a couple?

Truthfully, they've yet to become one, but we all knew it was coming...

2. How did they first meet?

They met when they were only seven years old. Driscol was a troublemaker, constantly getting into fights at school. Fiona, on the other hand, was a bossy tomboy and the only one brave enough to challenge him. She was determined to give him a piece of her mind, to let him know just what she thought of his violence, but his silence in response to her rant was both annoying and unnerving. She couldn't stand him, but he found himself rather intrigued by her nature and confidence. He followed her around like a shadow for weeks after the incident and she shouted at him to leave her alone on a daily basis until, finally, she invited him to come play at her house (only if he promised to leave her alone afterwards). He agreed, they hung out, and they've been friends ever since.

3. What were their first thoughts of each other? (Love at first sight or "you're freakishly annoying"?)

Hate at first sight comes closest to what they were thinking. Fiona was infuriated that this boy had the nerve to go around getting into needless fights and hurting other kids. She thought him mean and a bully.


Driscol's first thoughts about Fiona were not very pleasant, to say the least. He found her immensely irritating and bossy. However, the longer she talked, the more amused he became, surprised that such a small girl could be so determined.

4. What do they do that most annoys each other?

Even after ten years of friendship, Fiona still cannot stand Driscol's silence. She is the type of person who loves conversation and constant interaction, but she gets none of that with Driscol. She might as well talk to a brick wall - she'd get more of a response that way. She also finds his lack of words a little scary at times, for he refuses to tell her when something is wrong, or even if she has upset him. This silence drives her absolutely crazy and she is not afraid to let him know it.

Perhaps that is what annoys Driscol most. He can tolerate her constant chatter - he has even grown to enjoy it - and her frustrated outbursts, but it annoys him to no end that she feels the need to protect him, even if it means inserting herself into dangerous situations and interfering when she shouldn't. Not only that, but he is secretly underwhelmed by her girl talk. Due to the fact she has few friends outside of him, he has been on the receiving end of several conversations he wishes to forget. She has no brain-to-mouth filter and has come fairly close to driving him insane at times.

5. Are their personalities opposite or similar?

Opposite, most definitely. Their friendship would have never even formed had it not been for the fact they were both children when they met. See above for more details.


6. How would their lives be different without each other?

Oh, wow. Their lives would be drastically different... Driscol would still be fighting, for starters. He would have been more apt to believe what others said about him and, in turn, would have headed down a more self destructive path, so afraid of becoming his father that, given time, he would.


Although her path would have been a less dangerous one, Fiona would have often allowed her frustration to get the better of her and this would damage a lot of relationships in her life. She would definitely have less patience for others and she would certainly be more bitter and angry.

7. Are they ever embarrassed of each other?

Are you kidding? Embarrassment is an everyday occurrence with these two. Most often, it is Fiona who embarrasses Driscol (her personality alone can accomplish this), but there have been rare occasions when Driscol would embarrass Fiona just to watch her blush.

8. Does anyone disapprove of their relationship?

Her father, Ouran. It goes much deeper than the average, "No man will be good enough for my daughter" feeling that most dads express. No, Ouran truly despises Driscol for a deeper reason, one no one knows yet, because of something that happened long ago. Her father's disapproval has yet to put a strain on the relationship, but it might when some secrets come out. >:)


9. Do they see their relationship as long term/leading to marriage?

As it stands no; they are only friends (even if he does make the occasional flirtatious remark). And, although they will be old enough to marry in only one, short year, that is the last thing on their minds. They're kinda busy, you know, rescuing a kingdom from complete destruction.


10. If they could plan the "perfect outing" together, where would they go?

Hmm. That's a tough question . . . I wanted to go with something sappy like "It doesn't matter where they go as long as they're together," but we all know that isn't the case. Perhaps they'd have a picnic near the ocean, enjoying one another's company and maybe even playing in the water. (Hah! It was sappy after all!)

Well, that concludes this post! I hope y'all enjoyed reading about my charries! I have way too much fun writing them! xD Let me know, do your characters ever fall in love, go against your will? Do you enjoy adding romance into what you write, or do you prefer not to? What did you think about Fiona and Driscol? Would you ship them? Why or why not?