#IWSG - Character Traits

Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. 

Thanks to this month's awesome hosts:  Erika Beebe, Natalie Aguirre,Jennifer Lane, MJ Fifield, Lisa Buie-Collard, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

This month's optional question is an easy one to answer.

What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

Insecurity. My female characters may look like they have it all together. They don’t. They worry about the future, their careers, their relationships, especially with their romantic interest. My own insecurities kick in over what I think of as silly things.

They are also mouthy. Sometimes, my mouth opens before I think about what I should/shouldn’t say. In the stories, the character immediately regrets her smart-aleck remark, and since it’s in her point of view, the reader understands. In real life, I should slap my hand over my mouth but am embarrassed to do so.

In the kickoff to my Outer Rim series, The Pilot, a straight-laced administrator has seized a cargo hauler’s starship. For Celara d’Enfaden, her ship is her home besides being her livelihood. At a bar with her friend, she’s emboldened to denounce Administrator Jovano.

“I ordered a Kruferian mudslide for you.” Kleema gestured with her own tall drink to another on the table.

“Thanks.” Celara let the cold, thick beverage slide down her throat. Its rich sweetness settled in her stomach, spreading tranquility outward. “Just what I needed.”

They chatted for a while, catching up on each other’s lives.

“Administrator Jovano is a good man.” Kleema’s pronouncement came out of nowhere. She must have been biding her time to bring up the Admin Man. “He is fair and just. In the three tendays since he arrived, we haven’t had nearly as many fights break out in the taverns. And the miners don’t hassle us townsfolk as much.”

“President of his fan club, are you, Kleema?” Celara lifted her drink. “Here’s a toast to that paragon Jovano.”

When Kleema had the good grace to blush and duck her head, Celara pushed her chair away from the table and climbed up on it. “Quiet down, you Rimmer scum.”

The patrons laughed then quieted.

She lifted her drink again. “A toast, Rimmers. Let’s hear it for the wonderful, fantabulous Administrator Jovano. May he live long enough to enjoy good health.”

To her surprise, silence met her toast. No one raised their glasses or mugs, even in jest. Everyone was looking at her, standing on the chair.

No, they were looking past her. Only thing behind her was the door. Kleema groaned and buried her head on her folded arms on the table. Booted footsteps rapped on the rough-hewn plank floor then stopped behind her.

“Thank you for the compliments and the good wishes for my longevity.” The baritone-and-chokiris voice sounded just over her shoulder.

If ever she needed a personal cloaking device, it was now. Or a magic ring with which to disappear. Sector Admin Trevarr Jovano stood behind her. Waiting. She swore she could feel him breathing.

Undaunted, she turned around. As the room tipped, she reached for the back of the chair. “Whoa, those mudslides sneak up on you.”

Missing the chair, she grabbed the closest thing—Trevarr Jovano’s black-clad shoulders. Beneath her fingers, the strong muscles contracted. “Hey there, Admin Man. Heard my toast, did you?” She grinned down at him.

He wasn’t smiling. “You should sit down before you fall down. Or better yet, go home and sleep it off.”

A dark fury swept away the sweet tranquility of two tall Kruferian mudslides. “I can’t go home, you snake. You stole my home.”

Celera’s lucky he doesn’t arrest her for mouthing off. And she doesn't quit. If you want to read more, The Pilot is available at: 

Amazon, Amazon UK, B&N, Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords

My characters are also a lot braver than I was in my twenties and thirties. They show me what I could be if those darn insecurities didn’t get in the way.

Have a great month.

In the meantime, check out the latest anthology contest.

Guidelines and rules: 
Word count: 3500-5000
Genre: Middle Grade Historical – Adventure/Fantasy
Theme: Voyagers
Submissions accepted: May 1 - September 4, 2019
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group. 

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

Have a great 4th of July if you're in the States. I hope my Canadian friends enjoyed Canada Day on the 1st.