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.
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:
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: 3500-5000Genre: Middle Grade Historical – Adventure/FantasyTheme: VoyagersSubmissions accepted: May 1 - September 4, 2019How 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.
