Discovering characters for your book happens in many different ways for a writer. Often, these ways will end up surprising you.
Below, you will meet two of the characters in my middle grade historical novel that found me.
Lily is pictured to the right, a female Asian elephant, favored by circuses because of their docile nature and the fact that female Asians do not grow tusks.
I first saw this elephant at one of the several circuses I attended while doing research for my book. What set her apart from the other elephants was her tattered ear and heavily speckled pink trunk.
I knew at once that she was "my" Lily, and that that ear and those pink speckles belonged in my book.
I knew, too, that her photo belonged on my desk, where it has sat for years, while I wrote the book, revised the book, and now did a total rewrite of the book.
Lily's picture kept me going, looking at me, calmly telling me to take heart and keep the faith. I would, Lily assured me, finally find the right way to tell her story.
Chickens, however, had never entered my mind when I began writing Lily's story.
Then I went to Kentucky, to visit my friend, Regina Abney's hometown, and Fayree, pictured below Lily, entered my life.
Regina's family welcomed my husband and me with what I can only think is the "southern hospitality" that region is famous for. They invited us into their homes, fed us wonderful home-cooked meals each day and took us sightseeing.
One night, as the family gathered with us after dinner, they gave me Fayree.
Regina's brother, Ronnie Bennett, is a great storyteller. One of the stories involved his grandfather, Lasley Fayree Bennett, and the chickens he trained to ride on his shoulder.
I was immediately enchanted with the story, wanted it for my book, and named my chicken, Fayree, after Mr. Bennett.
And so a character was born.