Characters

One question I get a lot is about my characters—is your story about you? Are the characters people you know?

It’s really not a one-word answer (except for my husband: NO, the football-watching character is not you).

In my first book, Afterward, the story and the characters are all completely fictional. That said, my writing is about the human experience, so yes, in a way, the characters are about me and people I know, Or at least, people I’ve met, or seen, or whatever. If a character is funny, I give them qualities and dialog I find funny. If a character is a jackass, I give them qualities I find annoying.

I’m not using my writing to exact revenge on people who displease me (not yet, anyway). But yeah, if something you did or said is still floating around in my consciousness as a standout moment, you may be at the root of that scene or that line. Congratulations, you are now immortalized.