The Next Chapter - Painted Pony

The Painted Pony, Chapter Five

Jamie sat in her office feeling like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. What was Courtney involved in that made her so hateful?  It was hard to imagine the poverty and disruption on the reservation since she had last visited. When her father was alive none of this was going on, now…

Her thoughts were interrupted by a customer entering the store. Herbal tonics and information seemed to be much in demand today. Maybe it wasn’t just her world that was in serious need of intervention, of fixing. The interaction with customers allowed her mind to be consumed with their problems instead of her own. It was lunch time before she realized it. 

If she hoped to have her friend take over the business for the next month so she could go back to the reservation and try to help correct what was happening, she needed to do that today.   Donna had expressed an interest in doing just that for some time now, it would be a good opportunity for her to really get involved and decide if she wanted to open her own store as part of Jamie’s chain. The other managers could handle what they had for a month. They had already proven that to Jamie’s satisfaction.

Donna greeted her with a cheerful hug and hello. “So you need to go home for a while.”

“Actually, I call this home. But I do need to go back to Ignacio to take care of some business. I hope I will be back by Christmas.”

“Wow, that’s over a month. Are you sure?”

“I’m sure if you want to take over the store for me for that long.  It will give you some real experience and help you decide if you want to buy into a franchise with me or not.”

“That it surely would. I am convinced, I already want to. But I’d love the chance to prove I can do it to myself and you.” Donna smiled a kind of faraway glaze came into her eyes.

“Why do I feel like a but, is coming here?”

Donna turned toward her and didn’t answer right away. Her pearl gray eyes seemed even more far away as if she was reading through Jamie. 

“What, what is it?”  Jamie felt a cold sweat start in the palms of her hands. Donna had a tendency to be clairvoyant and while it was part of their attraction to each other it sometimes made Jamie very nervous. What was her friend seeing now that Jamie had failed to see about this whole situation. 

Enjoy - until  next time, I hope it won't be so long.  Mean time think about Donna - how does she fit into this mix, does she see something that Jamie doesn't -- is it possible there is more to the whole than it's collective parts so far? 

Billie

Character Sketch for Jamie Dakota

Watch For The Raven

I found Jamie's last name as I was doing her character sketch so she is now officially Jamie Dakota - here is her character sketch so far.
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Character Sketch for Jamie Dakota

Cancer: Mother or child. I Feel;  June 24 is her Birthday

Sign of home and family; Water Sign (ruled by the moon)

Color: Silver

Famous People Born under this sign: Princess Diana, Helen Keller, Rembrandt, Bill Cosby and Tom Hanks

Strengths: sensitive, protective, nurturing, psychic, self-protective, maternal, intuitive, deeply feeling, attuned to the unconscious, soft hearted, Comforting, receptive, empathetic, consoling, responsive, family oriented, rooted, shrewd, appreciative of the past, cautious thinking. Thrifty.

Weaknesses: Possessive, smothering, pampering, suffocating, hypersensitive, overly emotional, easily hurt, cry baby, overly-impressionable, childish, touchy, selfish, pathetic, martyr

Like, indulgent, secretive, withdrawn, clinging, helpless, and passive.

Birch Tree: (The Inspiration) vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate full of imagination, little ambition creates a calm and content atmosphere.

June People: Think for with vision, easily influenced by kindness, polite, soft spoken, having lots of ideas, sensitive, active, active mind, hesitating, tends to delay, choosey, and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous; 

Loves to joke, good debating skills Talkative, daydreamers, Friendly, knows how to make friends. Abiding, able to show characters Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy, seldom shows emotions takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious Executive, Stubborn.

NOTE: This is a thought I had as I ran across her weakness for colds. JAMIE SEES Doctor he’s a holistic medical doctor; working at a clinic he is impatient with delay... Dr. interested in culture and lore of American Indians he is from the country of India.

My take on Jamie is she fits the character mold for a Plucky Lass 

Everyone loves her, she makes friends easily .

Loyal, but not in a plodding way. She’s adventurous and spirited with loads of talent and wit. She’s a hard worker, but not because she needs to win, she’s more interested in doing a great job just because she wants to. You won’t find her climbing the corporate ladder, more likely she’ll own that charming little gift shop on the corner or she’ll find an independent niche as a journalist or caterer. Whatever she does it will likely involve creativity and a lot of interaction with people because that’s what she does well. 

There we have a great start for Jamie but I will still do an interview with her. I will, however, do a character sketch for the antagonist before I do.  I will have a couple links for great places to find character charts on line for you later. 

Write like the wind.

Billie

The Painted Pony Character Development

As The Painted Pony continues, I posted a poll to gather input from readers as to which plot scenario they thought had the most potential. It always amazes me to see the various comments and thoughts about the list of choices. In this case it seems the field was reduced pretty much to one choice with some suggestions on how to keep the topic from being a rerun of a zillion others. 

Now, after the second chapter is completed I see I need to build a character sketch of the protagonist. Some of the things I need to know (and I may need to do a character interview to find these out, but…for now) Why did Jamie leave Colorado? She talks about her father – we know he is Native American… How did we find that out?  Jamie didn't come right out and tell us did she?  Telling instead of showing is a no, no.  What about her mother? 

I also need to figure out who will be the villain – what is his/her goal – what motivates him/her?

What other characters might I need (I can always add characters as needed, but it's a good idea to get some with a goal already in the story – i.e., a confidant, a romantic interest, etc.)

A major question at this point is what is Jamie's Goal (and who is she…what is her last name?  Was she married? What about her mother why hasn't she mentioned her? Or does she need to? It seems her roots are in Colorado – why?) So many questions so few answers – do you feel overwhelmed? Well, we can break this down into manageable steps.

My solution is to begin developing your characters they will tell you what you need to know – to get your story off the ground and moving forward.  Characters in Search of an Author ( Filbert Publishing 2007) available at Amazon.com  (or wherever you buy your books) ISBN 978-1-932794-15-1 is filled with forms, and formats to help the writer develop living, breathing characters. My favorite way to start a character sketch is to use the Zodiac signs, find a sign that has the characteristics that this plot as I know it so far needs. Then I go through his/her strengths and weaknesses and shared characteristics of people in that birth month, lastly I consult a chart that designates what tree the birth date of the character I am developing means. (this is a really fun thing to do – even for yourself to find out just how accurate this can be.)  An example of a character sketch follows.

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This is the protagonist for the book Antique Armor (Wings ePress, Inc. September 2010)

Luisa Terza June Fabrizio (3^rd born) Nick name June

May 13 I Have (Earth)

Colors Greens and Browns

Calm practical, takes time making decisions. May resent new ideas. Prefers familiar.

People: Florence Nightingale, Wm Shakespeare, Stevie Wonder, Cher

STRENGTHS: practical, respectful of tradition, resourceful, productive, patient, persistent, steady, earthy, sensual, loyal, devoted, has self-esteem, values self, managerial, trust worthy, strong-willed, “down home” , warm

WEAKNESS: possessive, jealous, overly attached, lazy, inert, materialistic, values only physical material satisfactions, money grubbing, unoriginal, greed, unspiritual, stubborn, slow, plodding, craves security, self-indulgent, ultra conservative, unchanging, dull, boring, bull headed, obstinate

POPLAR TREE (The Uncertainty) Looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous, if necessary, needs good will and pleasant surroundings, very choosey, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean towards philosophy, reliable, in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

MAY PEOPLE: Stubborn, and hard-hearted, strong willed and highly motivated, sharp thoughts, easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention, deep feelings beautiful physically and mentally, firm standpoint. Needs no motivation, easily consoled, systematic (left brain) loves to dream.

Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical, weak breathing, loves literature, and the arts, loves traveling. Dislikes being at home. Restless.

Hard working, high spirited spendthrift. The intellectual, analytic, bright, well-informed, usually has the answer before most men do, they tend to find her intimidating. Can be rigid about her opinions, (Librarian, accountant, and chemist)

Honest sincere, intellectual and rather retiring, sometimes moody, kind and lovable most of the time. You like traveling for educational value make most of opportunities to better self.

BACKGROUND: raised by strict but loving parents, middle child of five – 2 older sisters, 2 younger brothers. Learned to be a loner, take care of herself. (Aunt Rosa stepped in and rescued her)

Father worked hard, loved hard and died young. He drank hard and had a hair trigger temper. Volatile home-life. 

Belinda, oldest sister, was devious and cruel. Used siblings, lied, cheated, made life hell for Mae.

Mother stay at home mome died in child birth, step mother tyrant hated children.

Older sisters Belinda & Jade

Younger brothers Derek and Tony

HOME TOWN—small towns, moved a lot from apartment to small houses, always crowded but felt adequate

COLLEGE , interior design, communication

Wanted to be a dancer, actress

Lost virginity when/how? Saved herself for marriage

Past trauma/formative events – death of her husband.

Keepsake from past/what it represents. Locket – her father’s had given it to her mother something he brought back from WWII – kept him near.

TALENTS & SKILLS

Spelunking and rock climbing.

Obvious skill organized artistic/creative. Hates doing, waiting, for anything needs to be doing/busy.

Hidden skill – clairvoyant

Obvious weakness =- obstinate

Hidden weakness – jealous no spontaneity

Talent creative, loves organizing, auctions and estate sales.

Now that I have all this information I need to find an opposition, an antagonist that is worthy of her. Again I'll use the Zodiac charts to find this "other" person – As I recall the above character sketch did not remain the same as initially drafted.  For one I changed her name {smile} But  a character is malleable—you need to suit your story and though I wouldn't carelessly change a character after the book is started there is occasion when it is the right thing to do.