This week, the question is:
What would be the ideal holiday present for your main character (or favorite character)?
This is actually a pretty loaded question, because of the world my girl Campbell is living in. Goods are limited pretty strictly, so either she would want something totally frivolous and consumable (gifts of things like candy bars and fresh flowers are pretty rare and noteworthy) or something she could share with her family.
But really, if she could have one wish, she would wish for her best friend to return the feelings she's starting to be aware of...or at least to understand those feelings a little better. (I have a friend from college who insists on fast-forwarding through the "conflicty parts" of romantic comedies because they're so painful--and I confess I read the painful parts of books more quickly, so I don't know how I will push myself to complicate this relationship as much as I need to--but what must be, shall be.)
But that's what keep us reading! The conflicty parts! If they ended up together in the first half of the book, then why keep reading?
ReplyDeleteMake them suffer! LOL
I know! Poor kids, though. I am really grateful to my students for helping me remember that at that age, EVERYTHING feels like THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, especially friendship/romantic issues. And of course, these two will have more than the usual amount of conflict to deal with (that's why they are at the center of my book, after all).
ReplyDeleteI love your MC! And agreed with Julianna - the conflict keeps me hanging on.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alison! I think there's a weird sort of sadism in being a writer--I care about my characters, but I'm also pretty excited about telling their story, which means that I have to drag them through a world of hurt. This is a strange new adventure for me--I'm hoping I have it in me.
ReplyDeleteSee, I re-read the painful scenes over and over in books. And I love writing them too. My favorite scene in my WIP is when my MC breaks her love interest's nose with a rock.
ReplyDelete