Beautiful People: May

I've seen several of these, and thought, "hey, why not?" (actually, that's how a lot of my posts are materializing right now. Funny, that.)

Beautiful people is a tool for writers to essentially get to know their characters better. Each month ten new questions are posted at the links provided in the above picture. 

Anyone can join at any time, and you needn't feel obligated to do it every month.

I'm going to do Reiyna, a character from my camp NaNo project, "The Inventor's Daughter," a Beauty and the Beast retelling. (Pinterest board)

And, because I feel like it, I'll let her answer the questions herself.

1. How often do they smile? Would they smile at a stranger?

Well, since I run a coffee shop, I have to smile at my customers. It's an unwritten law of good service. 

Given the corrupt society of Jukuvar, it isn't safe to just smile at a stranger while on the street. In fact, it can be quite dangerous!

2. What is the cruelest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?

Well, let me think... 

(Author interjection) I haven't written this bit yet, so it's just a vague idea. 

Hey, wait a minute!

No, seriously, trust me. Gavin (the anti-hero, mostly just annoying and in the way at this point) has a pretty ugly argument with her. She tries to keep a straight face and not let her feelings show, but she gets pretty angry at him. But once he leaves, she cries and makes cookies. You may proceed.

Thanks.

3. What is the kindest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?

Ok, this one I can answer, right?

Of course, go right ahead.

Probably the time when I was having a hard day and my father (Benjamin. And no, before you ask, he was named before I found out that was Kylo Ren's real name), told me how much he appreciated my help and how smart I am. Of course I had the obvious reaction and hugged him. Then I made dinner.

4. What is one strong memory that has stuck with your character from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?

This isn't so much of a memory, more like a feeling. Kind of like there's a mother-shaped hole in my heart. She disappeared when I was very little. I don't even remember what she looked like. The only things I have to remember her by are a book that is in a different language, but has her name on the front page, and a rose carved out of a shell strung on a necklace that I never take off. Father knows what happened to her, but he says that he was sworn to secrecy. I've tried to find out as much as I can about her, but there is nothing. 

5. What book (a real actual published book!) do you think your character would benefit from reading?

Well, I'm not familiar with very many of these 'published books' you speak of. In fact, as Chloe has written me into a different world from her's, I don't know that any of our books are the same.

Ahem. Quick author interjection again, I am letting her have the Bible, in fact, all my stories will have them. Proceed.

Well, I was going to finish with "So, I'm going to ask Chloe what she would recommend."

Ah. Ok. Well, I've heard that there are some pretty good "Beauty and the Beast" retellings, you should definitely check them out (*wink*).

6. Have they ever been seriously injured? How severely? How did they react?

Well, Chloe said that I almost drowned in a river when I first got to Vivadeth. Outside of that, I may have broken a finger when I moved my bookshelf, and I've fallen down the stairs a couple times. With the drowning, I didn't have time to really do anything. With the finger, I just wrapped it so it wouldn't move, and with the falling down the stairs there's not really any reaction besides surprise and some back pain.

7. Do they like and get along with their neighbours?

What neighbors? We live in the coffee shop, there's a laundromat on our right, an alley in the back, an abandoned building on the left, and a sky-high somewhat sketchy and old looking apartment building across the street. 

8. On a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being easy and 10 being difficult) how easy are they to get along with?

N/A

9. If they could travel anywhere in the world, where would they go?

I would love to see The Nebula Sea, but it is impossible. The amount of Luran needed to get to a hub, and also to exchange for Constellation Widgets for the passage is far more than my father and I could ever save.

10. Who was the last person they held hands with?

I don't know. I haven't touched hands with anyone outside of the accidental brush when I had them their coffee or when I take the Luran they hand me in payment in years.

Thank you for letting me to answer these questions. It is not often that I am allowed to interact with people besides Chloe and the other characters, who I'm sure will answer some questions in the future. I'm off to make spaghetti now.

That was fun! I should definitely do the next one!