Alice is born!

I’ve written two chapters of the Desert of Stone (book 2 of the Monuments of Stone series). It took a bit of time to get a feel for the characters (and a bit of blank staring at the screen), but things should start moving along nicely now after finishing a chapter heavy in dialogue with the main character. For this book, its Alice, which presents a unique set of problems for me.

For one, when Alice first made an appearance on the Island of Stone, she was six. Desert of Stone takes place 15 years after, so Alice is now a woman, and much like we all take a journey to adulthood, I needed a bit of time to figure out that voyage for Alice. Her childhood experience must still weigh in on her personality (as it was profound), but a multitude of other events, memories, joys, and traumas have happened since. Something of that child should remain in the foundations, but the character has changed almost completely. An important factor is a complex and multi-layered interaction she has had with her Aunt Lisa. Again, the chapter I just wrote was mainly dialog between Alice and Lisa, and that has watered the seeds to both their characters. Lisa was an adult when she escaped the island, but it left its stain, and those experiences have changed her as well.

Secondly, Alice will be the first time I’ve had a woman as the main character in my stories. I’ve had strong female characters in my past books, but never one that takes the lead. I’m excited and a bit terrified. We tend to write what we know. It’s familiar, comfortable, and the subtleties more easily portrayed, but it’s also dull. Alice is going to be a grand challenge. Her early childhood was unorthodox, and without spoiling the Island of Stone (it is quite a yarn, check it out!), there was some pretty severe trauma for a six-year-old to witness. She had virtually no relationship with her father, she lost her mother early, and she lived with Aunt Lisa, who is not a blood relation. Not to mention, the shock of suddenly having to raise a child was probably too much for Lisa to bear, which soured the relationship. Alice is also entering adulthood and does not yet have a clear path in life, which is a muddy place for anyone. On top of all that, there are some things about Alice that are in no way normal.

As written so far, Alice is a strong-willed loner that is very careful about letting anyone get too close. She smiles to mask her pain, and although questions fill her mind, she is afraid to ask them in fear of the answers she’ll get. She got her father’s ambitiousness and drive and her mother’s wisdom and righteousness, making her a potential force, but the mud from the Island of Stone keeps her from truly blossoming… yet.

This character sketch is a lot to draw from one chapter of dialogue, but its the direction the muse is pointing me thus far. Alice is far from the Island now, but it beckons her, and if and when she decides to journey back, it will be a thrilling ride!

Don’t miss out, the Island of Stone is just $1.99 until the end of the day (Friday, July 10). See what happened on the Island and find out what had such an impact on Lisa and Alice! If paranormal thrills are not your bag, check out the Slaying of the Bull, a rich and profound historical thriller. The most recent version contains a helpful timeline and glossary of terms, characters, and events. As always, if you’ve read either of my books, please take just a minute or two to write a review.

Cheers!