Fyre

9. How do you get ideas for your characters? Describe the process of creating them.

There's really no set way. A good example is Maximilian, my 16th century Austro-Hungarian psychic spy. He originally germinated from the loose idea for a father of a canon character in a fanfiction. I got curious about quite why he was the way he was and suddenly, he exploded from simply a deceased father who left bitter, cold widow, into this fantastically messed-up, complex psychic yet extremely religious character who resented the very abilities that kept him at the top of his game. And who deeply loved and was deeply loved by his wife, though they never, ever said it to one another.

I really need to sit down and work on his story some more.

But yes - they tend to show up intact. Sometimes in stps and starts, but the whole character is usually there and I just have to wait for all the details and traits to be revealed :)

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7. Do you listen to music while you write? What kind? Are there any songs you like to relate/apply to your characters?

Not really, since I like to write in silence, which is why I was so productive in computer labs. Occasionally, I'll have a soundtrack or plain old classical music piece on, but for the most part, gimme quiet and my brain does the rest.

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5. By age, who is your youngest character? Oldest? How about “youngest” and “oldest” in terms of when you created them?

*pokes through 'em* Technically, it's Pirate Princess and her cohorts, since most of the rest of them have grown up, although I have had baby characters in the past. Oldest is one of my Deaths, this one specifically being the first Death for humankind.

Writing-wise, George is my oldest character. He first showed up in around 2001, when an original bunny bit off the back of a BtVS story. It took me nearly 7 years to find a good voice for his side-kick and actually write his story. Youngest would be Molly, who decided that she wanted a cameo in the pirate story and now, insists she's integral to the plot and wants to be a ninja. Minor characters with attitudes are... special.

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3. How do you come up with names, for characters (and for places if you're writing about fictional places)?

Mostly, the characters produce their own names along with their identities. Sometimes, I have to wait for it to come along, but usually, they bring them.

As for places, those are trickier, especially in pirate-story. It's the first time I've done a whole new universe and it's taking a while for all the places to get their names. I'm really showing how very British I am with the placenames, though. Silly cultural heritage ;)

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1. Tell us about your favorite writing project/universe that you've worked with and why.

Right this second? My Pirate Princess story. It came about from a loose plot bunny about 'what if a pirate's daughter was put in Rapunzel's tower instead..." and kind of expanded. The world is still being tweaked, but I've not been as inspired as I am now for a long time. It's turned out to be far too much fun, and the characters I hadn't expected to be as significant really are. Plus, there's cunning disguises, swordplay and cross-dressing. What's not to love?

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