2012 NaNoWriMo: EPOCH

All About Character

Characters: Making them real

#1. William (Bill) James Dilliard, Jr.;

the public layers--what others see or learn when they get to know him.          

         eye/hair/complexion: Brown/light brown/light tanned

         face: round; high and wide cheeks; light, thin scar on forehead from childhood
         accident--fell from monkey bars at school--seven years old

         wears hair short; sports a trimmed mustache; moderate side burns (trimmed to
         earlobe level)

         of mixed French and German ancestry; American born; Springfield, Oregon

         women and some men often look twice at him--eye candy--

         Moderate height: 6'; 20 lbs overweight; stocky torso.

         physical age: 30; appears younger even with the mustache


         resembles? if you had to choose--


         What he thinks are his best attributes: likes to work with his hands; the strength
         of his arms.

         What he thinks are his worst attributes: his smile (bad teeth); and his gut size
         (thick)

         mostly wears denim jeans and pocket t-shirts; ball cap; tan work boots
         uncomfortable in dress pants, dress shirt, and or tie, dress jacket, nice patend
         leather shoes, etc
         jewelry: gold wedding band; cheap K-Mart lcd watch with faux leather band.
         combs hair before work--showers, shaves, grooms, changes into clean cloths
         after work--before dinner with family
         generally relaxed, if a bit impatient when standing in line, or waiting--fidgets
         voice: medium timbre--definately male.
         laugh--honest, will chuckle before full laugh--the laugh is rarely abrupt or harsh
         even when under stress

         prefers to use handkerchief over tissue to blow his nose.

         non-smoker

         has a tattoo on left upper arm--easily covered by t-shirt sleeves--a shield and a
         number that identifies his army regiment when he served in military for two terms

         Master Electrician by trade;

medical over view:
         hospitalized at age six when the flu turned into pneumonia (doesn't remember
         much about the experience except the antiseptic smell and though he doesn't
         fear needles, he deffinately doesn't like them)

         received stitches on forehead when he fell from monkey bars at school--seven
         had chicken pox at age twelve

         broke his leg at fourteen when skateboarding

         as an adult generally healthy except for occasional colds or flu illnesses
         family and childhood: average working family--father an engineer was gone on
         contracted jobs for long lengths of time; mother a full-time grade school
         teacher.

         Oldest of three-- him, Darren and their sister (deceased); became a very good
         cook and caretaker of his siblings (Johnboy Walton skills) to the relief of his
         mother. Some role reversal: Man of the house with father gone much of the time.
         result: slightly controlling with his brother; resentful of his father once he retired
         and took up the role of husband full-time.

         Joined the Army right out of high school--went to trade school and married after
         getting out of the army. Met his wife at the college where his trade school was
         affiliated. Worked hard to finish apprentise, journeman and test for master
         certicicate--

         contention between him and wife: he is gone too much and missing out on their
         children's early years--he basically turned into his father. He feels uncomfortable
         around infants and toddlers--not having any male role modeling when he was
         younger of what a father does.

         eduction:graduated HS low middle of his class with a 'C' (2.24) average. Did
         well in gym
         didn't participate in sports (interferred with his care taking duties); excelled in
         shop and mathematics.

         learned all he could about electrician work in Army (he repaired wiring in vehicles
         and weapons repair)
         Loved physics and calculus in college; received a bachelors degree with his
         electricians certificate. (did moderately well in composition and lit, took German
         for his two year foreign language requirement; loved ancient history--pre-
         civilization; mesopotamian through bronze age--stone and bone age thru to
         bronze--classical--age.

         employment: worked construction--business buildings and multi-story buildings.
         dilligent, skilled, and efficient employee: exacting, demanding dilligence, skill and
         efficiency as a contractor Master electrician over crew of journeymen and
         apprentice. Controlling but able to instruct and teach.

         police record: nothing more serious than a speeding ticket and that
         when he first started driving.

         financing: Can balance a bank book but leaves the financing
         responsibilities to others--in his business he hired an accountant; at home
         his wife runs the home.

         his credit is moderate to low--a few missed payments when he was between
         jobs but nothing major--no defaulted loans--made good money--5-6 digits/year
         grew up with the attitude--money is made to be used; but used smartly--
         possessions: no longer applicable--however, owned a boat, camper, bass fishing
         gear; house would have been paid off in another five years--extensive library
         consisting of mathematics, history, and electrician manuals from beginning to
         Master certificate.--all lost to him now.--until he discovers the central
         computer.

         romantic history: crush on fifth grade science teacher--she smelled good--
         went steady with Clara Bernhardt from 10th grade until he went into the Army.
         Lost contact when she married while he was stationed overseas. Surprisingly,
         he didn't take it very hard. Was struck awkward and dumb when he met
         Sapphire--his wife--took him several weeks to get the courage to ask her out.
         Never regretted finding the courage. Hasn't felt a twinge of interest for another
         woman--no one smells like his wife and that smell still strikes him with an
         awkward shyness he has to force himself passed.

         geography: Grew up in Springfield, Oregon--his work was mainly in the mid-west;
         South Dakota, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, and Ohio. His family
         and where he called home--Western part of Montana ( a place where children
         can be raised to love life). His brother and folks were still in Oregon.

         location--Eastern Australia--inside a complex located in the southern Queensland
         part of the Eastern Divide.

#2. Darren Jason Dilliard

#3. Alexander Scott Fernstein

#4.

#5.

#6.

#7.

Know the hidden and public selves of your character.

#1. William (Bill) James Dilliard, Jr.

         has a secret he's yet to reconcile with himself--dealing with his military experience



Discover who lives behind the facade; peel away the public layers and find who exists under the skin.

As Your characters become more obsessed, they become more interesting.


Place your character in a real place and situation, then get on with your story.

Character is story
Dialogue is Character

Darren--Darren Jason Dilliard; 25 years old; Diesel Mechanic; Ex-Army; has bad dreams from combat; has secret he vows to take to his grave.

Darren reached out and grabbed [Bill's] sleeve. "We are the lucky ones, Billy. We been chosen to carry on."

Bill--William James Dilliard, Jr.; 30 years old; Electrician by trade; has a secret he's yet to reconcile with himself.

Bill shook his head but didn't look at Darren. He wondered; were they truly the lucky ones, or just destined for a slower annihilation than the rest of the world population?


Bill's Father; William James Dilliard, Sr.; 49 yo; Mechanical Engineer; Hasn't loved his wife in a long time, yet has never been unfaithful to their marriage.



Bill's Mother; Agatha Christine Frost Dilliard; 47 yo; grade school teacher (3rd grade); Confused as to why she has been pulled away from her classroom; grieves all the children left outside.

Dilliard, Sr.'s sister; Aunt Rebeka Dawn Dilliard; 32 yo; Historian--HS History Teacher; divorced no children

"Well, now it is proven that people never learn from history. If so, we wouldn't be here." Becky dropped her suitcase on the bed in the small room that would be her's for as long as she lived.

Dilliard,Sr.'s brother; Uncle Robert Kristoffer Dilliard; 40 yo; Dentist/Oral Surgeon; never married (Gay);

"Prospects are limited, but I bet opportunities will still arise."

Sapphire's father; Adrian Moon Running-Wolf; 48 yo; Linguist/Historian Professor of Native American Studies.; Widower;

"I am glad your mother never lived to see this day. It is sad, but the world will come out the better for absence of all of man's wastefulness and self hatred."

Adrian's Sister; Aunt Storm Skye Running-Wolf Johnson; Adrian's sister; 40 yo; no children; Botanist; College Professor;

"The subterranean gardens are a tribute to ecological technology, but it will take love, diligence and sacrifice to ensure they endure. The team of botanists, ecologists, and biologists have our work cut out for us. Let's hope..."


Storm's husband; Uncle Elmer Franklin Johnson; 42 yo; Storm's husband; Ecological Engineer;

"I never dreamed. Well, yes I dreamed, but I never believed...This place is a testament to man's ultimate power of environmental manipulation."

"If we lose anymore, the balance of the whole installation will be compromised beyond recovery."

Samantha's Father; Allard Gerold Rogers;Mathematician/Researcher;

Samantha's Mother; Eileen Briana Byrne Rogers;Housewife/community volunteer;

"We are going to need to set up recreational as well as educational facilities, not just for the children."


Eileen's brother: Uncle Kevin Dahy Rogers; HS English Teacher/American Literature; divorced

"And I thought justifying--Why we gotta learn this for Teach?--was difficult when the world was open for unlimited opportunities for the opened literary mind."


Kevin's son; Cousin; Randall Davin Rogers; Artist--sculptor;

Allard's brother: Uncle; Collin Liam Rogers; Optometrist; (Closeted Gay)


         Bill got out of bed and while making his way in the dark through the living room he stepped on one of Samual's rattles, nearly breaking his ankle while gyrating frantically to keep from falling on his face. He opened Opal Rose's door still hissing whispered curses. His daughter stopped crying long enough to reassure herself that daddy was at her door and then proceeded with the business of unhappiness.

         Oldest daughter 2 yo; Opal Rose Dilliard
         Son 6 mos.; Cougar Jasper Dilliard

         Son born a year after their arrival--Samual Grey-Badger Dilliard

----

The kids:

"It was all so very scary when we just sat around watching the news reports, ya know? But I like it here. There is so much to do and explore and besides _______, just seven doors down, has a mongoose named chai. She's really cool too."

----

"C'mon hun you need to get up and start moving around."

________ rolled over in her bed and faced the wall away from her prodding mother.

----

"It's not fair. School! Why do we gotta go to school now?"

----

________ stood obediently while his mother straightened up his shirt collar. He didn't want to leave his mommy, but he would. He'd walk with her and let her hold his hand and he'd watch her go back home while he stayed behind. Mrs. _______ wasn't too bad. But he just didn't want to be in the room with the other kids. He wanted to be with his mommy.

----

_______ woke up crying and her daddy was leaning over her in the dimly lit bedroom. "It's okay, daddy is here. You have another bad dream, sweety?"

----

____A____ and ____B____ hadn't known each other before, but they had children the same age and they met in the new group to help them help their children get through the trauma of sudden life change. ____A____ was folding bedding and ____B____ had stopped over for a cup of tea while the kids were at school.

"I thought he'd gotten over his having accidents at night, but since we've been here he's had an accident every night. I'm wondering if I should consider diapers again, at his age tho, well...I just don't know."

____B____ nodded. "It's been hard on all of us; the kids, especially. _______ is having bad dreams and wakes up screaming and _______ has just stopped talking. He won't say a word."

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