Thanks for featuring
me today, Patricia. The topic you asked me to discuss is how I created and
developed the characters for FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL. While I wish I could
say they just popped into my head, that’s not altogether true. Many years ago,
while teaching, I met a twelve-year old boy named Frankie Salerno. For whatever
reason, I never quite forgot him--or his name.
When it came time to
write FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL,
I wondered what that young boy might be like now as a grown man. He’d been a
cute kid, and utterly delightful (when the mood struck). I was certain he’d
matured, but I fully expected evidence of that boyish charm just lurking below
the surface!
The fictional Frankie
Salerno is larger than life, confident of his abilities as a private
investigator, and comfortable in his own skin. He’s charming, determined and
driven, while his Italian ancestry and devotion to friends and family keep him
grounded. He’s a hero male readers can identify with, and one female readers
can’t help but fall in love with.
As for the heroine,
Muriel, she’s Frankie’s opposite. He’s street wise, she’s book smart. He’s an
extrovert, she’s an introvert. He thinks outside of the box, she follows the
rules. And yet, in so many ways, they complement each other. She makes him want
to be a better man, and he gives her the confidence to accept her femininity
and realize that embracing her gender does not in any way undermine her impressive
mental capabilities.
Unlike some authors
whose characters appear fully developed, I learn a little about mine each time
I meet with them on the page. It’s a process similar to meeting a person for
the first time. You’re introduced, and in a few brief seconds, you make a snap
impression of who you think they are. With each additional encounter,
those notions are either proven or discarded until a clear picture of who they
are emerges.
Regarding character
trait charts and flaws, I’ve tried to figure it all out beforehand, but it’s a
waste of time and energy. I write organically, without knowing where I’m
headed, what’s going to happen or whom I’ll meet along the way. When I began
writing Frank, Incense and Muriel,
I knew their names, but nothing more. I write to not only discover where the
plot is going, but also to get to know the characters.
Frankie and Muriel are
very real to me. They have flaws, foibles, quirks and strengths. As the months
and years pass in the series (I envision at least six books), they’ll grow
older and wiser. They’ll develop and mature much like the rest of us. I’ll deal
with that and the ramifications of their growth when the time comes!
In closing, I’d like
to share the blurb of the story.
Frank, Incense and Muriel takes
place the week before Christmas when the stress of the holidays is enough to
frazzle anyone’s nerves. Tensions increase when a friend begs Muriel to team up
with a sexy private investigator to find a missing woman. Forced to deal with
an embezzler, kidnapper, and femme fatale is bad enough, but add Muriel’s zany
yet loveable family to the mix and their desire to win the coveted
D-DAY (Death Defying Act of the Year) Award, and the situation can only
get worse. This story, book one of the Muriel Reeves Mysteries, is recipient of
the prestigious 2011 Holt Medallion Award of Merit.
I’d
like to encourage readers to enter my giveaway contest. Up for grabs
is an e-copy of FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL. Leave a comment and you're automatically
entered.The winner will be chosen at random and announced on my blog on December
11, 2012. Good luck!
Bio: Anne
K. Albert’s award winning mystery and romantic suspense stories chill the
spine, warm the heart and soothe the soul…all with a delightful touch of humor.
When not at the keyboard she loves to travel, walk on a beach, visit friends
and family, and of course, read using ‘Threegio’ her beloved and much cherished
Kindle 3G.
She can be found online at Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Goodreads, Pinterest, Amazon and her blog.
Anne K. Albert
