Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Beautiful People || September Edition || Bethany's Characters


Another month has rushed past, and here I am, doing September's edition on the very last day of the month.

 Well, better late then never, right? :)


When this month's Beautiful People came out, I thought the villain theme was a very intriguing idea. However, looking over the stories I was working on, I didn't have one specific antagonist I thought would work.  Then, when the Go Teen Writers 100 for 100 challenge started and I decided to work on a different novel idea that has been stewing in the back of my mind for a while, I knew just who I could interview.

It's interesting how this idea came about, because I actually came up with the book title first.
One evening at the library, while organizing the card catalog, and going through numerous book titles, the words "Regrettably, A Gentleman" popped into my head.
Why, that sounds like a very interesting book title, I thought, and quickly scrambled for a piece of paper.

Becca: I have absolutly no idea how she can do this! It drives me slightly bonkers.
I will have a story idea, a full cast of characters, a complete plot and still no title! 
And here's Bethany, 'This sounds like a lovely title... I think I'll write a book about it!"

Bethany: Hey, this doesn't happen all the time!

The characters came next, slowly growing into quite a large cast.  I was originally thinking of the Regency setting, but then realized I needed to jump ahead in time to the Industrial Revolution so some of the characters would fit better.
The plot was a little more reluctant to come about, but as the characters developed, their story grew. There's still some things I'm working out, but I have a good start, and I'm pretty excited about writing it.

"Regrettably, A Gentleman" doesn't so much have a villain, as in a bad guy trying to thwart every move of the main character, but there is definitely an antagonist who stands in the way of a goal the MC very much has her heart set on.

May I now introduce you to...

Mr. Jacob Drury.

Oh, the poor dear got caught in the rain. :)


1. What is their motive?
In a word, greed.

2. What do they want, and what are they prepared to do to get it?
He wants Miss Albridge, the MC, not to start a school for poor children who could be working in his factory.  While he wouldn't go so far as to cause her injury, there are other ways to stop her that he is prepared to use.

3. How do they deal with conflict?
Very quickly and methodically. Time wasted is money wasted.

4. Describe their current place of residence.
Jacob Drury lives in a large mansion not far from his factory in Manchester.  It's an old stone building with many more rooms then he and his brother need, but it shows off their wealth and standing to the community, and that's what is most important.

5. If they were writing this story, how would it end?
He wouldn't much care how it ended, as long as that nosy Miss Albridge would go back to where she belonged and stay there.

6. What habits, speech patterns, etc. are unique to them?
He tends to drum his fingers while listening to someone else speak, and is constantly checking his pocket watch.

7. How do they show love? What do they like to do with/for people they love?
His time is most precious to him, so if he loves someone, taking time out of his day to be with them is how he would show it. 

8. Do they have any pets?
No. He doesn't think much of animals that don't serve a specific purpose.
(In Becca's words "Animals he cannot ride or eat.")

9. Where would they go to relax/think?
There is a walkway along the roof of his house where he likes to go and look over the city while he thinks.

10. What is their weapon of choice? (FYI: words, eyes/looks, and fists count as weapons, too.)
He would much rather have someone else do his dirty work, but if forced to choose, it would be a pistol; quick and effective.


4 comments:

  1. What a wonderful title! It sounds like a great book. Poor actor-who-played-Willoughby. I wonder if he'll ever live down the role? =) Anyway, Mr. Drury sounds like one of those slimy villains who isn't really villainous as much as just... detestable. Maybe he should open a muffin shop instead. I love the always checking his pocket watch characteristic.

    You're lucky you can come up with titles so easily, Bethany. Usually I just call my stories by their main character's names. Even the stories with titles get called by their main character's names. Haha.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Haha, yes, I always think of Greg Wise as Willoughby too, but Becca and I saw him in Horatio Hornblower the other day, and he played a good guy! Or at least, he turned out to be a good guy in the end, after being unjustly suspected of something.

      Well, I came up with this title in an unusual way, but titles do come pretty quickly for me once I have the main ideas of the story figured out. Maybe it's a super power, as other parts of writing don't come as easily. :)

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