Showing posts with label Long Road From Canaan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Long Road From Canaan. Show all posts

Friday, June 20, 2014

Beautiful People - June Edition || Bethany's Characters


Over our time following other writers' blogs, I've noticed this fun link up, and always enjoyed reading about other people's characters. So I thought, hey! I should try this!

I actually haven't been working on my novel as diligently as I should, and my poor characters are feeling rather neglected. Maybe if I let them say "hello", they'll know they are not forgotten. :)

 So without further ado, my two main characters from Long Road From Canaan


1) What is their full name and is there a story behind why they got it? 
Shalin son of Danel.
Shalin doesn't have much of a story behind his name, I found it by researching lists of Canaanite kings and idols. I came across Shalim, god of dusk, and liked the sound of it. I changed the last letter to make it a bit different, and there we have it!  I think I just made up the name Danel. ;) 

2) How old are they, and when were they born? 
Shalin begins the story around the age of 18, but 4-5 years pass throughout the course of the book. I haven't figured out an exact birthday for him, but some time around 900 B.C.


3) Describe their physical appearance. (Bonus questions: 1. What is their race/nationality/ethnicity? 2. Do you have a picture of them? If so, include it!) 
Shalin is tall; 6 foot or so, lean, and athletic. He has black, wavy hair, dark tan skin, large deep brown eyes and a bright smile. He is a Phoenician, or more specifically, a Canaanite, although most of his people were destroyed by the Israelites many years before.
  Sorry, no picture.

4) Describe your character's personality first in one word, and then elaborate with a few sentences. 
Fun-loving (sorry, is that two words?). I think that sums him up pretty well. Shalin goes through a lot in his life, but he's never serious for long, is a bit of a practical joker, and he doesn't miss opportunities for having fun.

5) What theme song(s) fit their personality and story arc? 
The More, by Mikeschair fits Shalin and his story arch to perfection! The chorus is a little too repetitive, but that's just a personal pet-peeve of mine (and Becca's).

6) Which one of the seven deadly sins describes your character?
Envy.


7) If they were an element (fire, water, earth, air), which one would they be? 
Water.


8) What is their favorite word? 
I don't think he has a favorite word.
 
9) Who’s one person they really miss? (It could be someone who’s passed away, or someone they’re not close to anymore, or someone who’s moved away.)
Shalin misses his little sister, Sarina. They are a couple years apart in age, and they were very close until...well, I can't tell you!


10) What sights, sounds, and smells remind them of that person?
Pretty things like jewelery and silks, happy music, and fruit tree blossoms. 

 Inspiration Pins for Shalin:





1) What is their full name and is there a story behind why they got it? 
 Next we have Raisa, second daughter of Niran. Her name is Hebrew, and means "Rose". It's just a pretty name I found, so there's not really a story behind it.
 
2) How old are they, and when were they born?

Raisa is 16 at the beginning of the story.
 
3) Describe their physical appearance. (Bonus questions: 1. What is their race/nationality/ethnicity? 2. Do you have a picture of them? If so, include it!) 

 Raisa is 5'5", slender, long black curly hair, brown eyes with long lashes, and a tan complexion. She is an Israelite.
 
4) Describe your character's personality first in one word, and then elaborate with a few sentences. 

 Practical. Raisa tries to be very practical to help her family, and can be a bit of a pessimist. Her attitude is usually based on how her day in going, which isn't always good. She's reserved with people she doesn't know very well, is slow to trust, and gets annoyed if people (*cough, cough* Shalin), don't take her seriously.
 
5) What theme song(s) fit their personality and story arc?

 It takes Raisa some time to get to this point with Shalin, but after that, the song "I Won't Give Up" makes me think of her. I'm not familiar with the original version, but I love Emily and Amy-Joy Jost's cover of it.

6) Which one of the seven deadly sins describes your character? 

Pride.
. 
7) If they were an element (fire, water, earth, air), which one would they be?

I'd say, earth.

8) What is their favorite word? 

 Wow, this is a hard question! I don't think Raisa has a favorite word either.

9) Who’s one person they really miss? (It could be someone who’s passed away, or someone they’re not close to anymore, or someone who’s moved away.)

First, that would be her older sister Avia, after she gets married and moves to a new home. And then it would be...Spoilers!

10) What sights, sounds, and smells remind them of that person?  

N/A

Inspirations Pins for Raisa:

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Go Teen Writers: 100 for 100 challenge

by: Bethany


    Since August 23, I have been participating in the Go Teen Writers 100 for 100 challenge.

What does that mean?

For 100 days, I have been writing at least 100 words a day for my novel. It has been great for getting me into the habit of writing everyday, instead of just when I feel like it. Because writing a book that way goes very slowly for me.  :)

     My total word count for the challenge was 35,577, averaging writing about 355 words a day. I don't think that's too shabby, considering I have never done anything like this before.

    Since I am now 35,577 words farther into my novel then I was before, I thought I should post about it, giving you a sneak preview.


   The title is "Long Road From Canaan", and it is a historical novel set in Old Testament times, around the rule of King Solomon. 


Synopsis:

  Shalin son of Danel thinks he knows where life is taking him, and frankly, the direction bores him. He doesn't want to oversee his father's orchards that have been in the family for generations, marry one of the featherbrained girls in his village, and grow old, having never traveled past the next little village. 

 If that's what his father expects him to do, he has another thing coming.

   Shalin wants adventure, to see the world, and to have the chance to make his own life. So he heads to Tyre. Tyre is a great center of civilization. Merchant ships throng the harbors from as far away as Egypt and Greece. Surely here a man can make his fortune…but what if he looses it instead?

   When Shalin returns home and finds that he has lost much more then his money, his travels take him south to Israel. 

   There he meets Raisa, a poor girl whose family struggles to make do with the little they have, yet still joyfully trusts in this God of theirs.  Shalin's experience with the gods of his land have made him bitter and doubtful that anything good can come of such devotion. 

  But this God is much more then an idol in a gilded temple, and Shalin begins to learn that not only does God care for him, He has been guiding his entire life.



City of Tyre
One of the characters

(all of these pictures I found on the internet.)


So, there you have it! I'm about 3/4 of the way through writing the first draft, and then I'll have lots of editing, but this is the closest I have ever been to writing an entire book, and it's pretty exciting!



Speaking of books…

  Becca and I have been invited to participate in a blog book tour for Aidyl at Noveltea. She has just had a book published through one of our favorite ministries, Answers in Genesis. 
   

  The tour will be stopping here on December 11th, but it starts on the 2nd. Here's the link to see the schedule. Be sure to check it out!





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