Character development…Patterned after real life?

I’m often asked if I pattern my characters after people that I know. Chasing Amanda, being set in the small town where I reside, has brought questions, and even assumptions, about where my characters come from.

While I don’t create characters based on real people, I certainly might borrow a few mannerisms or world views from people I either know or have come in contact with. This does not mean that every mannerism of a particular person is carried over into a similar character, in fact, that’s never been the case.

While Megan’s Way grew from an event with my mother, Megan in no way emulates my mother as an individual. Real life has a way of invading my thoughts, and just as easily, sneaking into my books, but I can honestly say that I have never written a story based on a particular person from real life. That being said, I do own the well-known t-shirt that reads, “Be careful or you just might end up in my novel.”

Want to chat about character development, writing or books? Drop me an email:

thinkhappygirl (at) yahoo (dot) com.