Why My Characters Feel Like Old Friends
As a writer who spends so much time swept away in fictional worlds, the characters I create often start out feeling like coworkers, and eventually they become something closer to a friend or a distant relative, perhaps. When youâre with someone hour after hour for months at a time, that attachment grows naturally, or at least for me it does. Before I knew it, they felt real. Not bone and flesh real, of course; I haven't completely lost my marbles, at least I hope I haven't. They all seem real enough that returning to a story feels like visiting an old friend. Something I hope my readers feel as well.
Why My Characters Feel Like Old Friends Continued
Itâs especially true for the recurring characters who show up across multiple booksâlike the squad at the Berryville PD, Joe, Rachel, Jerry, and Kirk.
Detective WebâBower began her journey as a nurse, only to switch careers after helping Joe and Jerry solve a case that changed her life.
Captain Joe Bower worked his way up the ranks, all while building a life with his childhood sweetheart, Rachel.
Detective Jerry Brewer chose law enforcement after losing his wife and daughter in a deadly driveâby shooting.
Kirk worked ten years in forensics before joining his favorite detectives.
Together, the four of them form a team that feels solid, livedâin, and deeply human.Â
They challenge each other, support each other, and carry their own scars into every case they face. And thatâs why writing them never feels like writing alone.