Among the Pages by Sara R. Turnquist 💕 Guest Post, Book Tour & Gift Card Giveaway 💕 (Sweet Historical Romance)

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A woman’s choice…is in question.

Brianne is a somewhat naïve college freshman. She becomes disillusioned as her professors and peers challenge many of her long-held beliefs. When she finds a diary that belonged to a distant relative, she hopes it will offer much needed distraction. And she is soon drawn into the story of a passionate woman who seems to whisper from the past.

In 1915’s New York, idealist and primary teacher Margaret struggles with the problems women face at home and in society. She is first timid about speaking her mind, but in time cannot keep her impassioned spirit hidden—not even from the gentleman who teaches in the classroom next door. His concern for her stretches the limits of their friendship, pressing into something more. Caught up in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, she faces down authority figures and others who question her beliefs.

And so, Brianne is whisked along on this journey as Margaret joins the fight for women’s rights, all the while trying to work through her own questions and experiences with modern feminism.

Before long, things spin out of control and she wonders where her newfound relationship fits into everything? Are there any clear answers? Will she land on her feet? Or be forever lost to herself?

Character Creation

So, where exactly do characters come from? From our imaginations? Completely made up? Or do they all contain traits from the writer? Or maybe each is a copy of someone the writer knows? Or maybe from other books read or media (television and movies)?

All of these answers are correct. I would say it depends on the character and it depends on the writer. I think it is hard to not create characters that contain elements of people we know or ourselves or characters we’ve experienced through other novels and media. These are our only frame of reference. And those traits lay in our subconscious. We recall those things whether we intended to or not.

But what of that is intentional?

For me, I use a myriad of methods to create characters. I begin with the characters that are central to the story (the hero and heroine) and move on to any other character that is given scenes from their point of view in the novel (we see the scene through their eyes). I may do some work with minor characters, but not much beyond identifying and development alongside their relationship to the main and point of view characters.

I put the character through a profile, getting the basic information. I work basic and then get more personal. Just like how you get to know anyone. Then I do a longer, deeper questionnaire developed by an author I admire. Beyond that, I use a “drill down” method taught by Susan May Warren in her book The Story Equation, I may also use Brandilyn Collins method from her Getting Into Character.

After this, I have come to know my character pretty well. I then do an SEQ (Story Equation) from Warren’s book. A LINDY HOP (from Warren’s book) follows as a basic understanding of that character’s role in the plot.

That is how my characters come to life…from a flat caricature that has maybe a few qualities from people I know or even myself, to a unique three-dimensional character. I would encourage you to check out Susan May Warren’s The Story Equation and Brandilyn Collins Getting Into Character to read more on these methods and to dive deeper into character development.

HISTORICAL TIME PERIOD (1915) – Margaret and Henry talk on a Sunday after church

She narrowed her eyes and bit at her lip to keep her surprise from showing. How did he know this? Surely he didn’t care about the Woman’s Movement. Or did he? Why should he? His precious Abigail was ever the dutiful, demure, docile girl that any man would seek. She wouldn’t be caught within a hundred yards of anything related to women’s rights.

He continued, “I also understand that anyone caught attending her speeches on Sunday is in danger of being thrown out of their church. You don’t want that, do you?”

“Maybe I do,” she shot back and looked away. His words stung. Perhaps more so because he wasn’t wrong. About any of it.

“You don’t mean that.” He craned his neck, trying to catch her eyes.

“What if I do?” She jerked her head, turning her features toward him. “Pastor Thompson said some harsh things today. I don’t know if I can continue to submit myself to the authority of a man who preaches in such a way.”

“In what way?” His voice was gentle. Try as she might, she could not find anything accusing in his tone.

“He made a several assertions without the Scripture to support it. Yet he insisted that the Bible was clear about the subject. I think a man of the cloth ought to be more careful when making such statements about the word of God without the proper foundation.”

Henry’s eyes searched hers. The deep brown fell soft upon her eyes and caressed her features with gentleness. How could she stay angry when she was losing herself in such dark warmth?

She averted her gaze. What was this? It would not do for her to be thinking about him this way. This was not proper! He was someone else’s beau.

“Listen,” he said, moving closer. “I’d regret if anything bad happened to you.”

She nodded, focusing on the lines of the sidewalk.

“I would have to teach your class and mine.” His voice became thick with sarcasm.

Her eyes shot to his and found his lips spreading in a huge grin.

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Sara is a coffee lovin', word slinging, Historical Romance author whose super power is converting caffeine into novels. She loves those odd little tidbits of history that are stranger than fiction. That's what inspires her. Well, that and a good love story.

But of all the love stories she knows, hers is her favorite. She lives happily with her own Prince Charming and their gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.

Sara is an avid reader and enjoys reading and writing clean Historical Romance when she’s not traveling. Her books range from the Czech lands to the American wild west and from ancient Egypt to the early 1900s. Some of her titles include The Lady Bornekova, Hope in Cripple Creek, The General’s Wife, Trail of Fears, and the Convenient Risk Series.

Happy Reading!