Keeping that in mind, when I created my heroine, Theodora, (again, there is symbolism behind the name) I wanted her to be so unique that she’d keep my readers guessing. Picture a young boy or maybe a young girl catching a glimpse of a nude scene on TV, or a copy of Playboy...girl, etc..fill in the blanks. The teenager is fascinated, feels guilty, embarrassed, excited, quickly surveys the room to make sure no one has caugh him or her in the act of watching, coveting, growing aroused. That feeling, that's what I wanted Theodora to draw out. If you've lived life and focused solely on the profound and never once peeked at the profane, you're missing half the story.
I made her light and dark. In no way was she to fit the norm of any society. She was meant as a wildcard, someone who would break or bend every rule and have the other person believing it was their idea. She’s kind, naughty, slightly manipulative, and not of Craven's galaxy. She will move the readers to tears and make them fall in love. I've enjoyed writing her and making her do things I would never even attempt in secret. There's nothing I can say about her that won’t reveal the heart of my story, so I’ll settle for some very brief dialogue.
(She first encountered Craven inside a cave where he was shackled and left for dead. The sight of him was too hard to resist. He never even learns her name in the first book, but from that moment they were inseparable.)
*
“Are you a guardian or a tempter?” he asked.
One of the hands on his face made a slow journey down the center of his body pausing to brush the underside of his rampant erection. He sucked air through gritted teeth.
Her lips twitched at the corners. “I’m a little of both.”
*
Since Theodora is my heroine, and there is an angel companion at her side who makes guest appearances throughout the book, I thought I would post some angelic art, mediocre sketches I once worked on. I am much more critical of my drawings than I am my writing. The writing I can fix. What’s set in color is there for life.
This is Maggie. That's what I call her.
I found her face in a newspaper once.
She was about the size of a quarter. I
thought she'd look great in color and
with a couple of cats. See, she reminded
me of myself when I was little.
Many art lovers have seen the sleeping angel. I tried
to mimic my favorite artist. He did it much better.
Here's a quick sketch of Michael, the archangel
because I love religious pictures and angels are
too lovely to ignore.
Tomorrow I present my first villain.
