“Heroes, Heroines, and Villains, Oh My!”

The quote, “Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!” from The Wizard of Oz created shivers and excitement in anticipation for what lay ahead.

“Heroes, Heroines, and Villains, Oh My!” does the same for characters in novels.

I love telling stories and finding settings, but the best part of writing fiction or novels based on truth is creating characters. Decades ago, I cut appropriate pictres out of magazines and posted them by my typewriter. Now my editor/publisher graciously allows me to “find” my characters and backgrounds online and submit sample covers.

It takes hours to discover what I see in my mind and transfer to my computer, but it’s worth it.

Here are some of my favorite Heroes, Heroines, and Villains (Oh My!)

Candace Thatcher and Jeffrey Fairfax from the soon-to-be-released Candleshine’s High Calling. A courageous nurse and a brave Marine lieutenant serve God and their wounded companions while trapped on an island in the South Pacific during World War II. I admire them immensely.

Nurse friends dedicated to serving others at a special Seattle hospital: Jonica in Lamps of Courage. Nancy in Flickering Flames. Lindsey in A Kindled spark. Shina in Glowing Embers. Patti in Hearth of Fire. They stand for the best.

ViIlains from the same series.

Troublemaker Lacy Jones-Duncan, determined to capture the doctor she once scorned. Curtis Barton, the despair of his doctor brother’s life. Dr. Keppler, plotting to ruin the hospital. Racist Schwartz, creating terror for those he hates. Pilot Chales Bradley, stalks Patti.

Lexington Elaine LeClair, too tall, too shy, too over-looked. There is a lot of me in her. I started school when I was five and skipped 5th grade. Not all of my new classmates welcomed me.

Benjamin, the young shepherd stays behind to care for the sheep, then finds the manger at  Bethlehem empty when he finally arrives seeking the Christ-child.

Villains

Darius, the miser, old enough to be Michal’s grandfather, but determined to marry her. Jethro, from whose house Sabra, a servant, flees.

Anne Carroll accepts singleness as God’s plan, until golden-haired Paul Hamilton, wearing the face of an angel, comes into her life. Is he a knight in shining armor, or the worst kind of hypocrite?

Can Anne, who has been raised to “tell the truth and shame the devi;” do so when what she knows can mean ruin to her beloved pastor father? I applaud her steadfast determination to fight evil.

Juli Scott Mysteries

Juli Scott, the heroine in this series, is a lot like me. We are both strong Christians and depend on God to get us through tough times. Juli visits the Skagit Inn which overlooks the Skagit River in western Washington where I dreamed of building a colonial mansion should I ever be rich! We both determined we’d become authors. Juli and her Lunch Bunch love solving mysteries. I’m glad I could join them!

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