More Author Insight: Inspirational Characters

What fictional character inspires you?

 
"Sal Paradise from On the Road by Jack Kerouac. Sal’s descriptions of his life and the people around him still amaze me to this day. I read it when I was about seventeen and I’ve loved travel ever since. There’s such magic in being on the road. Anything can happen." - Leah Clifford, author of A Touch Mortal.

"Frankie Landau-Banks from E Lockhart's Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is my favorite character ever. She is so fierce and strong and smart and she wants to change the world!" - Daisy Whitney, author of The Mockingbirds.

" Katniss Everdeen.  She’s a great combination of tough and vulnerable and sensitive and strong.  I’d be glad to be like her or just be able to write someone like her." - Jen Nadol, author of The Mark.

 

"I spent most of my high school life wanting to be Lestat from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. I even had wavy blond hair. True story." - Jon Skovron, author of Struts & Frets.

"Boo Radley from To Kill A Mockingbird is a wonderful, pure-of-heart character." - Wendy Delsol, author of Stork. 

"Harry Potter, Pudge from Looking for Alaska, and Katniss from Hunger Games." - Rebecca Maizel, author of Infinite Days.

"Severus Snape. He’s probably one of my all time favorite characters. And just for the record, I pulled for him from book one. I was (and still am) team Snape all the way." - Kelly Creagh, author of Nevermore.

 

"Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice! I want my love interests to be just as interesting and loveable as him.- Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF.

"Lois McMaster Bujold’s hero Miles Vorkosigan never fails to bring a smile to my face. Squashed short and brittle by an accident before birth, this handicapped, hyperactive, but brilliant (and sneaky) science fiction hero has never let anything stand in the way of his goals.  He even spent a significant portion of one book dead and still came out triumphant in the end. He’s my hero!" - Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead.

"John Ames in Gilead. I love his graciousness, his grace, his doubts, his honesty, and his hope." - Ally Condie, author of Matched.

 

"I keep a mental list of characters who’d hate me just for growing up. Ivy Carson from The Changeling, Dulcie Landis from Robert Boswell’s Mystery Ride, and yes, of course, Holden, all reside there. Every time I’m about to do (or write) something hopelessly grown up, I can just see their eyes rolling, and hear the chorus of disgusted snorts and groans. Sometimes I have to talk back to them and say, “Hey, no, you’re all being immature. This really is the right thing to do.” Other times they stop me from compromising my integrity." - Phoebe Kitanidis, author of Whisper.

 

 "I've always loved monstrous guys with hearts of gold. When I was little, I was going to marry Hank McCoy (Beast) from the X-Men, for instance. When I saw Disney's Beauty and the Beast in theaters, I screamed out, "CHANGE BACK!" when he transformed into that ugly, bug-eyed prince. I love the juxtaposition of a hideous exterior with a beautiful, possibly sublime interior (mind, soul, accomplishments, etc.) - I think each amplifies the other in a way that I just can't "get" or appreciate in conventionally beautiful characters. My permanent favorite has to be Erik, the Phantom of the Opera - especially as, in his case, you get the added goody-goody of his redemption." - Lia Habel, author of Dearly, Departed.

 "That would have to be Pippi Longstocking, because she was the first strong female protagonist I encountered in literature. And she did live by herself with a horse and a monkey, refuse to be anyone but herself at pretentious (tea) parties, and apprehend burglars – all skills I admire. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Rogue from the X-Men (the comic version, not the movie version) are close seconds." - Kami Garcia, co-author of Beautiful Creatures.

"I’m sure I won’t be alone here when I say Katniss from the Hunger Games series. She’s selfless and caring and extremely talented." - Denise Jaden, author of Losing Faith.

"Japhy Ryder, from The Dharma Bums, by Jack Kerouac."- Jennifer Hubbard, author of The Secret Year.

On Tuesday, find out how the authors motivate themselves to keep going when they're ready to quit!
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