What characteristics do you like to give your heroes and heroines?

I make my heroes weak and strong. They are weak to the needs of their women and their own needs, but they are strong of mind, body, and character. The men are completely in love with the heroine. They are lusty but of a strong moral character. They are tall, handsome, and rich. The hero can be blond, brunette, raven haired, or red haired. I don't like facial hair and if they ever have any, it will be shaved off quickly. Eye color is gray, blue, or brown.

I make my heroines beautiful, young, and strong. They are strong of mind, will, and character. My heroines are in control of their lives, right or wrong. My heroines are blonde, raven-haired, sandy haired, or red headed. All of them have long tresses. Their eye colors are green, gray, violet, and blue. I prefer my heroines to be virgins and the men treasure them for it.

What does an author do to create a three dimensional character?

Most important to bring a character to life is to feel the character as your friend, neighbor, lover, etc. If the character doesn't feel real to you as the author, you have already lost your reader. Take your characters from real life. The boyfriend you wanted but never could have, that neighbor with a roaring temper. Take personality from real people and put them in the little movie of your mind that you write. 

One important aspect of making character's real is keeping them true to the character. If you have a strong willed heroine. She won't suddenly turn into a wimp. If she is smart throughout the book, she suddenly is going to be ignorant. In your dialogue, you must ask yourself, "Would my character really say this?" Dialogue is very important to make a character real. Too much dialogue without feelings and emotions is just as bad for the reader as too much narrative can be boring and detract from the character. I think characters should deal with emotions as we do. My characters are happy, sad, angry, and more importantly, have a great sense of humor.

What three characteristics do modern men possess that you like to incorporate into your fictional heroes?

The only characteristic I use of modern day men is lustiness. I find little in today's male to use as for any hero in my novels. My historical men are industrious, moral, kind, and thoughtful. They show their strength in their tenderness. Somehow men today don't have any of those attributes. The men in my stories love and care for their children and take responsibility for their family seriously. I really don't see that in today's male specie.

What three characteristics do modern day women possess that you like to incorporate into your fictional heroines?

The one characteristic I use of modern day women is strength. Another is capability. The third is intelligence. Women today still place family first and love first.

How do you go about selecting the name of your characters?

I already have my character born in my mind and the personality is already strong so I go to a name book and find the name that fits the character.

Do your characters write themselves once your book begins?

This is one of the most interesting questions of this interview. The answer is: "Without a doubt!!!" I may have a story and plan laid out but a character takes over and a life begins all on its own. 

I started a story about Bennett Wessex. He is a character in the Geneva Series. He is the son of Lord Braden Wessex and is a very important minor character in the first book, Geneva's Hope. The book was called Geneva's Son. A character came alive and took over the book. Brock Hampton, Bennett's friend is now the main hero and the book's name is Geneva's Force. There is no doubt my characters write the book no matter what my first intentions may be.

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Payton Lee