Cast of Characters and Set Ups

Cast of Characters Waiting in the Wings

The wonderful thing about writing a series, like the Heart books, is that when I come to a point in the current story that I NEED a character to fill a part, I already have them. Do I need a Healer – there’s Lark Hawthorn Apple. Do I need a guard? There’s Winterberry or Cratag Maythorn, or even one of the Vine bodyguards.

Even if the need is more amorphous – I need someone whose Flair (psi power) is a catalyst for others -- I have Marigold. Or someone whose brain isn't quite right...there's little Avellana Hazel. (And yes, those of you who don't read my books, all characters have versions of plant names, even if it's species -- like Zanth/Zanthoxyl, my tough alley cat Familiar).

On the other hand -- in Heart Quest I had a mystery, and Winterberry, NOT of the strongest magic and status, was the hero who would track down the killer. However, in Heart Choice -- the book most recently out, I'd just written about a hero who WAS a tracker. So he had to go. Oh, nothing major or permanent, he just couldn't be in the book.

BUT in one of the many threads I'd also previously set up, my tracker was sent on errands by the Councils, and also performed rescue missions. So he's been away.

Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes threads you've inadvertantly laid down books before are rewoven into a new tapestry. That is the marvel of a series...

Love to all, and may you have brilliant thoughts of good threads today!
Robin