Hearing Voices
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Surprisingly,
one question that’s been posed to me numerous times is, “Do you hear your
characters’ voices in your head?” The answer is, of course. Although not
audible voices, every character I write about speaks to me at one time or
another.
Each
character has his or her own personality, and his or her own habits. Fictional
characters are just as individual as real people.
Yes,
the characters talk to me. Sandi Webster tells me that she wants to be good at
her job, and she’s not always happy when I write that she’s bumbled her way
through a situation, or she overlooked something. She wants to be taken
seriously. I can’t blame her. I feel the same way. She also tells me how
frustrated she is sometimes. Sorry, Sandi, but that’s life.
Livvie
Brewster, Sandi’s mother, is menopausal and when she talks, I listen , no questions asked. I always
hope she’s remembered to take her hormone pills. Martha Workman, Sandi’s aunt,
can be gruff and bossy, but as a retired school teacher she tries to be
tactful. Okay, she’s not tactful, and she’s outspoken. These sisters are often
pushy and take off in their own direction. Their voices can be loud and
demanding.
It’s
a bit different when male characters try to talk to me. They don’t always
understand the women in their lives. Peter Goldberg is an ex-cop and Sandi’s
husband and partner, and he was used to being in charge. He wants to protect
Sandi, and he can’t understand why she’s so adamant about being in control of
her own destiny.
Stanley
Hawks is a meek and mild little man who works for Sandi and Pete and who hasn’t
experienced much in his life – that is, until he met and married Felicity, and
they had a son. All bets are off as he grows and learns. He talks to me about
wishing he could be more like “one of the guys.” I try to help him with his
wish.
The
animals in my books can be especially fun to listen to, but they can be boring,
too. They mostly talk about eating, playing, pooping and sleeping. No surprise
there, but every once in a while they tell me they want to play a real part in
the stories. Bubba and Clementine can be pushy when the want to be, but they do
enjoy watching out for their people.
There’s
a new character on the scene, too (The Accidental Gumshoe – A Sandi Webster
Mystery). Sioux Simms is Sandi’s great-great-great-aunt. She was a teenager
back in 1920. Listening to her voice was a whole new experience since things
were so different in that era. The situations she gets into and the slang in
her speech made me sit up and pay attention.
The
Bogey Man Mysteries is another series and a whole different set of voices,
including that of a young boy. He has to speak a bit louder when talking to me
because I’ve never had a son and I don’t always understand what he wants to say
or do. The dogs in this series are different, too. They have issues they show
me more than they tell me.
Writing
about a bad guy or a victim is one of the hardest things to do. They speak to
me and say things I’d rather not hear – ugly things and sometimes sad things.
I’d rather watch the world through rose-colored glasses, and they won’t allow
that. It’s simply not a rose-colored world and they frequently remind me of the
realities of life.
Do
you ever hear voices in your head? Sometimes they’re just memories or wishes.
Or maybe you should be writing a book. Think about it.
Until
next time, I wish you a week of rose-colored experiences and peaceful voices –
one can always hope for the best.
CLICK HERE to buy mysteries by Marja McGraw.
Just
released: The Accidental Gumshoe – A Sandi Webster Mystery (Aunt Sioux can be
quite entertaining.)
