As I edit Secrets (for the hundredth time – or so it seems), two thoughts occurred. One, that perhaps some discussion about some of the characters might be beneficial, and two, some explanation of my reasoning for the manner in which the characters speak. I shall discuss some of the characters in this post.
In Spies & Lies, two characters were introduced into the main cast of the Toth family – Igor and Air Marshall Blackburn. Both moved the plot forward towards my final vision, but they were originally intended as a means to that end. It never crossed my mind at the time that they would become stars in their own right. And, stars they have become. They were simply too interesting to allow them to disappear.
The Air Marshall is a big player in Secrets, as he lives in Paris and has connections to our cast of characters in Spies & Lies, family ties so to speak. Igor shows up in Paris and becomes a more permanent part of the cast.
In the next book in the series, Backlash, Igor becomes one of the main characters, and his appearance cements a strong bond to John, Sara and Ivan, which makes him part of the ever growing Toth dynasty.
Because I began this series more or less in the middle of the books that depict the Toths, one character that shows up in Spies & Lies and recurs in Backlash is Don Preston, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), who is introduced in Choices, the book previous to Spies & Lies. Like many of the cast, he is slightly eccentric and I think interesting. It doesn’t dismiss what he is or what he can do, and he plays a big part in Backlash.
There are two other families that are introduced in Secrets, but they will be highlighted when the next book is published.
Lesson learned. If I create a character to move my plot in a certain way, I’m probably going to like them enough to make sure that I don’t paint them into a corner. They can be redeemed, but it takes a great deal of imagination to do so. And maybe, that’s not such a bad thing.
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