The Countdown Continues!
Lillian the Librarian
One of the challenges for me when I’m creating a story is finding a career/job for my characters that isn’t repetitive across my novels. If I went by my experience alone, every female character would either be a teacher, stay-at-home mom, or an office manager. Those are the only experiences I personally have. Anything else requires some research on my part. As much as I enjoy the research aspect of writing (and I truly do) I’m always aware that hands-on experience is far better than Internet searches.
That being said, I can’t “become” my characters even for the sake of authenticity. The next best thing is finding someone who has actual experience and pick their brains or ask them to read the portions of my manuscript to see if I’m hitting the mark. If you have, or know someone who has, a unique career, I’d love to hear about it! Maybe you could be my muse for the next book.
When creating Lillian Murphy, main female character (because I always include a male POV, too) in Mayhem and Moonlight, I decided she would be a librarian. Why? Because my daughter happens to be one, and she will read anything I write. At the time I launched into this novel, Nikki was a mobile librarian for Gallatin Public Library here in Middle Tennessee. She drove that van all around town connecting with people who could not easily get to the library—including a lot of children.
Lillian works in the county library in Shelbyville—not a mobile librarian. I needed her to have good reason to connect with Luca’s three little boys, so she became the Story Hour Lady. Just like my daughter, her job did not require a degree more substantial than a high school diploma, which adds conflict between her and her critical mother. Why in the world would Lillian get a master’s degree in library and information science when a high school diploma would’ve been enough? Especially when the pay was subpar? (This is Lillian’s mama talking, not me!) When Nikki landed her job, I was just thrilled that it motivated her and her remote-working husband to move from Louisiana to Tennessee. Anything to have my little girl closer.
But here’s a fun fact. After I turned in the manuscript to my publisher, Nikki (just like Lillian at the end of the story) was hired to work as an assistant research professor for a college, which absolutely required a master’s degree. I felt a little prophetic!
You can still get the ebook version of Mayhem and Moonlight for the preorder price of only $2.99. And be sure to claim your preorder gift by filling out the form from my publisher’s website. Just have your Amazon order number handy. If you prefer the paperback version, it will be available on April 16th and already includes the preorder gift.
