Daphne D'Amore

As promised, you get to meet Galen's sister and Julian's first love, Daphne. I haven't decided exactly to what extent they are in love and I am not really sure how it will turn out in the end for them. I'm still deciding. The curse of these two is that they will spend a very crucial year of their lives apart, where they will change dramatically. We'll see how it turns out for them.

Name: Daphne D’Amore

Nickname: None

Age: 19

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 125

Build: Slender, but womanly.

Eyes: Medium blue (darker on the ousides and lighter in the middle)

Skin: Fair with freckles

Hair: Strawberry blonde.

Other Facial Features: Soft, alluring features. Very, very pretty with a quiet sort of beauty.

Occupation: None.

Personality: A little bit mysterious, can hold her own against the boys (having grown up with Galen, after all), outdoorsy, loves to ride horses, play sports and is competitive. She’s a great friend, very loyal and appreciative. She is one of those people, that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t not like her. She’s crafty and can think outside the box.

Background: Born 2 years after her older brother, Daphne grew up around royalty. Her mother always nurtured her and she’s well-rounded in art, music and even some of the sciences. She befriended Sophia de Arques at a young age, but quickly found herself drawn towards Julian and her brother since they were always going on their own little adventures. She learned to keep up with them and later on, because of a competition, Galen drew attention to Daphne which made Julian realize how beautiful she really was. They began to spend more time alone when she was eighteen, knowing that in a year Julian would be leaving. She often wonders if he will actually come back to her or if the outside world will change him.

Greek God Equivalent: Daphne (who isn’t a goddess, but rather a nymph)

Other: The story of Apollo and Daphne is really tragic. Apollo was making fun of Eros for using a bow and arrow, which is a warriors weapon when Eros was merely the god of love. Eros, angered, shot Apollo with a golden arrow and Daphne with a lead one. The golden arrow struck Apollo in the heart and made him fall in love with Daphne, but the lead arrow was made to make Daphne hate Apollo. Apollo chased her, trying to convince her to marry him, which she hated. When she realized that she couldn’t escape him, she told her father, Peneus (a river god), to open up the ground and swallow her or change her form. Her father turned her into a laurel tree. Apollo promised that he would always tend to the tree, using his powers over youthfulness to keep it always green. 

I decided to stick with the name Daphne because I really couldn't imagine changing it from that for this myth. I think the myth is such a great one and shows just how ridiculous the gods act when they are challenged. They are severely childish, so it makes that whole part of them really, really fun. I think that there's a great story behind Julian and Daphne and even though the legend is based on them hating each other, I'm definitely not taking that whole thing into consideration and more just that Julian was struck by her beauty after Galen somehow pointed it out. Daphne would be stupid to not accept Julian anyway. 

Tell me what you think of the D'Amore siblings! I rather like them. I'm sad that I won't get to include them as much as I realized I'd want to. Galen is a great character and I think Daphne will be able to hold her own too. For now, we will have to just deal with Julian and Milo and we'll see where it all takes them.

It's Thursday! Which means I need your questions for tomorrow's Question Friday! Meiri has been giving me some great questions lately and I hope you all can find it in your heart to ask me some too. Otherwise you will have to listen to me ask myself questions and Lord knows that will be boring/hilarious. Let's just not find out. 

LL&P

The Hero's Best Friend

I had to be working on the best friend of Julian and so I finally sat down and worked out who he is and what he's like. Right now, I'm totally in love with him. His history with Julian is just amazing and I will definitely give you more information on that later. For now, I would like you to me Galen D'Amore.

Name: Galen D’Amore

Nickname: None.

Age: 21

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 175 lbs.

Build: Lean, thin, lanky.

Eyes: Deep blue.

Skin: Fair

Hair: Light brown.

Other Facial Features: Angular, very attractive, sort of pretty.

Occupation: Duke after he inherits his father’s duchy.

Personality: Entertaining. He often finds himself in trouble beside Julian. They grew up together since their mother’s are close friends. He is quite the charmer and has a way of always remaining calm in spite of all the trouble they get themselves into. Even growing up, he was the talker for the prince, since Galen was able to talk his way out of next to anything.

Background: Raised among royalty. Galen’s mother is a childhood friend to Claire de Arques. He is not in line to take the thrown unless he happens to marry Sophia (which if anyone was going to do so, it would be him.) He is in the running of suitors for Sophia.

Greek God Equivalent: Eros (Roman Equivalent is Cupid)

Other: His sister is Daphne, which is Julian’s first love. Not quite sure how Galen feels about this just yet. 

You will get to meet Daphne D'Amore tomorrow. I'm making myself work on her too. I already have a physical descriptions of her. I might even tell you the story of how Julian first realized that he even had a thing for Daphne. But, you will just have to sit here and swoon over the awesomeness that is Galen. 


LL&P

Percy Jackson's Got Nothing On Me

I told you I was going to rant about Percy Jackson and the Olympians and I totally am. The reason is, there seems to be a very prominent theme at the moment in movies and books that use Greek Mythology. Now, I don't know when this all started before it actually got popular, but that's just how it all tends to work. I mean, we've been on this stupid vampire kick for a while now. It is how it goes. We always have these trends in movies and books. We are all hoping this vampire thing ends soon.

Anyway, I was talking to my mom about my book and she was asking questions about it. She was wondering about my use of Greek Mythology and wondering if I was cutting it kind of close with all the myths that are going around right now. That's actually a very big concern. If I get in on the trend too late, I look like a knock off. If I come in on it too early, no one wants to read it because they don't have an interest. Then again, I'm taking on a genre that doesn't really get much attention. I'm hoping to change that.

Here's the benefit to using Greek Mythology as inspiration and not directly. I am taking the characters that i develop and linking them up with a myth or god or goddess. For me, this gives me something to compare it to. Greek Mythology created so many major themes in literature. You can't really escape them. There was love and revenge, there was adventure and tragedy. It took the conventional idea of god or gods being all-powerful, all-knowing and perfect beings and turned them into nearly human creations. They did the worst things. They fought with each other and betrayed each other. They fell in love and fell out of love. It was an amazing concept for an ancient culture to have developed. That is why I fell in love with it and that is why I chose it to use it as a base. I'm not taking stories directly from mythology, not completely. There are definitely parallels between my plot and characters and those found in mythology. However, there is nothing new under the sun, as they say. Everything will have come from that in the first place. So, I decided that seeking inspiration from mythology was a good way to make sure that I was hitting very human driven plots.

As for Percy Jackson, I must be the biggest nerd ever. I basically watched the movie and corrected the mythology the whole time. I understand that the author, Rick Riordan, gets creative license and I respect that. I felt like maybe there were things that could have been portrayed better. Unfortunately for me, I haven't read the books yet, but that is on my list of things to do because I'm dying to know how he approached most of mythology. Some of his ideas on the use of gods seemed a little off, but that still could have been the movie and not the actual books. We'll see. I was basically able to predict the entire thing because of the myths that were present and I could figure where it was going because of that. I felt super cool, even if it was super nerdy. It wasn't great, but that's what you get for making movies out of books. I would suggest you go see it if you like mythology. It seems to make more sense that way.

Cross my fingers that I get some work done tomorrow. I need to develop two more characters and I should be able to get writing. The first few captures should be easy enough, its going to be the rest of them when I need to know where Julian is going that I have to wait for my map to be finished. I'm so excited to get that finalized and looked at. Have a great night!

LL&P

Random Update is Random

I was supposed to be posting today and I totally let time get away from me. I have no idea what to post about. I've decided that I need to get serious about naming the kingdom. I've decided that the central castle's location will be up at a higher altitude than the rest of the city/town/whatever it is that I want to call it. It isn't a huge mountain, but it has a panoramic view of the surrounding metropolis (ooh, that's the word I was looking for). Like I said, I've decided that it will be named based on Mount Olympus. It only makes sense right? I thought so.

The whole kingdom will be named after... I have no idea what. I can't decide. Perhaps something involving Gaia, which is the goddess of the earth. I'm not sure. It is going to be hard to name. The cities will be easier once I get going. I really just think that this whole name is going way over my head and I'm trying way to hard. I don't know.

Yeah, sorry. This is all you get today. But good news! I'm getting together with my sister-in-law, who is an amazing artist, and she is going to help with character design and drawing up the map of this place. You can expect to see some art hopefully soon. I can't wait to show you.

LL&P

Question Friday 05

Question friday time! Had a lot of last minute questions, but as long as they are in, I'm good. Here we go.


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1. What is Julian's favorite book/book genre?
This is hard. I actually think that he probably hates books because they go through such an extensive education as kids. He particularly hates history because as the heir to the thrown, he has a lot he has to learn.

2. What's Julian's favorite food?
Errrr... I have no idea. Food in general? You've stumped me.

3. From the following choices, pick the word that describes Julian best:
A) reserved or outgoing: Outgoing.
B) Passive or aggressive: Passive.
C) Logical or spontaneous: Logical.
D) idealistic or realistic: Realistic.
E) confident or a nervous wreck: Apathetic


I would like to add, that I answered those questions based on Julian prior to the quest. He changes after that.



4. What's your favourite movie to watch when you need a pick me up?
I have a list of movies that I put on when I need something fun. They are Stardust, Star Trek, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Pride & Prejudice.


5. What's your favourite appetizer?
I love appetizers. It depends on the mood I'm in. Anything with bread is a good thing.


6. Have you ever seen Lethal Weapon 4? Do you realize I've had the dentist office scene from that movie stuck in my head ever since I saw the title of your blog post last night after I got off work?
Oh my gosh, this is craziness. I haven't seen it before, but I will now have to figure it out to feel caught up with you.


7. Why steampunk?
This is actually a great question and I have a good answer, which makes me feel cool. I wanted to write a fantasy book, but I didn't want to have magic involved, but I did want something with that same whimsical feel. I wanted creatures involved, but I wasn't sure how to do that. My other love is scifi, but I do not have the brains to make that work. Once you get into that dimension, I start to get lost. I knew that there had to be an in between. Something that let me create a world that wasn't our own, but had elements of technology. I needed something very specific and when I realized that steampunk filled both those qualifications, I knew I had something. Steampunk allows me to be a total nerd with gadgets and technology, but still have that fantasy world in mind. I know that adding in the Greek myths is definitely a stretch, but it seems to be a theme right now, so I am embracing it as something that I have always loved. It's a great backbone to it.

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Thanks for the questions! LL&P

The Triplets

Oh. My. Gosh. Last minute post is last minute. Here, read about the Triplets.

Names: Spinner, Parcel and Grave

Nickname: None

Age: Almost impossible to tell. Look extremely young, but must be older.

Height: 5’9

Weight: 130

Build: Lean, slender, young physique.

Eyes: So dark brown you can’t distinguish their pupils, squinted eyes, strangely alluring and frightening.

Skin: Sun soaked skin.

Hair: Straight, cut jagged and short, nearly black.

Other Facial Features: Strangely indistinct. They have average features, nothing making them particularly stand out other than they are all identical triplets.

Occupation: Spinner is the Boatswain, Parcel is the Sailing Master and Grave is the Gunner on The Cartographer under Captain Benny the Hunter.

Personality: Introverted, self-sufficient and hard working. They keep mostly to themselves, but will seem to trust their captain, but not many else. They have a unique relationship with Theron, the hellhound.

Background: No one is sure where they came from. One evening, five years before Rune (previous captain of The Cartographer) died, they arrived at the dock and told Rune that he would be needing their services in the near future. Rune didn’t understand this, but he liked them instantly. They worked hard on the ship. Strange things seem to happen around them. No matter how bad a storm, battle or night they have, they come out of it untouched and always together. Benny has decided they are good luck charms, though they would say they aren’t.

Other: Identical triplet men with the ability to predict deaths, but they don’t share this knowledge and if they do, it’s trapped in cryptic messages and riddles.

Greek God Equivalent: Moirae or The Fates

I can give you all that info, only because you won't know what to do with it or how it applies to the books. I just love these guys.

LL&P

Milo Lycus

Happy Monday! Or...not so happy. I suppose it depends on your stance on Monday. I have a bit of a thing for Mondays because Heroes and House are on Mondays and how can I resist that.  Let's get to it! Today, you get to meet (finally) Milo Lycus. 

Name: Hermilo Lycus

Nickname: Milo

Age: 35 ish

Height: 5’6”

Weight: ?

Build: Short.

Eyes: ?

Skin: ?

Hair: Hidden under a merchant's hat, or perhaps not.

Other Facial Features: Open, trustworthy face. 

Occupation: Thief, merchant, con-artist.

Personality: Scheming, mischievious, self-serving with a strong instinct for self-preservation. Liar, deceiver. Never married, nor have any children, but has worked his way into women’s hearts to get what he needed from them, mostly in the form of money. A master of lying, cheating and stealing.

Background: Born into a poor family in the city. His father could not sustain his children, having there be five of them with Milo in the middle. Milo learned quickly to take care of himself in that environment and ran away from home at fifteen. He doesn’t know where his family went or his siblings. 

Greek God Equivalent: Hermes

The fun part about this guy is that he's hilarious. He's very much the comedic relief and he's definitely a heck of a lot of trouble. You'll notice that I have NO IDEA WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE! It is insanely difficult to pinpoint him. He's this great, dynamic character, but I can't tell you what he looks like. I've been running him through my brain quite a bit lately and I can even give you examples of hilarious things he'd say, but aside from that, blank.

So far I've tried to compare him to actors and such. Originally, he was darker skinned with very dark eyes, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. I've had a few ideas, like maybe he looks more like Simon Pegg, and then I thought that he slightly reminds me of David Anders. Then I had an idea that he might be more like Andrew Lee Potts. But, I am open to anything. SO! I am asking for suggestions. Anything you can think of. I mean, anyone. Even if you are like, "I don't have a face, but what if he looks like this!" and then go on to say some insanely distinct description. The only requirements are what I've got going on up there. 

LL&P

Question Friday 04

Coming to you late because it was a busy day and then I napped for like, three hours. I was tired! It was an early start! Anyway, here they are. Lots of Julian questions today.

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1. So, What's your favourite flower?
My favorite flowers are lilies and hibiscus. I like big, open looking flowers that don't have a lot of petals. They also come in vibrant colors, so that makes me super excited and happy. 


2. Do the de Arques ladies have favourite flowers? Oh, do the god/goddesses represented so far have any flora/fauna associations that might be relavent to characterization?
This cracks me up for some reason. I haven't actually thought about the use of flowers, though that would be a fun little easter egg to hide in there huh? I'm sure there will be a mention of flowers for the ladies at some point. I already have the queen in peacock colors because Hera is represented by the peacock. So, you can see that I do like to have those things in there. 


3. What is Julian's favourite kind of weather?
Sunny, dry, clear out. He likes being able to go out and play sports or go on a ride (I'm sure there's some motorized vehicle he cruises around on that I've yet to create) or go hunting. He does like being outdoors so any weather that allows him to do that. You can bet there will be plenty of rainy, stormy days on his quest because I am in fact evil.


4. What would an ideal/perfect day for Julian be?
Probably all of the above in question three. He'd wake up late, have no plans, call up his closest friend and they would go out riding or hunting or just causing trouble. I see the two of them would probably often get themselves into trouble around the castle. Julian is a bit of a big kid and he's clinging to his youth as best he can. 


5. Does Julian have a favourite childhood memory?
Yes, and it was the day he hit his first target with his crossbow. He loves that thing like it's his own leg. I mean, the guy would die if he didn't have it. It's a family heir loom, given to him by his grandfather. He got it at a young age, but his mother wouldn't really let him use it until he was a bit older. His father then taught him to use it and the first time he ever hit the center of his target, he was sold. It's a memory that reminds him of being a child, while still growing up. 


6. Do you like cheese?
Yes, yes I do. Cheese is amazing. It goes with so many things. It can even be melted on apple pie if you ask my grandmother... I suggest you don't ask her.


7. Does Julian have a special weapon or skill to help him on his quest, or must he depend on his own wits?
All heirs are taught to fight with and without weapons. He can defend himself thoroughly, otherwise they wouldn't trust the poor guys out in the world alone. It's part of growing up for them. He's also incredible with his crossbow. It's the only real skill he obtained naturally. Because he's only so experienced in the ways of the world, he doesn't really know what he's capable of and this quest will put him in situations where he has to explore that. He will heavily rely on others and that is also a lesson that is being taught to him; diplomacy and trust. 


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So that's that. See you next week! LL&P

Princess of [Kingdom]

Continuing with my family theme, you get to briefly meet Julian's sister. I know these haven't been the most interesting posts, but they give you a little bit of info on the other characters in the story, or at least characters I am allowed to introduce you to without giving anything away. Like I promised last week, here's Sophia.

Name: Sophia Helen de Arques

Age: 17

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 110

Build: Slender, elegant, small boned

Eyes: Deep blue and almond shaped, but larger than her mother’s

Skin: Olive

Hair: Waist length, golden dark blonde with a slight wave.

Other Facial Features: Striking features with soft eyes and high cheekbones. Resembles her mother, but more striking.

Occupation: Princess

Personality: Intelligent, perceptive, observant and generally quiet, but has a gentle way of expressing herself verbally. She has a way with words and charming everyone around her. She less gentle with her older brother.

Background: Born to be the crown jewel of the family. She if very beautiful for as young as she is. She does not regret her place in the family, though she would like to choose her own husband as opposed to having to be arranged in a marriage and her mother has tried to make it as easy as possible. She is currently seeking suitors.

Greek God Equivalent: Athena

Uh, yup. That's about it. I can't really think of anything else I was going to say about this today. I will point out, that my dog's name is Sophia and I kinda like it that way. I know she will have a place in the book, but I'm not completely sure how in depth it is just yet. 

Good news, I'm planning on disappearing out of my house for a bit tonight to go sit at Starbucks, get a drink and do some work on this whole thing. I'm not sure what my plan is for tonight. We'll see how it goes over. I'm looking forward to getting out of my house for a while though. Thanks for reading.

Queen of [Kingdom]

So, here you get to meet Mama de Arques. Again, I'm not sure exactly how she looks aside form what I've described down there. Then again, that could change. I don't know. Looks are hard for me right now.

Name: Claire Helena de Arques

Age: 40

Height: 5’6”

Weight: 125

Build: Motherly curves

Eyes: Almond shaped and rich green

Skin: Medium olive, lighter than her husband

Hair: Waist length golden brown and straight, though always in elaborate hair dos under her diadem.

Other Facial Features: Soft and inviting with a quiet sort of beauty.

Occupation: Queen

Personality: Soft, quiet, respectful, traditional, takes her place at her husbands right side always prepared, though that doesn't make her completely unassertive. She is a strong presence in her husbands life and does have quite an influence on him. She loves her children very much and is upset to see her son have to go on his quest to take the throan.

Background: Born the daughter of a Duke, she was always destined to be married off into royalty, though Julian II’s liking of her and consequent love of her was unexpected. She bore two healthy children to Julian II, but was unable to conceive again after their daughter Sophia.

Greek God Equivalent: Hera

Other: Often seen in peacock colors.

I was going to tell you all something else, but now I can't remember what it is. I started watching Heroes and it definitely brainwashed me. Also, Ferris Bueller's Day Off is on television and now it is certainly that my brain will be mush by the end of the day. I think anyone from when that movie was made and on that names their kid Ferris is asking for trouble. 

On an unrelated note, I now have an affiliates list. If you know anyone else that is working on their own art or writing projects, have them contact me and I can list them if they list me. Also, check out the first affiliate. It's amazing. A friend of my older brother is starting a clothing company; for every shirt you buy, one shirt gets donated to someone in need. It takes the charity/clothing alliance to an all new level. I can't wait until they really get started on it. Keep an eye out for them! You can check them out at http://no1without.blogspot.com!

King of [Kingdom]

I've decided to introduce you to the de Arques family this week. So far, none of my characters have faces other than Julian, so you will just have to imagine that they all look somewhat similar to each other. First, I'd like you to meet the King of [Kingdom], our heroes father.

Name: Julian Therius de Arques II

Nickname: None

Age: 48

Height: 6’1

Weight: 200-225

Build: Tall, strong, and broad.

Eyes: Narrow, intense hazel.

Skin: Olive, darker than his son

Hair: Shoulder length and mostly grey covered through previous dark brown hair.

Other Facial Features: Strong features, regal look, weathered skin and wrinkles around his eyes and mouth.

Occupation: King

Personality: Level headed, tradition minded, looks to the future of the kingdom and takes his place in society very seriously, often pushing too far. His intimidating characteristics can only be subdued by his wife.

Background: The fouteenth king of the de Arques dynasty. He completed his journey to the Oracle and his quest in seven months, a shorter period of time than any king before him. He has been the strongest ruler yet, keeping his kingdom well in tact, though there are still oposers of his rule.

Greek God Equivalent: Zeus

Pretty typical, I think for a King/father character. I know that, and I knew going into it that he would seem that way, but he serves his purpose in Julian's life this way. It should be interesting to explore the relationship between Julian and the King since they are different kings of personalities, while still being on the same side. They both want what's best for the kingdom, but Julian is just too young to have the experience and I think that is the only thing that really separates them when it comes to a relationship.

Question Friday 03

Wow, I keep making late posts in the day. I think I average about 5PM though, so it's okay. Things have been going on around my house and I've just now gotten a chance to sit down and write this out. Lots of questions, too.

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1. So, what's your favourite comfort food?

Spaghetti and marinara. It has been my comfort food since I was a kid. It is the only thing I crave when I am sick.

2. What does Julian think of when he daydreams?

Not having to go through with this tradition. He wants to be given the time to go learn about the world on his own without the added pressure of running a kingdom on his heels. 

3. Does Julian have siblings?

Yes. Julian has one sister, named Sophia Helen de Arques. She is seventeen years old and as of Julian's birthday, she is looking for suitors. She remains at the castle while Julian is on his quest, but she will come into play, I believe in the second book. I'm not sure, but I will be utilizing her. More on her later.

4. Does he have a pet?

He does not have a pet that is just his. There are hunting dogs and horses among other things that belong to the royal family, but there isn't anything that he calls his own. 

5. Any thoughts on the climate of [Kingdom]?

I am in the process of drawing a map, actually. The coastal regions range from mild to cool and rainy. Inland there are forests and deserts, but most of the occupied land is around water, whether it be lakes or rivers or even manmade bodies of water. The one thing that there isn't is any tropical climates or rainforest-like climates. Also, I am so referring to it as [Kingdom] from now until I get a name for it.

6. What is your writing process like?

My process changes depending on how serious I am about what I am writing. Sometimes, I just fly by the seat of my pants and go. In this case, I do a lot more planning. I like to write up character profiles for each character that includes precise information on how they look, their personality, their history, their likes and dislikes and any other technical information I need to remember when it comes to writing them into the story. Once I have everyone as detailed as possible, I will write an outline that is a chapter by chapter synopsis. It details the main point of the chapter, what I am trying to convey. I sometimes have more detailed information than others, it just depends on the kind of chapter it is. Often, a chapter is dreamt up from one line of dialogue or a sentence that I want to include and I will build around that. 

I find that I tend to work a little bit backwards. I find one detail that I like and I create the story around that. If I have two details, I will run through every possibility that they have to be connect and go from there. My writing process is very scattered because my ideas come out of left field sometimes. Some of my best ideas I've ever had happened in a grocery store or while shopping. I keep a small notebook with me all the time, just in case. Then, I go home compare all the notes and find the plot inside it. For this story though, the process will be a lot more structured than usual.

7. Did you get character ideas from people you know, other fandom characters or what?

My character ideas come from all over. I find that a lot of times I know that my plot needs one characteristic to round it out. For example, with Julian's sister, Sophia; I knew that somewhere in the family I needed a place that Julian could feel he wasn't being pressured and I wanted a sort of logic and realistic feel to this place. So, I took those characteristics--logic, realistic, familiar, intelligence--and wound them all up into one character. That is what Sophia is. She's a very smart, level-headed, intelligent young woman who is a counter balance at home for Julian. They aren't great friends, but they care for each other. I knew that it would give him a firm foundation. It just worked out that she corresponds well with the goddess Athena. 

Other times, my characters just come to me. Or maybe I have one look or purpose they need to serve in the book. I'm finding that a lot of the characters in this trilogy are created on and around Julian based on my needs to advance the plot. Luckily, I find that my favorite characteristics are easily implemented in this fantasy world and I can use all my loved personality traits and quirks. I will say this, there's at least two characters that did receive parial inspiration from Captain Jack Sparrow. 

8. Do you have faces for any of the characters?

What's funny about this is that I have so many characters to put faces to, but only Julian's came to me and made sense. The rest of them are still up in the air. There's one character in particular, that I could tell you their personality, the way they dress, their scars, their quirks, their fears, their vices, personal details about their childhood and I cannot for the life of me settle on their physical attributes. I can't decide on hair color, hair length, eye color, body type or height. I mean, I know next to nothing about how they look, but I know everything about who they are. Looks are alluding me a little bit for characters, but I think once I get moving on it, they will make a little more sense. For now, we will just have to live with my poor descriptions of their physical appearance.

9. Does Julian have a sidekick/bestie that will accompany him on his travels of epic proportions?

The Quest of Kings does not allow the heir to embark on the journey with a companion. So, starting out on the journey? No. Julian is completely alone, but--and I think I can tell you this without giving away too much, because I want to talk about him--Julian will very quickly gain a traveling companion. I know I've mention Milo Lycus before. He is a very interesting character that nearly gets Julian into trouble... over and over again. I will get to him next week, I believe. He may not be Julian's best friend and definitely not at the beginning, but he definitely occupies the 'sidekick' role.

10. What inspiring/badass music have you been listening to to prepare/write this epic?

Oh man, I dont' even have a good answer for this. I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks when it comes to this kind of thing because I want it to play very clearly in the reader's head when they discover this fantasy land. I've taken to string quartets and also a lot of the metal sounds that are in Hellboy II have been pretty inspiring. Also, the song "Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)" by Arcade Fire has been and interesting mix. They actually use the sound of whistling kettles in the song and I like the image it gives me. If I find anything else I love, I'll be sure to share it with you!

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I hope that feeds your craving this week and that you will survive until next week when I post again. I hope to get some plotting worked on this weekend, God willing. A lot is going on around my house right now, but I am consistently excited about this trilogy and I really cannot wait to share it. Thanks for reading!

Julian de Arques III

I have absolutely no idea what to post today. I'm completely lost and confused and have things to do and need to be cleaning and I'm writing a horrible run on sentence, but you will forgive me because I'm going to make it up to you by posting my (edited) notes on my main character.

Name: Julian Therius de Arques III

Age: 20

Height: 5’11

Weight: 165-185

Build: Lean, muscular

Eyes: Narrow, intense, but not intimidating, dark brown.

Skin: Tan, olive skin

Hair: Wavy, falls below his chin, often pulled back into a ponytail, chocolate brown.

Other Facial Features: Strong, able, defined jaw, narrowed eyes, intense brow, warm smile, and inviting eyes.

Occupation: Prince and heir to the throne

Personality: Free spirited, often argumentative with his family, naïve about the world, young, impulsive, driven.

Background: Born the Third Julian Therius de Arques. Will be the fifteenth son of the de Arques dynasty to rule over the land. He grew up knowing his place in the kingdom and what was expected of him.

Greek God Equivalent: Apollo

Other:

Info: Main character and protagonist. Will be written in his POV.

And of course, some of you who haven't heard already, you will be curious if there is a face that I imagine. Before I post this guys picture, I want you to know that I did not base Julian's looks on this actor. It happened exactly the opposite way. I created the character, then was watching a movie and saw him and maybe it was subconscious, but it doesn't matter. So, this is the man that is JUST FOR REFERENCE! It is just supposed to help you see him, too.

That is all for today. I don't have much to talk about because I'm totally out of it today and getting over being sick and all that fun. Then again, I am making brownies, so that's reason to be excited.