Behind the Scenes of a Novel-Day 17
Setting the Scene
Bringing in Other Characters
Food the center of the universe. I needed a way to bring Macy into this book. What better way than have her run into Brad and Dani at Eli's restaurant? It is a chance meeting of two old friends, Dani and Macy. It is also a chance for Brad and Eli to meet and Brad to meet Macy. The four of them will have their relationships intertwine throughout the book.
Macy and Eli have been becoming a couple since the first book in the series. Eli is patient with Macy's hesitancy in a relationship. Brad and Dani are rekindling an old relationship. Dani and Macy have a history as college friends. There are many possibilities for how things can develop.
Dani and Macy have years of catching up to do. Brad and Eli are in love with the women so they are patient. The men are also sizing each other up and figuring out if they have enough in common to be friends.Or will they just tolerate each other because of the women they love? The possibilities are endless for how this will work.
Brad had a romantic evening planned, yet when he saw Dani wanted to show her off. Eli had a romantic evening and felt compelled to make Macy's friends feel at ease in his restaurant without telling them he was the owner.
Drinks Among Friends
Building Relationships
Brad and Eli are content to listen to Dani and Macy reminisce. They are also sizing each other up and deciding if they have enough in common to be friends or just tolerate each other for the women they love.
Eventually conversation will come around to Brad's construction business and Eli's police work. Dani and Macy will talk about what they are doing and make plans to meet and get reacquainted. They will also find time to discuss the men in their lives.
The dynamics of the four will drive the way the book goes from here on. Three of them are officers of the court. Two of them share the loss of a friend who was killed at the hands of an abusive boyfriend. Her death was a big factor in the career paths they chose. Both women are insecure in their relationships, for different reasons but insecure just the same. Maybe together they can work through the issues. Time will tell.
They may become involved in Dani's big secret. She already has Brad on board. Will she win Macy and Eli to the project? Again time will tell. The story is building toward a couple of climaxes.
Dani's pet project and two relationships are going to face-off in some way. The underlying currents in the relationships will get in the way and hinder Dani's project. They will also get in the way and hinder Macy and Eli's relationship. Will the foursome remain friends? Will they ever get a chance to become friends? Will they be torn apart by different philosophies?
Relationships in a novel have to be built as carefully as relationships in life. You cannot take them for granted. You cannot force them. To make them work you have to devote time and energy to them. Remember you want your characters to be real, likable, and sustainable. This is especially true if you are writing a series or if you plan to reintroduce your characters at some other point.
If your readers don't believe in your characters your book is sunk. They need human flaws, those who are your protagonists, need to be likable. Those who are your antagonists might have good qualities even though they are out weighted by the bad. If you want your antagonist to be hated make him hateful, devious, underhanded, and down right bad. Above all make him human or lacking in all human qualities so that he/she is a sociopath and your readers can recognize that.
However you build your characters and their relationships, stay true to them. The key to keeping your readers coming back is the realism.
