Well I'm still working! I'm writing on my YA and getting ready to edit the Carmine novella and in the meantime I thought I'd post a little character questionnaire I did for Irissa, the main character of my YA. It's a Regency-esque romance with lesbians, secondary world fantasy, and a murder mystery (in all likelihood...) As usual I have no outline!
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Irissa (Last name TBA)
1) List four things you like very much – Science, logic, books, reading
2) List four things you dislike very much- mages, religion, ignorance, emotion
3) Did you have a happy childhood? Yes. My parents were very loving, I had all the books I wanted, siblings I cared for deeply and an excellent school.
4) Describe an incident in your childhood that you think most affected you. - I don't like to talk about it but some girls at boarding school fancied themselves mages and summoned... creatures one of them attacked me and it was a horrific incident I don't care to dwell on.
5) Describe your mother and how you feel about her. - My mother doesn't understand me but I know she cares. We disagree on a regular basis and frankly I find her trying at times. She reads silly books and is far too polite.
6). Describe your father and how you feel about him – Father understands me a great deal. He always gave me books on science and philosophy. He has encouraged my education my whole life.
7) what is your favorite pastime? – Reading, translating books from their original languages, and... well, not much else is there?
8) What person do you think has influenced you the most? – My Father. And perhaps my older brother.
9) How do you feel about sex? - Well, it's a normal function of biology. no real mystery to it. Certainly not worth the drama and emotion people invest in it. What do you mean I shouldn't pass judgement because I haven't had it yet?
10) What is your religion and how important is it to you? – Religion is for superstitious fools.
11) What is your philosophy of life? – Ask questions, find answers.
12) If you could have any tangible thing that you wanted what would it be? I would like to keep the seaside cottage in the family.
13) Have you any physical difficulties? - I wear spectacles...
14) What kind of education or training have you had and how did you feel about it? – I have a classical eduction. Speak three languages and read competantly five.
15) How do you think people react to you as a person? – According to my mother I am too impolite. According to my cousin I am too unsentimental. According to my Father I am a bit hard around the edges. According to my classmates I was irascible.
16) What are you proudest of? – My intelligence.
17) What are you most ashamed of?- My freckles? Maybe. According to my mother (again) I have no shame.
18) What is your deepest fear? - Mages
19) How do you feel about food? - I like good a great deal and bad food a good deal less. Almond cake is my favorite dessert.
20) What do you dream about? - Academia.
21) What makes you feel good? - Using logic to solve problems.
22) What do you try hardest to avoid? – People
23) What makes you angry and how do you react? – Ignorance, foolishness, silliness and stupidity. I have no patience for any of the above even in myself.
24) How athletic are you? – Not at all.
25) How methodical are you? - Extremely.
26) What are you chief taboos? – Aren't those akin to superstations?
27) How much traveling have you done? – Unfortunately little.
28) Describe a situation in which you feel you have behaved courageously. - I probably haven't...
29) Do you see yourself as a self-centered person? – According to my mother extremely.
30) Do you see yourself as a loving person? – More sentiment and nonesense.
31) Do you see yourself as a popular person – The opposite but I don't really care.
32) Do you see yourself as potentially having an important influence on the world? - Maybe.
33) How artistic are you? More stuff and nonesense.
34) How do you feel about material things? – I like nice things and I like books and want a nice place to put those books. I'm used to, if not material things at least the respect accorded by my family's standing.
35) What are your plans for the future? – I don't know anymore.
36) How idealistic are you? – That's a stupid question.
37) How realistic are you? – Is there anything else?
38) How successful are you? – So far not very.
39) Name the four things you most often object to in other people. - Silliness, ignorance, sentimentality, and inanity.
40) Name the four things you most often object to in yourself. – When my emotions get the better of me. I don't read people well. I'm not as observant as I would like to be. I'm not as in control as I'd like to be all the time.
41) How gullible are you? - Not at all.
42) How intelligent are you? – Extremely.
43) Do you believe that the end justifies the means? – Frequently yes.
44) How attractive are you physically? – Well, I nave good bones if you can see past the freckles and the spectacles.
45) Do you believe there is anything worth dying for and what led you to this conclusion? – I don't know. Maybe.
46) What do you worry about the most? – Not having enough time to read.
47) What makes life worth living for you? – Books. And quite possibly the almond cake made by my cousin Owenee's chef. And no, I am not joking.
48) What is the difference between good and evil? – I'm not sure.
49) What kind of person would you most like to be? – Smarter than I am now.
50) How do you relate to animals? – Not well...
