T is for Taran

Taren: "Llonio said life was a net for luck; to Hevydd the Smith life was a forge; and to Dwyvach the Weaver-Woman a loom. They spoke truly, for it is all of these. But you,' Taran said, his eyes meeting the potter's, 'you have shown me life is one thing more. It is clay to be shaped, as raw clay on a potter's wheel.”

One of my favourite children's series is The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander (The Black Cauldron movie is based off one of the books, but is really a terrible representation). Taren is the main character--an assistant pig keeper. That's correct, you read that right. Not even a pig keeper, but an assistant pig keeper.

The assistant pig keeper goes on a dangerous, life changing journey to help resist the forces of the terrible Arawn, along with many loveable companions, including the pig Hen Wen, the furry creature Gurgi, the bard Fllewddur Fllam, and the princess Eilonwy.

Read this series to your kids if you haven't. And to yourself too.

Shout out to blogger buddy T: Tyrean from Tyrean's Writing Spot is a sweetheart who always has a kind word to say.

S is for Smeagol

Sam: "Even you couldn't say no to that."
Gollum: "Oh yes we could. Spoilin' nice fish. Give it to us raw and w-r-r-riggling; you keep nasty chips."
Sam: "You're hopeless."

Every time I read the books or watch the movies, I root for Gollum to choose to help Frodo instead of lead him into Shelob's lair, even though I know he won't! He's got good in him--I know it!

I love how conflicted a character he is, and watching his choices play out in the story. Gollum is a large part of why the ring is so fearful an object--you can see exactly what it could to do you by looking at him. His obsession with the power and how the desire for it consumed his life is a powerful story on its own.

Plus, his interactions with Sam and the funny things he says are great.

Shout out to blogger buddy S: That goes to my lovely CP Vik Lit from Scribblings of an Aspiring Author. She took my comments of her draft in stride and has patiently been awaiting my WIP.

R is for Random

"So cocky little Random was in trouble! I had a feeling it shouldn't have bothered me especially. But now, he was one of the keys to my past, and quite possibly my future also... he was resourceful, shrewd, strangely sentimental over the damnedest things; and on the other hand, his word wasn't worth the spit behind it, and he'd probably sell my corpse to the medical school of his choice if he could get much for it."

From that snippet you might be wondering why Random is one of my favourite characters from Zelazny's The Nine Princes of Amber, and rightly so. He's a selfish brat who only helps out Corwin for his own gain at the beginning, but he is one of the most interesting characters in the series.

He is a sneaky gambler, the youngest of the nine princes with the ability to travel through Tarot cards who are fighting each other for the throne. His journey with Corwin and his decision to support his brother changes him, and that's what makes him fascinating. But I won't tell you more. Go read about him yourself.

Shout out to blogger buddy R: To Rachel Morgan, that lovely author of fairy stories!

Q is for Questor Thews

"Gray robes cloaked the scarecrow form, but they were decorated with an array of brilliant sashes, cloth pouches, and jewelry that left the wearer looking something like a fragmented rainbow pinned against a departing thunderstorm."

Questor Thews is the wizard from the book Magic Kingdom for Sale--Sold! who introduces the main character, Ben Holiday, to his new role as king of Landover. He is not what you expect of a wizard, as you soon find out when he conjures up a dozen embroidered pillows instead of a feast and accidentally turns his friend into a dog.

He certainly makes things interesting! His bickering with Abernathy is a hoot, and the progression of his character throughout the series is a pleasure to read. A bumbling excuse for a wizard he might be at first, but his heart's in the right place.

Shout out to blogger buddy Q: I haven't visited him too much, but Matthew MacNish at the Quintessentially Query Experiment seems like a fine chap with lots of great querying advice.

P is for Pete Latimer

Pete: "Trust me, a whoosh and a twinkle is a lot better than a sizzle and a splat, or worse zzz-zap and ker-chow."

Pete is a brilliant secret service agent, with training from the marines. He likes to work from instinct, unlike Myka who likes to think things through, which is probably partly why they make such a good team.

Pete is my favourite character from Warehouse 13 because he cracks jokes to ease the tension and is a little boy at heart. His playfulness often drives Myka crazy, but I love it. I enjoy the brother-sister relationship that he has with Myka--watching them develop as a team is one of the best parts of the show.

Shout out to blogger buddy P: If you like paranormal fiction, stop by Suzanne Johnson's Preternatura. She's a wonderful lady and I took her course on plotting for pantsers that was fantastic.

O is for Olivia Dunham

Olivia: "Why would they do that? I mean, what would they want with me? What were they doing? Who could they be?"
Walter: "You're like a question machine."

When I first started watching Fringe, I thought Olivia was the most boring character ever. When I finished, I realized she is a kick-ass, awesome hero who can hold her own against supernatural monsters and keep cool during earth shattering events.

Plus, there are two of her--one for each universe. And the Faux-livia is almost as cool as the regular Olivia. Surrounding herself with awesome people like Peter, Walter, Astrid, Charlie, and Lincoln Lee doesn't hurt either.

Shout out to blogger buddy O: To Mel Chesley from Writings, Musings, and Other Such Nonsense (yes, I'm taking liberties with the "O") for being a fantastic gal with geeky tendencies!

N is for Nathan Stark

Stark: "Good job, Carter. Wow, that didn't even leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Carter: "Oh, give it a second."
Stark: "Yep, there it is."

It took me several seasons to realize that I actually enjoyed the character of Nathan Stark from the TV series Eureka. As the main character's "rival," I assumed I was supposed to hate him and did for a while, but then I realized I have fun watching the friction he creates.

He's not a "bad" guy, though he's super smart, good looking, and he knows it. But I think his heart's in the right place. Most of the time. And I can see why pushing Carter's buttons might be fun.

Shout out to blogger buddy N: Nutschell at The Writing Nut is full of great writing tips and helpful comments.