2022 Teen Writers' Rally

Interview with Kara Linaburg // Teen Writers’ Rally Day Two

Heya, TWNers! Welcome back to day two of TWN’s FIRST-EVER Teen Writers’ Rally. We’re kicking-off National Novel Writing Month with back-to-back posts featuring authors, bloggers, and more! Tune in every day for the next two weeks with new posts full of writing tips, advice, and encouragement. Posts go live at 6:00 EST, and if you’re not already, make sure to subscribe to Teen Writers’ Nook via email to receive a notification when the next post goes live. (Form can be found to the right if on a computer or at the bottom of the page if on a mobile device.) And make sure to stay until the end of the post for information about the giveaway running through the entire event! 

I am SO excited to share our first author interview with the one and only Kara Linaburg! Kara is an author of YA fiction, including The Broken Prince and the newly-released novel A Study in Terminal. She has a lot of advice and wisdom to share today so I’m going to stop taking up her time, and let’s jump into the interview! *passes around popcorn and snacks* (Also, my responses to her answers are in black, because I am such a talker and couldn’t help myself. XD)

Thank you SO much for joining us at Teen Writers’ Nook today, Kara! Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your books, and where we can find/follow you online?

I am an author of YA fiction, freelance editor, and bookworm (especially wherein lies angst, light in darkness, and mental health rep). You can normally find me on the back porch sipping hot tea and dreaming about my next book, planning my next adventure, or talking to strangers as though they are old friends. I love writing raw and honest books (I’ve published three!) that show us the beauty that can be found in this broken world… and of course there is normally a guy in leather, lots of teen angst, and some sort of fight (be it sword or with fist). I am on social media under @kara_lynn_author or @karalynnauthor, and you can find all the book and editing info at my website www.thebeautifullybrokenblog.com.

Books that show beauty in the broken world or light in the darkness are some of my favorite to read! And, readers, make sure to check out her books because they are really amazing reads!!!

#2. What first began your love for writing?

Characters and ideas have lived in my head for as long as I can remember, and I love bringing them to life, to answer questions that I have about this world, and try to bring a little light.

#3. Who or what would you say has helped grow your writing most?

Going to college for editing and publishing has been a HUGE push in my career as an author, because it showed me where I was failing and how I could do better. I knew before when plots were off or wording odd, but I didn’t know how to fix it. On top of that, my courses required that I intern with a publisher, which pushed me even further in my craft. I quickly realized it wasn’t just about writing a book, but learning all about my craft and perfecting it.

That’s incredible! 

#4. Can you describe a typical writing session for you? Are there things you do that help you write faster or better (i.e. listening to instrumental music, writing at night/in the mornings, etc.)?

A good, solid writing session for me begins early in the morning with music that goes with my genre. For “The Broken Prince” I spent a lot of time listening to fantasy soundtracks (LOTR, Harry Potter, etc). But then for “A Study In Terminal,” it took a different spin because it is a contemporary about a guy in a gang with a 90s vibe, so I hit up a lot of 90s rock to get me in the mood. I also like to write for an hour straight with no breaks, which I know isn’t for everyone, but otherwise I get distracted and it throws me out of the moment. So normally I am pounding at the keys hardcore for forty or so minutes, just getting the words out and not trying to go back and edit anything.

Ooo I like that idea of listening to music that fits the book. Definitely something I want to try! I have a hard time taking breaks when I’m writing as well. I have gone up to two hours without stopping. XD Usually, I’m just right in the zone and if someone interrupts me or I take a break, it completely throws me off.

#5. The Broken Prince is one of my favorite stories you’ve published. One of the things about this book that stood out to me most were your characters. They are so vivid, authentic, and larger-than-life. What is one of the first things you do when developing your main character(s)?

Aw thank you, I so appreciate it. I attempt to take bits of pieces of real people and experiences that I know and pour them into my characters to make them as authentic as possible, like how Hunter and Serena’s closeness resembles the relationship between me and my siblings. I also attempt to add unique touches to broaden who they are. Random facts, like Milosh in “The Broken Prince” hating the taste of smoking his pipe but smoking it anyway, or bad boy Sean in “A Study In Terminal” eating Lucky Charms on a daily basis. Random facts that make them feel like actual people.

This is fantastic advice! Any of the TWN readers who’ve been around for a while thinking back to a certain post I did in 2020??? If it wasn’t so cringey, I’d link back to it. But like Kara said, that little extra touch for your characters can go a long way. People are so unique with many different quirks or habits, and our characters shouldn’t be any different. Whether it’s Milosh hating the taste of his smoking pipe or Sage’s (The False Prince) neat trick of rolling a coin over his knuckles, it’s the little details that help build your character into something that feels real!

#6. Milosh is probably my favorite character from The Broken Prince. Not only was he well-developed, but I loved how realistically flawed he was. Have you faced any challenges in writing realistically flawed characters and if so, how did you overcome them?

First off, I love that you love Milosh. He is my fave of every character I think I have created yet! Okay, back to the question…

I have to remember on any character (since they are all flawed), that they have good and evil fighting inside them. They love as well as hate, have sorrow as well as pain. When I write with that in mind, it allows me to create a well-rounded person in need of a second chance, not just an evil prince who wants the throne at any cost.

Milosh is up there in the top ten fictional guys I would date if they were real… XD

AnYwAyS. That is a really good thing to keep in mind! I know for me, and readers you might also be nodding your heads in agreement, it’s so easy to place my characters into these, for lack of a better word, “boxes.” My villain is bad. My hero is good. But heros aren’t perfect and make mistakes. Villains have stories and dreams and maybe a tiny little heart in there somewhere. XD It’s something to keep in mind. 

#7. Do you have any advice for a writer struggling to give their characters flaws that are realistic and relatable?

Basically what I said above: we all have good and evil, light and darkness, battling inside – the question is, what side will we allow to take over our hearts? This means that your characters have both good and bad, a motive behind a choice, a backstory behind a decision. Flawed characters won’t just make mistakes, they will have triumphs and joys, dislikes and likes. The fun of creating flawed characters, is using them to show readers who we can become – and that can be an encouragement or a warning. Mark may be a dark knight, but maybe he has a pet raccoon he rescued from the streets and a sister he’d die for… and he loves a cuppa of tea with lots of sugar.. This gives you someone you can relate to. Alexa may have a string of lovers and leave a trail of broken hearts – and no one can sympathize with her on that – but she also loves to watch the stars and keeps the dagger close to her side that her father gave her before he died. This gives you someone you can feel for even if you don’t agree with her choices.

This answer is so perfect!! Yes, just yes! I don’t know about you, readers, but my brain is just spinning with ideas after reading this answer!

#8. Where do you draw inspiration for your characters? From real-life people? Other fictional characters? Somewhere else?

Everywhere. Haha. Just to put it into perspective, I once kept a note file on my phone of things this guy at work would say or do because it was so funny and terribly dorky, and I instantly saw him as a character in my book.

Haha I love that! 😂 

#9. Since we’re talking about characters, I must ask who are some of your favorite characters in fiction?

Oh my gosh, I adore Snape and Tonks from Harry Potter, Faramir from LOTR, Jackaby from the series by the same name, and last but not least (because I am a die hard Sherlock fan) Sherlock Holmes.

Faramir’s my boy. 😂 I really need to read Sherlock Holmes. I feel like he’s a character I’d adore. 

#10. Do you have any advice, encouragement, or words of wisdom for teen writers who want to take their writing seriously?

Don’t just write — learn your craft. Read books about publishing and editing and everything in between. Make friends with authors, join a writing group, listen to podcasts, immerse yourself in everything you possibly can. Don’t overwhelm yourself, take your time as you learn. This was one thing I wish I had done as a young author – took the time to not just write. I was so set on publishing, I missed out on learning and being not just a decent author, but an author well-learned in her chosen career.

Kara is just so full of wisdom, y’all! It is so, so important to take the time to learn about your craft. I know it’s hard to hear to take your time, because we’re all so excited at the idea of publishing, we want it to happen right now. But this time of waiting before publishing is a time of learning and growing, and honestly, it’s something to enjoy. Because once you’re published, you can’t return to this moment of exploring your writing styles and genres. (Y’all, I changed my genre three times before I found what I really loved to write. It’s more than okay to try new techniques and ideas out because how can you know what you will love to write, without knowing what you will not love writing?) I have 100% been there, as a new, young author, excited about the idea of publishing and rushing ahead, but God is teaching me more and more to enjoy the ride to where I want to be. To not be so focused on my goals that I lose sight of the reason I’m chasing them: to pursue what I enjoy doing for God’s glory.

Thank you SO much, Kara, for joining me for this interview!

Alright, readers, I hoped you enjoyed hearing Kara’s wisdom as much as I did! If you did, show your gratitude to Kara Linaburg by buying a copy of one of her books or if you’ve already read them, leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads or recommend it to a friend! Not only is writing books hard, but trying to get your name out into a very competitive mark is just as difficult. So every bit of support means so much to these authors!

During the rally (October 24th-November 5th) Teen Writers’ Nook is running a giveaway. Three winners will be chosen and the winners will win their choice of one of the books pictured below. (Imagine anthology is also included, though not pictured.) This giveaway is open to both U.S. and international entries!

Every post you comment on during the rally earns you an extra entry into the giveaway! To enter with this post comment below and tell me: Who is your favorite fictional character EVER?

Remember to tune in tomorrow for my interview with Chawna Schroeder, YA Christian fantasy novelist of Beast and The Vault Between Spaces.

Does the MC in your book have a quirk? Do you love flawed, broken characters? Does anyone else have a list of fictional people they wish they could date? (Please tell me I’m not the only one. XD) Let’s talk all about it together in the comments below!

Keep on being awesome and never stop writing,

Issabelle Perry

Issabelle Perry is a proud Jesus follower, an extroverted writer, and a homeschool graduate. When she's not writing, you can find her reading, jamming to Skillet, studying history, hunting for Narnia in wardrobes, or envisioning herself wielding a magnificent sword (but due to her clumsiness, let’s hope that never happens). This self-proclaimed exclamation mark enthusiast can be found hanging out at Teen Writers’ Nook, a community of teen authors Issabelle co-founded in 2020. She is the author of Don't Let Me Go (Sky's the Limit Press 2024), May We Make Them Proud (2023), and a co-editor for two anthologies. What she’s probably doing right now is fangirling about her favorite books to random people or scanning the pantries for chocolate.

64 Comments

  • Rylie

    Ohh I loved this interview! I needed that refresher on making characters realistic by adding little random things to them!

    KEEFE. Fav fictional character ever. I LOVE flawed characters so much that I might go a little overboard with them. lol And you know I have a list of fictional crushes. lol

    • Issabelle Perry

      EEEEK THANK YOU SOOO MUCH RYLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Weren’t Kara’s answers just AWESOME?! Yes!! Honestly, me too! I think we can get so caught up in making sure characters have lies and flaws and goals and dreams and fears that we forget the little things. But those are the things that add depth!

      Aaah Keefe is SUCH a great character! I do so love him. I think he’s in my list of top ten fictional crushes. XD I KNOW RIGHt. FICTIONAL CHARACTERS ARE THE BEST. Why can’t they be real??? *sobs* Hahaha ah yes, I do know that. *remembers that post we started doing together*

      Thank you for stopping by!

      • Rylie

        Yessss!!! I usually go a little overboard in making broken characters cause I love reading about characters with flaws, so I hope that’s enough to fulfil the flaws and lies part of stuff. XD

        We really need to work on that more! lollll Ohh if we need to convince mom to post it… we just show her how insane we are anyway in December. lol

        • Issabelle Perry

          Hahahaha, girl, SO DO I. I make up stuff about them that never get put into the books because I run out of room, and those characters in the books always feel so fleshed out that I can’t ever wrap my head around it! I suppose that’s a good sign, right/ That we’re doing something right. XD Hahaha, it sounds like it is!

          WE DO. *puts it on list of things to do* LOL. I don’t think I will need to intentionally try to show her. I think I’m crazy enough she’ll realize it upon instantly meeting me. XD

  • Lillianna Joy

    Hey Issabelle!!! Awesome AWESOME post here – now I’m like super excited for tomorrow’s post!!!!! Super cool that you can interview an indie author like this!!! (And now I really want to go read all her books too XDXD)

    I would definitely say my favorite character ever… in books… is Amaya Hope from Coral by Sara Ella – which is probably my favorite book ever too XD

    And um no, you are NOT the only person with a list of fictional guys they want to date XDXD and the names of mine literally like all start with K LOL

    But I’m curious, who is YOUR favorite character ever???

    • Issabelle Perry

      Hi, Lillianna! D’aww THANK YOU!!!! Without Kara’s incredible answers, though, I don’t think it would be quite as awesome! She was a great author to interview! EEEEK I AM SO HAPPY YOU’RE EXCITED!!!!! Chawna’s interview is one of my favorite! I can’t wait to share it with you tomorrow!!! Yes, I know right?! Indie authors are super awesome!!! (YES YOU SHOULD!!! I recommend The Broken Prince! It’s AMAZING!)

      Oooo that is an awesome character pick!! I have been SO wanting to read Coral for such a long time. It looks like it’s a fantastic book! Plus Little Mermaid retelling? YES PLEASE! Ooo really? That’s AWESOME! Now I REALLY need to read it!

      Phew, that’s a relief that I’m not the only one. I KNEW there would be someone out there like me. XD LOL. K’s such a great letter for a name, though. There was one book I wrote where like almost everyone’s name started with either a K or a C and I didn’t even realize it. XD

      Aaaah this is SUCH a hard question. Must I only pick one? *begins to understand the difficulty I put everyone through* Can I choose the MC of one of my books? Because, ah, do I love him! I can’t? Alright, if you insist. I guess it’s either Sage from The False Prince, Alexei from All Fall Down, or Colin from The Princess Spy. Those three are my picks mainly for nostalgic reasons. XD

      Thank you SO much for stopping by!

      • Lillianna Joy

        Yes lol I guess you’re right XD AGHHHH YAY *runs off to go check out both Chawna’s interview and The Broken Prince* I like for real really want to read it now!!!!!

        Oh my word YES – go read Coral!!!!!! It is an AMAZING book and by far one of the most beautiful and like aesthetic and cozy – but also very rough and hard – books I have ever read XD IT’S SO GOOD!!!!!!!!

        Hahaha no you are NOT the only one XDXD and oh my YES K names are just *chef kiss* so good XD

        OH MY GOODNESS SAGEEEEEEEE I LOVE HIM!!!!!!!!!! I would DEFINITELY agree with you on him XD But um YES you can pick your own character XD Sage though I mean – he’s hard to beat XDXD

        Of course!!! Super excited to go read Chawna’s interview now!!

        • Issabelle Perry

          Hahaha, I am always right except for the times when I’m not, lol. 🤣 WOOHOOOO!!!!! ENJOY!!!!!! AAAAAAHHH!!!! *tries to hand you my copy through the internet* *wonders why virtual books can’t work like this*

          YESSS!!!! Again, the virtual book thing SHOULD work like this. You hand me your Coral copy through the internet and I hand you my copy of The Broken Prince. But alas, it doesn’t work. *pouts* Aaaah I bet so! It seems like it would be super amazing! AAAAH I REALLY NEED TO READ IT NOW!!! *moves it up on TBR*

          Yes! That’s a relief. XD THEY REALLY ARE!

          WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!! FELLOW SAGE FANS UNITE!!!!!!!!! *pumps fist in the air* YESSS!!! I knew I liked you. 😂 Any friend of Sage is a friend of mine. ;P YAAAAY!!!! I am glad because the MC in my WIP Project: Defender is hands-down my favorite character ever! Hahaha FOR REAL.

          Yaaay!!!! I hope you enjoy it. <3333

  • Penelope

    I feel so inspired right now!!! As soon as I finish typing this comment I’m gonna go write cause… that was just AMAZING. I haven’t felt this inspired in a really long time and it’s so refreshing. Thank you SO much for sharing, Kara!!! Also, can I just say I LOVE your hair?? It is so pretty!! <33 And I actually have a note file full of random details about people that i thought were funny. XD (thats not creepy right…*nerves laughter*)

    Issabelle Perry. How do you expect me to choose just ONE character??? That question should be illegal. XD uummmm… I'm gonna go with Sage from The False Prince cause you can never go wrong with him, but you should know that it took a good thirty minutes to finally choose him. I have SO many favorite characters though. I really need to make a list.

    And i do have a list of Fictional characters i want to date. A very long list actually. XDD

    As one quirks, I haven't added it in yet, but i really want the tough, angsty guy in my currant WIP to have a super cute, fluffy cat named Lavender, Avacodo, or Muffins. I cant deside. For now, thats the only quirk that I'm sure is staying so thats all I'm gonna share. XD

    And yessssss I adore broken and flawed characters!! They give books so much more depth and those are the books that end up touching me most. I'm not very good at writing them yet, but i would definitely like to incoperate them more into my writing in the near future.

    • Issabelle Perry

      WOOHOOOO!!!!!!! So that means the plan is working? XD YESSSS THAT’S WHAT I LOVE TO HEAR. WOOHOOO!!!! GO PIPPI GO!!!!!!! *sends motivating chocolate* THANK YOU!!!!! Aww, that just makes me BEYOND happy to hear that! This was exactly what I was hoping for, so I am SO glad to hear it’s working!!! Hahaha I love y’all with the note file stuff. XD I should really try it sometime!

      Um… I realize now that I didn’t think this whole thing through. XD LOL. Okay, fine, I shall grudgingly admit that this was a difficult question and, yes, it should be illegal. XDDD YES!!! LOL, that is literally me ANYTIME someone asks for a favorite character. Sage is like my go-to answer because I can’t pick a favorite and like you said, you can’t go wrong with Sage. XD Hahaha well that was thirty minutes well spent. XDD GIRL YOU SHOULD!!!!!!! And I want to see that lists!! I am curious now. XD

      WOOHOOO!!! I KNEW I WASN’T THE ONLY ONE! *high fives* XD LOL. Oh man. It’s a miracle I managed to get it down to ten. XD

      Tough angsty guys seem to be all the craze! Ah, but I do so love those character types. *fangirl in me is getting very excited* AAAAH I LOVE THE SUPER CUTE FLUFFY CAT IDEA. PENELOPE YOU ARE A GENIUS!!!! And my vote is Avacodo. Just sayin’. XD It’s a fun word to say. XD Well, thank you for sharing!!!! <3333

      YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!! *heart melts for all the broken and flawed characters I'm thinking about right now* THEY REALLY DO. They just draw your heart so much deeper into the story. I'm certain you're better at writing them than you think, and that is awesome! I am totally for that. XD You've got this!!!

      Thank you for stopping by!

  • Corrie.S.P

    That is true about characters! Giving them a silly habit or something grabs my attention. I would probably do the same if I came across an interesting person. I usually try to use my sisters or my friends as inspiration in my little writing dabbles. My latest story was one about fairy foxes.
    How can you ask such a thing Issabelle????!!! How could you make me pick a favorite character!!! I will just uno reverse that to you! Who is yoursss??🤨🤨🤔🤔 (take that!)
    I really like side characters that help the maines find the answer to problems though.
    Does the MC in your book have a quirk? My wittle characters are not very developed so no they don’t, (yet). But one of my favorite character quirks is Poirot, Agatha Christie’s detective’s. He always straitens things in people’s houses or on their mantle places when he is thinking or pondering, or frustrated.
    Do you love flawed, broken characters? I do, the villains in “the land of stories” series have the saddest backstories ever!
    Does anyone else have a list of fictional people they wish they could date? Nope🤣

    • Issabelle Perry

      Yes, it is!!! I know right! It is awesome when authors choose to do that! Ooo that’s a good idea to use your sisters and friends as inspiration! OOOOOO fairy foxes?!?! That sounds AWESOME!!!!!
      Ummmm… I clearly did not think this question through. XD I AM SORRYYYYY. Oh, man, I guess I do deserve this uno reverse. Aaaah, I can’t pick just one character. It’s SO hard. *regrets asking that question now* I’m just gonna use my go-to answer which is Sage from The False Prince. XD
      YESSS I LOVE SIDE CHARACTERS! They’re usually the less annoying ones….
      Hahaha I love the inclusion of yet. That’s the right attitude!!! OOOOO he DOES sound like a super interesting character!! I think I would love him a lot!! *makes not that I need to read an Agatha Christie story*
      YES!!! Awww, I love it when villains have such sad and heartbreaking backstories. My little fangirl heart goes crazy.
      Ah, so I see I’m all alone over here.😞 XD
      Thank you for stopping by!

      • Corrie.S.P

        I spend tons of time with them so they are a likely source of info.
        Yes…. The fairy foxes….. I posted that story on m blog actually if you want to read it. I got second place in a contest with it too.
        I have never read The False Prince, but I have heard a ton about it. I put it on hold at the library. I will see if I like it!
        The side characters are sometimes much more interesting. Like Rumpelstiltskin from The Land Of Stories?!! His story makes me so sad!
        How dare you not have read Agatha Christie!! I put a reading curse upon you! MWhahahahahah😈📕📖📗📘📙📚🔍
        I’m sure you are not the only one with list of imaginary boyfriends😂
        YW! I am loving these posts!

        • Issabelle Perry

          Hahaha, that makes total sense!
          Ooooo I would LOVE to read it!!! Can you send me a link to the post? Woohoo!! THAT IS AWESOME! You go, girl!!!! *shoots out confetti*
          AAAAAH GIRL YOU NEED TO READ IT!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you enjoy it!!!! You must love Sage! He is my boy. XDD
          THEY REALLY ARE! I never can understand why. Aaaah he sounds like an EPIC side character!!!
          Would it make you feel better if I said I was really, really sorry???? It wouldn’t? Oh, well, then I guess I’m doomed. XD
          Hahaha, yeah, I’m sure there is someone out there who is as crazy and weird as me. XDD
          Awww that makes me SO happy to hear that! Thank you SO much, Corrie!

          • Corrie.S.P

            Sure, although I warn you, it is cringy, I wrote it over two days….
            Here: https://miraculushomeschool.wordpress.com/2022/10/21/the-fox-garden-drawingallday/
            I picked the book up at the library Wednesday. I will read it as soon as I finish TLOTR, I am reading those right now.
            He is not a huge part of the books, he is only in one, and he is the kinda henchman of the villian but he is not mean, it is so sad!!😭 You will have to read that series sometime!
            Oh alright, such a touching apology requires me to lift the spell🙄😂
            Yw!

            • Issabelle Perry

              NOOO I LOVED IT CORRIE!!!!!!! The story was so fun and such a creative idea!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!!
              WOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!! YOU MUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU START IT!!!!!!!!!
              Yes, I will definitely have to read it sometime!!! He sounds like a great henchman for a story. I think I would like him!!
              Hahaha, yaaaaaay!!!! XD I knew the touching apology would work. XD

              • Corrie.S.P

                Heeeheehehehehe, I am glad you likee!
                I shall, I finished my murder mysteries and now I am halfway through the lord of the rings 2nd book. I will probably start it when I finish that one.
                My sister just read that book in the series and she was so sad about his part.
                I am defeated…..😵💀

  • Kaley Kriesel

    Incredible character advice! I definitely have to go grab some of her books now!

    My favorite fictional character is Keefe Sencen, Peter from Dust, Tristian from the Girl Who Could See, or Joseph from Orbiting Jupiter. I love them allllll.

    • Issabelle Perry

      YES I KNOW RIGHT!!!! Kara just has all the great tips over here!!!! YESS!!!! You should!!! She’s a great author!

      I LOVE KEEFE, PETER, AND TRISTIAN!!! *high fives* And Joseph sounds pretty cool, too, I can’t leave poor Joseph out just because I haven’t read his book yet. 😉 Those are some great fictional characters, Kaley!

      Thank you for stopping by!

  • Lillian Keith

    I loved this interview, guys! I especially loved the tips on how to create flawed characters!

    Oh man, my favorite fictional character? For books, I’d currently say Letta from The List (a recent read that I really enjoyed) and for movies, Lucy Pevensie 🙂 (Or for tv shows, Sherlock and Watson! Lol. I have many favorites).

    • Issabelle Perry

      THANK YOU LILY!!!!!! Didn’t Kara have so many great answers? Me too!!! They were AMAZING tips!!!

      Oooo that book sounds super awesome! *googles it* AAAHH I LOVE LUCY PEVENSIE!!!!! She is such a gem!!!! Haha, yes, picking just one favorite is SO hard. I should’ve realized that before I asked such a question. XD Thank you for stopping by!

  • Mary McMinn

    This interview was great! I am very much interested in Kara’s books now! My favorite fictional characters would have to be Legolas (who I also used to wish I could date), Susan (from Chronicles of Narnia), and I am SOOO with Kara I LOVE Sherlock Holmes!

    • Issabelle Perry

      THANK YOU MARY!!!!!! YESSS!!!!!! I would definitely recommend The Broken Prince from her. Ah I just adored that book! Especially Milosh. XD AAAH LEGOLAS IS THE BEST ANSWER YET. I can’t believe I didn’t even think about him. *facepalm* I LOVE LEGOLAS!!!! (Hahaha we might have to be fighting over him. XD) Ooo Susan is a really awesome character too!!!! Clearly, I am missing out on this Sherlock Holmes stuff. XD *needs to read the books* Thank you so much for stopping by!

    • Issabelle Perry

      Awww, I am SO happy to hear that!!! <333 Kara did have such fantastic characters!!! YESS!!! Me too!!! Broken, quirk characters are hands-down THE BEST. *high fives* Thank you so much for stopping by!

  • Gemma

    Love the post! Favorite fictional character ever? Hmmmmmmmm………. I feel like I’m leaning towards Galadrial though Keefe Scencen is up there too.
    I hope my MC is flawed. Yes I loved the flawed, broken characters.
    And no you’re not the only one who has a list of fictional people you want to date. 😂 Now I feel better.

    • Issabelle Perry

      THANK YOU GEMMA!!!!!! I am SO glad to hear that!!!! Ooo those are two AWESOME picks!! I really love Keefe so much, too!!! Haha that sounds like my response if someone were to ask me about the MC in my book. XD YES THEY ARE THE BEST!!!! I love them a lot, too!!! Hahaha, phew, what a relief. XD Haha I feel better, too, now. XD Thank you so much for stopping by, Gemma!

  • ✨Chloe✨

    Ngl, I really want to read The Broken Prince now! Just by the advice alone that Kara gave I can tell it’s going to be an amazing book! Stories always draw me in when they have realistic characters, and I appreciate when authors spend lots of time building their people in their stories! (Example of this is Sage, from The False Prince, my, by far, favorite character!!)

    This was some amazing advice, so thank you Kara and TWN!! <3

    • Issabelle Perry

      Hehehe so I suppose my work here is done? You’re welcome in advance to all the books I am probably adding to your TBR. XD IT IS AN AMAZING BOOK!!!!! I think you’d love it! I know right! Me too! YESS!!! I mean characters make or break a book in my opinion. You want a great book? Take the time on your characters! This is the one area you do NOT want to rush in. (AAAH I LOVE SAGE!!!!! He is an AMAZING character. So vivid and fresh and unique!)

      Yaaay!!! I’m SO happy to hear that. You’re welcome! And thank YOU!!!

  • Elise

    I feel so inspired after reading that! Giving characters little quirks is realy realistic and awesome it makes me feel like that person is actually alive! My favorite fictional charcter would have to be Greg Heffly from Diary of a Wmpy Kid.

    • Issabelle Perry

      Yaaaay! I am SO happy to hear that, Elise! That’s exactly what I was hoping for! I know right?! Isn’t it awesome when authors do that??? Those characters always feel MUCH deeper!! Aaaah I LOVE Greg Heffley! The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series are my favorite graphic novels of all time!!!!

      Thank you SO much for stopping by!

  • Lorelei Angelino

    I LOVED reading this interview! So helpful and fun!

    Oh, please don’t ask me that question….my favorite fictional character…AGHHHHH… Books: Carswell Thorne or Alexei from Embassy Row or Artham Wingfeather or Katie Weldon or Sage or Mr. Darcy… Movies: Prince Caspian, William Turner, Peter Parker, Wanda Maximoff, Captain Rex (#guilty clone wars watcher), Aragorn…the list goes on and on and on FOREVER.

    Girl, all the fictional characters I wish I could date couldn’t even fit on a list….

    • Issabelle Perry

      AAAAHH I AM SO GLAD!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH LORELEI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3333333 YES! I am BEYOND happy that it was helpful! I was hoping it would be. <333 Kara had SUCH fantastic answers!

      Oops I AM SORRY. I should've thought twice about the question. Several of y'all have pointed out my terrible question idea. XD Why didn't I remember this was fangirls I was talking to????? XD OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE ALEXEI AND MR. DARCY!!!!!!!!!! I want to marry either one of those two. *sobs because they're fictional* AAAH I LOVE PRINCE CASPIAN AND WILL TURNER TOO!!!!!!! More people I would date. And don't get me started on Aragorn... This was a FANTASTIC list, girl!! And I feel you about it going on. And on. And on. And on. XD

      Hahahaha, hey, girl, you keep yourself open to all sorts of options. XD

      Thank you for stopping by!

  • Liz

    I love love love this post!! Great interview ☺️

    NOOOOO!! How could you ask that?! In no specific order: Caspian from Narnia, Chess from The Curious Realities, Solomon from Out of Time, and Aragorn from LotR. Who is yours??

    • Issabelle Perry

      EEEEEEEK THANK YOU SO SO SO SO MUCH LIZ!!!!!!! Kara’s answers were just fantabulous!

      I knowwwwww. I asked the worst question in the entire fandom world to ask. XD I’M SORRYYYYY. I will be rethinking all my question ideas from here on out. XD AAAH I LOVE CASPIAN AND ARAGORN!!!!! I can’t wait to read Out of Time, and I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on this Solomon character. 😉 Aaah this really IS a hard question. *regrets my question even more now XD* Okay, let’s see. I love Sage from The False Prince. Thomas from Fawkes. Alexei from All Fall Down. Legolas from LOTR. Edmund from Narnia. Thoraben from Heart of a Royal. Grey from The Spice King. Okay I need to stop now. XD We could be here for hours. XD
      Thank you SO much for stopping by, Liz!

  • Mary

    WOW. #7 just…super resonated with me. *rereads it like 5 times* Okay, my characters are literally going to be so much better now, THANK YOU.

    Ahh choosing a favorite fictional character! So hard!! I saw Keefe’s name mentioned in the comments a few times and I gotta say, I’m all for that. I also love Sage. Also, like, 2 million other characters, but I should stop naming before I’m here forever 😂

    • Issabelle Perry

      YES! I know right! Number seven was like hands-down my favorite answer from this interview. GIRL I WAS LEGIT THE SAME WAY WHEN I READ HER ANSWER!!!!!!!! I was struggling with a character actually at this time, and it was like the coolest revelation ever suddenly hit me. I used her advice (cuz the perk of being the organizer meant I got to read it back in September) and my characters feel SO much more awesome now!!! *high fives*

      I KNOWWW!!!!! I realized when the first comments came in that I should’ve picked another question. *facepalm* Nice going, Is. XD YES!!! I LOVE Keefe and Sage! They’re both two great character. LOL. That is so relatable. XD

      Thank you so much for stopping by!

  • Joelle Stone

    This is a fantabulous interview. Seriously. XD Her advice is GOLD and your added comments are the BEST!!

    As for my favorite fictional character ever, I can’t choose just one. But Peter Pan has always been high on the list. I can’t tell you how many times he’s shown up in my dreams, which alone should prove that he’s in the favorites ring. 😛

    • Issabelle Perry

      THANK YOU JOELLE!!!!!! Wasn’t Kara’s answers just the best??? I KNOW RIGHT. I LOOOOVED reading her advice!!! I’m SO happy you liked it. Awww, thank youuuu. <333

      I know, it's so hard to pick just one. What was Issabelle thinking? *facepalm* OOOO I DO LOVE PETER PAN!!!! I think he has such a fun character!!! Hahaha, that's awesome. I love that!! Yes, that's all the proof you need! XD Thank you for stopping by!!!

  • Faith Quelle

    Flawed, broken characters are the BEST!!!!

    I love Sam Gamgee and Bilbo Baggins (movie version), and Errol Stone from The Staff and the Sword series by Patrick W. Carr (*is happy with the alliteration in that title*), and… yeah. I haven’t made a list of fictional guys I should date, but I probably should. *is thinking now*

    Also, can I just say that ma boi Jarek from my current WIP is TOTALLY ON THIS LIST?!?!!!!!!! ‘CAUSE HE’s JUST INDISCRIBABLY AMAZING AND I CAN’T EVEN—

    Also, this was great! Thank you SO MUCH for this AMAZING advice!!!

    • Issabelle Perry

      YES. THEY. ARE. *high fives*

      Aaaaah SAMEWISE GAMEGEEEEE!!!!! I Love him SO much. And Bilbo is such a great character too!!! Errol Stone sounds awesome. LOL. Yes, the alliteration IS epic! I’ve seen that book going around a lot, but I’ve never read it. I MUST CHANGE THAT!!!! LOL. I am brining you over to the obsessive over fictional dudes side. XDD BUT YES YOU SHOULD MAKE THAT LIST!!!!!!!

      AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH THAT IS AWESOME THAT YOUR OWN CHARACTER IS ON IT. JAREK SOUNDS EPIC AND NOW I REALLY WANT TO READ ALL ABOUT HIM IN YOUR BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ya gotta love a character who is just nothing but pure awesomeness!

      YAAAY THANK YOU!!!!! Kara nailed those answers perfectly!!! And you’re SO welcome!!! Thank you for stopping by!!!!

      • Faith Quelle

        *now wants Izzy to give her her own list so she can read all the books and fangirl over the characters*

        *falls on knees and begs ’cause she wants it so bad*

        *cries into cruel Issabelle’s skirts*

        ahem.

        YES!!!!! GIRL, GO READ IT! IT’S LIKE THE BEST SERIES IN THE uNiVeRsE!!!!!!!!!! It’s Christian-y with a really cool analogy of the Trinity and with AMAZING characters!!!!! It’s so goooooooooooooooooooddddddddddddddddddd….

        • Issabelle Perry

          Hahaha, ya know, I think that would be a great post on TWN!! Sharing the much-wanted list of all my fictional crushes. XDD Until then, it’s a secret. *evil laugh*

          Aw, well, since you’re begging. XD

          Okay, so the list is far to long to write in a comment but this is some of it: Sage from The False Prince by Jennifer A. Neilsen. Alexei from All Fall Down by Ally Carter. Thomas from Fawkes by Nadine Brandes. Thoraben from Heart of a Royal by Hannah Currie. Keefe from Keeper of the Lost Cities. Legolas from The Lord of the Rings. Grey from The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden. Colin from The Princess Spy by Melanie Cellier. MR. DARCY from Pride and Prejudice.

          YESSSSSS I WILL DEFINITELY TRY TO GET MY HANDS ON A COPY. IT SOUNDS SIMPLY WONDEROUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Emma

    Ahh I adored this interview! I seriously need to read Kara’s books, they’ve been on my TBR for way too long. XD Her advice was so helpful and especially points 6,7, and 10 were just *chef’s kisses* so incredible!

    Who’s my favorite fictional character ever? Ugh, that question is so hard!! XDD Especially since most of them are ones that I wish I could date. XP Mmm well I’m seeing a lot of people saying Sage and of course I have to agree with that, and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice is also one of my favorites…oh oh oh and I could I forget Nikolai from Untold?! *squealing* I have so many others, but I’ll stop there. XD

    • Issabelle Perry

      AAHHH THANK YOU SO MUCH EMMA!!!!!!! I am SO happy that you did!!!! YES, GIRL YOU DO. Hahaha. This is life telling you to move them up on your TBR. Her books are AMAZING!!!! YAAAY!!!!! I’m SO glad you enjoyed it. I LOVED her advice for those questions, too! They were just spot-on! *chef’s kiss* XD *just now realizes you wrote chef’s kiss, too* Twinsies. XD

      I know. I’m sorry. XD LOL GIRL MY FAVORITES ARE ONLY THE ONES I WISH I COULD DATE. YES I MEAN OF COURSE. This IS Sage we’re talkin’ about over here! EEEEEKKK GIRL THAT IS THE MOST PERFECT PICK EVER. OH MY GOODNESS I JUST ADORE MR. DARCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAH AND NIKOLAI. I cannot believe I forgot about mah boy Nikolai! *facepalm* Hahahaha, thank you for sharing. XD

  • Sarah Twilight

    Yesssss!
    I love adding little likes, dislikes, and quirks to my characters! It really makes them feel touchable. For instance, my girl MC from my WIP likes Kdrama’s and takes note when someone is taller than her, my male MC from that WIP is an avid reader of comics from Marvel to manga, and one of my MC’s from my upcoming NaNoWriMo WIP gets nauseous from the smell of smoke because of trauma. It’s honestly super fun to do.
    Great interview!!
    Keep writing!

    • Issabelle Perry

      YES SARAH SAME HERE!!!!! It’s one of my FAVORITE parts when it comes to developing characters. (Besides the tragic backstories… *evil laugh*) I know right. I 100% agree!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH I LOOOOOOOOOVE THOSE LITTLE QUIRKS AND TRAITS FOR YOUR CHARACTERS. THEY SOUND SOOO AMAZING AND REALLY DEVELOPED!!!!!!!! And good luck with your NaNoWriMo WIP, girl! You’ve got this!!! *waves pom poms and cheers you on*
      Thank youuuu!!!! I’m SO glad you enjoyed it!!! =)

  • Katja Labonté

    GAH OKAY THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD STUFF IN THIS POST. Characters being well rounded. Learning editing and publishing helping with writing. Did I mention HOW TO WRITE RELATABLE CHARACTERS—!!! yessss this is all so good. I enjoy discovering the quirks of my MCs! My favourite right now has a habit of consistently slamming doors and it’s so much fun to bring comedy to any situation by that quirk and to sneak in reasons why that habit causes him grief sometimes… XD And as for flawed, broken characters, they’re hands-down my favs (like Brian de Bois-Guilbert from Ivanhoe *cough cough* yeah he might be my fav in the whole book *coughs again*) and if they have a redemption arc, then I will love them forever…

    So, yeah. This was a splendid post. <3

    • Issabelle Perry

      AAAAAAH GIRL THAT JUST MAKES ME THE HAPPIEST TO HEAR!!!!!! Bringing post with quality advice is exactly what I was aiming for!!! YES, we did cover a lot in this interview!!! AAAHH THANK YOU GIRL!!!!! Kara had some simply fantastic responses from this interview! I walked away learning SO much! EEek, me too!!! It’s one of my favorite parts of developing characters. I just love digging into the little things that make them feel so real and more than just a stereotype character! LOL, girl, I LOVE that! You’re a genius! OOOO I bet that does bring a lot of fun comedy in it!!! Your character sounds AWESOME! YESSS MINE TOO!!!!!! OOOOOOO that character sounds amazing! *googles him* Aaaah, I must agree with you!!! I am SUCH a sucker for a good redemption arc in a character!!!
      Aww THANK YOU!!!! I am SO happy you enjoyed it!!!

  • Katja Labonté

    Man, I did a bad job of remembering all the comments I had to make. My favourite fictional character ever is Dym Ingleford from Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery which is my favourite novel EVER… Dym is such an inspiration to me. He is the wonderfullest older brother I’ve ever seen. His strength and love and justice cause his whole family to revolve around him. The hard things he’s come through only made him more patient and wise and understanding and kind. He understands the cost of duty; he is willing to do the right thing no matter the price; and he trusts God in everything. I don’t think I have enough words to explain fully what a steady, comforting person he is to me… <33

    • Issabelle Perry

      Hahaha, no, you’re all good, sister!!!! OOOOOOOOOOO That book sounds fantastic!!! *goes off to google it* Oh my goodness, that book sounds SO GOOD!!!! I really want to read it now!!! *adds to TBR* And Dym sounds so cool!!! I love that he is such a great older brother cuz we definitely need more of those in fiction!!!! Awww, now you’re really selling me into reading this book. I ALREADY LOVE DYM SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!! He sounds like the bestest character ever!!!! And I love that he’s had such a deep impact on you. Those type of characters are the best! Thank you so much for sharing!!!

  • K.R.Mattson

    Favorite fictional character…Holder from DECIEVED by Madisyn Carlin. He’s such a sweetie and has so many problems that just have to be solved but can’t. That boy nearly tore my heart out!

    Ha ha, characters to date? No. They are fictional and will remain so. I intend to keep my heart for the real deal. Although, just to get on my brothers’ bad sides, me and my sisters have eluded to the idea that I was dating a guy named Simon Lee (a character from P.D.Atkerson’s writing.)

    • Issabelle Perry

      This is the second comment I’ve replied to today that mentioned Deceived by Madisyn Carlin. I think it’s a sign that I need to drop all the other books on my TBR and go read this one.🤣 But honestly, HOLDER JUST SOUNDS LIKE PURE AWESOMENESS!!!!!!!! I clearly need this fictional dude in my life. Like right now. *glares at insanely long TBR* XD

      Hahaha, that’s smart focus on the real deal!! I feel my little fangirl heart has no hope after this. XD LOL, okay, girl, I LOVE THAT! Did you actually convince him you were dating Simone Lee? XD

      • K. R. Mattson

        Yessssss! Go read that! And I have to warn you about the cliffhanger at the end. Not happy about that. Don’t worry, I’m working on the author to get her to write the next book. 😇
        You’re going to totally want to date Holder, if you tend to do that a lot. And life without Holder…*bows head*was no life at all.

        Yep! I think we’ve got every brother thinking I’m dating a different guy, who either doesn’t exist or is not even a guy we just used the name and never said I was dating this person or that it was a guy sooooo… Their fault.

        • Issabelle Perry

          OOOOOOOO. I have a love-hate relationship with cliffhangers. XD YESSS THE SEQUEL NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN ASAP SO WHEN I GET TO IT I WON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOREVER TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. XD
          Hahaha, well, I better make sure I leave Holder a spot on my list of fictional dudes to date. XD LOL. Oh, man, now I REALLY need this Holder dude in my life right now.

          LOL. I love that. XD You go, sister!!! Haha, yes, their fault! Exactly right. XD

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