Maggie and Me

Today I want to share a little about myself and my character, Maggie.  We have a lot of similarities but also a lot of differences.  I think Maggie is a compilation of me and many of the people I love.

First off, Maggie looks nothing like me.  She is about 5'6", gracefully thin, has long, wavy, golden brown hair, big brown eyes, and a crooked nose.  Ok, she may have my eyes and my crooked nose.

She's sarcastic, sometimes sardonic, but compassionate, merciful, and caring.  She's introverted, a go-getter, and extremely stubborn.  She can really be a little bit of a spitfire sometimes, and she loves animals.  These characteristics we share.

I have also instilled some of my husband's traits in Maggie.  She is incredibly good-hearted.  And this isn't to say that I'm not, but my husband's heart is so good, it's saintly.  That man deserves a medal.  She's also ridiculously smart, and I'm no dummy, but my husband is a freakin' genius.  Seriously.

And there is something about Maggie that reminds me of my sister, but I can't really put my finger on it.  I think she can be very motherly and nuturing, but that really hasn't been characterized in the book just yet.

Maggie is also very brave, loves the cold, and wants to get as far away from home as possible.  These are all characteristics of a "traveler," and all the things that I'm not.  I'm a wuss, I absolutely HATE cold weather (I'd move to Florida in a heartbeat), and I'm definitely a homebody.  She also has the heart of a leader, and I'm not a fan of leading people.  I love being a delegator though.  I'm definitely a "behind the scenes" girl.

There is one very common thread between Maggie and me and that is the loss of a parent.  My father died from brain cancer when I was two, and this book was birthed from a daydream I'd always had: being able to travel to the past and spend time with the father I never really knew.  I've always been told how much I am like him, but I would love to find out for myself.  This crave for a relationship is what led me to write this book.  By living vicariously through Maggie, I can finally do what I've always wanted to: truly experience the man who gave me life.

-JGP