Beautiful People - Elan {June 2014}

Beautiful People is back, guys! Don’t know what I’m talking about? Well, let me tell you a thing.

A good while back Sky and Georgie Penn hosted a blog party called Beautiful People in which they would give authors ten questions each month to answer about one of their characters. It was a really fun way to get deeper inside the life and heads of those beautiful people we call our characters. Unfortunately, due to life and all its invasiveness, Beautiful People got put on hiatus.

But as of this month it has officially returned!

Georgie is unable to continue it, so now Sky’s lovely co-host is Cait from Notebook Sisters, and we’re all very excited!

If you’d like more information on Beautiful People you can go HERE. Or pop on over HERE to see this month’s questions and link up to the party. It lasts all month so you can join in at any point in June! I think the new questions will come up on the 5th of every month. So come along for the ride! It’s tons of fun!

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Since I am heavily working on Fallen Matter, I decided to choose Elan for this month’s BP. Being as how he’s the second main character of the story, I really need to get into his head, but I’m having trouble doing that. I can’t quite get as  full of a spectrum of his character as I’d like. So maybe this will help.

Sighing, Elan stepped closer to me. "All of us have things we don't want to remember, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't."

This made me look up. "But why not? Life is memories, isn't it? So wouldn't it be better if we just had the happy ones?"

"What kind of people would we be if that was the case? You're right, life is made up of our memories, memories of the experiences we've had. And it's the experiences that shape us. If all we ever live was happiness and pleasure, how would we ever learn? It's all the hard stuff that strengthens us. Sure, it isn't fun, but it's life. It's what helps us learn to rely on Someone far bigger than us."

 

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1) What is their full name and is there a story behind why they got it?
Elan Reid Keldrite is the whole of it. There’s not much of a story behind it (or at least not that I know of). Elan is just what his parents decided to name him. His middle name, Reid, is actually his father’s first name, so that’s where it came from.
 
2) How old are they, and when were they born?
19 years old. (Although that age keeps shifting on me, so it might be different by the time I get to the final draft.) Elan was born in the year 3004. Yeah, this novel takes place very far in the future.

3) Describe their physical appearance.
Elan is pretty tall, being a little over six feet. He has an all around muscular build to him that might seem intimidating at first, but after a closer look at his playful, boyish face, he seems harmless. He has fairly short dark brown hair and blue eyes. His style is casual—khakis, t-shirts, etc. Usually you’ll find him in more muted colors like forest green and faded blue. His appearance is not something he really puts much thought into.

(Bonus questions: 1. What is their race/nationality/ethnicity? 2. Do you have a picture of them? If so, include it!)
Most of Elan’s blood is actually English, but there’s some American in there as well. With maybe a touch of Australian roots sprinkled in.

I surely do!

4) Describe your character's personality first in one word, and then elaborate with a few sentences.
One word? Hm. That’s a toughy. I think I’d have to say protective. Most of his life is just trying to protect his loved ones in a corrupt world.

Elan is a big hearted person, tending to put others’ needs before his own. Sometimes he doesn’t always go about it the right way, his overly protective nature blinding his common sense, but he means well. He’s mostly introverted in nature, not overly fond of big groups of people and speaking publicly. Despite this, he’s pretty trusting, always wanting to see the best in people, and is always happy to make a new friend. Even if he is a little awkward. His friends are lucky to have such a loyal guy on their side, his enemies, though, better watch their backs. Especially when it comes to harming his loved ones.

5) What theme song(s) fit their personality and story arc?
The majority of my music is Contemporary Christian or a hodgepodge of instrumental songs. I never really listen to stuff that would fit my stories or characters. So these questions always stump me. I don’t actually have fitting songs for anything. . . 

6) Which one of the seven deadly sins describes your character?
Wrath, I think. Elan holds in a lot of anger towards those that have wronged him and his family.

7) If they were an element (fire, water, earth, air), which one would they be?
Earth. He’s a very strong, down to earth sort. (Although I suppose having wings and all would also make him a lot like air, wouldn’t it? Heh.)

8) What is their favorite word?
Safe. He just wants everyone to be safe. Unfortunately, that never seems to be the case.

9) Who’s one person they really miss? (It could be someone who’s passed away, or someone they’re not close to anymore, or someone who’s moved away.)
He equally misses both his mom and dad.

10) What sights, sounds, and smells remind them of that person?
When he sees and hears his brother, Cyrus, laugh it gives him a flashback to a much happier time when his family was together. The smell of oranges reminds him of the joyful day his dad came home with a can of oranges, an extremely rare treat for their low income. And whenever he looks at the small, worn Bible he carries around, he can hear his father’s deep voice reading passages from it as the family gathered together every evening in their cramped living room.

And that’s that! Don’t forget you can join in on the party HERE as well as read everyone else’s June BP posts. Have a b e a u t i f u l week!