Character on the Couch: Veronica from The Art of Piracy
September 20, 2019
I’m thrilled to be bringing Veronica Lillet Kindred from The Art of Piracy to you today. These Character on the Couch interviews are so much fun, and I plan to do more, both for my own characters and those of other authors. Someone at DragonCon remembered me for them even though it’s been a while, so I’d be foolish not to pick them up again.
First, here’s a little about The Art of Piracy:
Sometimes the clearest skies hide the deadliest secrets.
Veronica Devine is determined to return home in triumph and show the family who disowned her that she’s made it as one of the world’s premier art historians. Her one chance – escort art rescued from an abandoned chateau to the new art museum in Terminus. A simple airship trip over the Atlantic aboard a luxury liner promises to be a much-needed break and a chance to get her head on straight before facing the disgrace of her past.
Luc, the Marquis de Monceau, abandoned his chateau in the face of the Prussian invasion and is determined to recover one of the pieces. The problem – he can’t reveal who he truly is, or he’ll be arrested for aiding pirates. The other problem – he’s not sure which of the paintings he’s searching for since the information he needs is hidden in the art itself. Perhaps the beautiful art historian who’s escorting the collection can help him.
As clouds gather above, the ocean surges below, and air pirates pursue the ship. Veronica and Luc – locked in a dance of hidden identity, secret passions, and past betrayals – need to figure out which piece of art holds the key to unlock a metaphysical mystery, or else the pirates will be the least of their problems
If your character were to go to a psychologist – willingly or unwillingly – what would bring them in? Yes, a court order is a valid answer.
Veronica Lillet Kindred would love to go to someone to help her figure out her complicated life. It’s 1871, the War Between the States is finally over, and it’s a whole new era, so a woman shouldn’t have to deal with a boss who insists on proposing to her or a family who basically kicked her out for falling in love with the wrong guy. She wants/needs to get her confidence back before tackling the first major independent position of her career as an art historian.
Is the presenting problem one of the main internal or external conflicts in your book? If so, how does it present itself?
Yes, she feels that she needs to prove herself so that she will be worthy of being an artist. She focuses on her family and how they feel about her and treated her, but the issue really pervades every aspect of her life. The hero calls her, “dreadfully composed” the first time he sees her, but that’s because she’s feigning confidence and focusing so hard on not messing up.
It’s always interesting to see how people act when they first enter my office. Do they immediately go for my chair, hesitate before sitting anywhere, flop on the couch, etc.? What would your character do?
Veronica would come in, take a look around, and sit primly on the sofa with hands folded. She would focus on me, but she’d soon be distracted by the photos and prints I have on the wall and start to wonder how they were made, what they’re of, and why I chose them.
Does your character talk to the therapist? How open/revealing will your character be? What will he or she say first?
She would likely be afraid of being judged, so she may not share the most intimate details of the problem at first. I imagine she’d open up with more visits, as she gets comfortable with me.
Your character walks into the bar down the street after his/her first therapy session. What does he/she order? What happens next?
She orders a glass of white wine and takes a moment to breathe. She’ll sip the drink, all too conscious of people looking at her, and depending on how self-conscious she feels, she may not finish it before she pays and leaves. However, no one will be able to tell how insecure she’s feeling.
When you’re building characters, do you have any tricks you use to really get into their psyches, like a character interview or personality system (e.g., Myers-Briggs types)?
I’ve tried many methods, but the one I’ve found that I like the best is the one outlined in Lisa Cron’s Story Genius. It’s really helped me to clarify internal conflicts and character arcs.
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