What Do My Characters Look Like

I’m sure this has happened to most, if not all of you:

You’re reading a book, and you see the author’s description of a character, and you find yourself wondering exactly how the author perceives the character to appear. I do the same thing. I’d like to think it’s not just my author’s brain trying to find reasons for and compartmentalizing things, but who knows, that may be the case.

I know what my characters look like. I have a very definite picture of them in my mind’s eye. It’s important to do that, so that at some point in the future, eyes and hair don’t change color.

That would be more than a little embarrassing, you know?

Siofra, my main character is 5’2″, has deep green eyes, long dark red hair down to her butt, although she is able to cut it short when need be. A drink of fresh blood and zip! it’s back to its original length. Her skin is as pale as one of those antique Victorian-style china dolls, too, and just as flawless. She’s a tiny slip of a thing to look at, which is part of her allure.

Nathaniel, well our Nathaniel is interesting. He’s just under 6’2″ in height, has dark brown hair with the occasional flash of red in it, blue-gray eyes, pale skin (what is it with these pale vampires?!), a broad face, aquiline nose and (normally) mirth dancing in his mouth and eyes. He’s not at all overweight, and looks like he’d be just the right shape to wrap your arms around and hug close — just before he ate you.

And Fáolán — Oh, you’ll have to wait to read about Fáolán. It’s not time, yet.