Celebrating the Characters in TOTEM

While the setting, the myths, and the plot are vital to a good story, it's the characters that are most important to me. If there isn't good characterization, then the tale will hang limply even on other stronger elements. Well-written, relatable characters help draw the reader into the story and create emotional bonds. The point of view (POV) characters must fully engage the reader or they won't fully lose themselves the world you've created.

The TOTEM series features the Dorn sisters: Ametta, Kinley, and Saskia. Each of the nine books alters between their POV, giving them each three books. There was no question in my mind I'd be writing the series this way. Each of the sisters has experiences that are vital to the story. I debated writing from the male heroes' POV too, but I think that would have been too much. The story would have happened without the guys there. It would have still been the sisters on the quest. They wouldn't have been able to do it without the guys, but it is the sisters' story.

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Ametta is the youngest of the Dorn sisters, and the most difficult one for me to write. She is very much a girly girl and career focused. Incredibly career focused. She can also come across as mean because she is highly opinionated and doesn't hold back. Yet she's smart, fiesty, and has a soft heart under her stunningly fashionable armor.

Readers commented they had the hardest time connecting to Ametta, and that's my fault since I had the same trouble. I attempted to soften her a little as I put together the collection by tempering her internal dialogue. I don't want her to be unlikable. I want her to be admired as a woman who knows her mind and is sometimes stubborn about it.

Writing good characters means knowing their strengths and weaknesses. Once you pair those with their motivations, it's easy to see them come to life.

Strengths: determined, focused, in charge, creative.

Weaknesses: vain, inflexible at times.

From a character's weakness, you can see where they need to grow and allow it to direct their arc. Ametta's personal challenge is to still hold on to her dreams while allowing them to change with what makes her happy.

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I can't help it. Kinley is my favorite sister. Us geeks must stick together! The fact that I related the most to the middle sister, the nerdy and nurturing one, made her a reader favorite. Even as I was rereading the series last month, I got the warm fuzzies when I was in her POV.

It's important to know your characters' archetypes. Kinley is the geek and the nurturer. She's always concerned with everyone else. Sometimes so much so, she forgets to eat and doesn't take as good care of herself as she does others. Good thing Ransom comes along and he brings her cookies. (Hey, we all have fantasies about hot feline shifters who bring us baked goods!)

Strengths: compassionate, intelligent, loyal.

Weaknesses: low self esteem, timid.

Kinley's arc brings her to discovering the strength within herself and not being afraid to show it.

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It's always fun to write a badass. Saskia was the trouble child, the rebel, and the one later trained as a Black Shaman (elite warriors who keep justice in the shifter community). She has strict beliefs about taboo and is ready to fight her way through everything. Her personality is shaped by one major thing: grief.

Saskia lost her mom at a young age, and her father withdrew from everything and everyone as he mourned. She was left to handle it on her own and had no idea how to process it. It urged her to create thick walls around her heart, so she would never be that hurt again. And when she had her own cancer scare, she pushed away the one person she did care about because she didn't want him to go through the pain of losing her.

Strengths: streetwise, tough, resourceful.

Weaknesses: afraid to let anyone love her and to let herself love.

Saskia is in danger of self destructing. She needs to learn to let her walls down and work with others, to allow them to care for her and her for them.

Just for fun, I want to cast the heroes of TOTEM. It would make a fantastic mini series! (Please do keep in mind, I don't know that many young actors and actresses.)

Ametta: Aine Rose Daly

Kinley: Elle Fanning

Saskia: Cara Delevingne

Lucky: David Corenswet

Ransom: Kyle Gallner

Sedge: Alexander Ludwig

Azarius: Wesley French

I'd love to hear if you have any casting suggestions!