Being a visual person, I enjoy finding images that fit my characters on Pinterest or other places that flesh out my word pictures on the page. Yet I don’t often post them because every reader has a different version of the hero and heroine in their head & heart while reading and I never want to impose on that. But since some of you have asked, I’m glad to share this bit of inspiration!
It’s been said that within a few seconds of reading a compelling novel, the words begin to unreel in your mind like a movie. Characters spring to life and move and breathe, a most magical happenstance. Imagination is truly a wondrous thing!
Lark is as earthy as her name. And aye, she appears to have a bird’s nest crown on her red head. I was instantly enamored with this image though I prefer my characters to be more plain than pretty. She’s a beauty, at least in the laird’s eyes.
Through the haze, Magnus saw a figure, shawl about her shoulders, basket in hand.
Magnus MacLeish is laird of his own small kingdom on the Isle of Kerrera, a blend of rugged west coast Scots and Edinburgh finesse.
“Good morning to ye, Lark.” The laird stood in the open stillroom doorway, startling her. He was kilted, his hands caught behind his back.
Seldom did he come here. She hadn’t seen him for a fortnight or better. He was mostly in Edinburgh at the courts of law.
Seeing him now, she nearly dropped her basket. “Yer lairdship—”
“Be done with that, Lark.” Sunlight spilled into the space between them. And an unseen wall of reserve.
~A BOUND HEART
My favorite character in A Bound Heart is a red-headed handful as Lark says of him in the novel. I hope Larkin leaves you smitten, too.
A ruadh-headed handful he was. He gave a chortle of delight, and the knot of women looked relieved, spared of his fretfulness. His dimpled hand brushed Lark’s flushed cheek, his bright eyes on her face.
Happy Reading!
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Loved this. Magnus is tied with Seamus as may favorite hero of yours. And Lark has found herself tied with Sophie as my favorite heroine. But wee Larkin stole my heart in this book as I “met” the wee lad on the page.
Carissa, You don’t know how happy I am to hear this! SO glad Seamus is making room for Magnus and Lark has Sophie status 🙂 Oh aye, that Larkin. An endearing, imaginary infant cannot be beat. And to think I almost didn’t put him on the page! There I was, approaching the mid-point to the novel and suddenly realized Lark’s journey would be infinitely more interesting and risky with a child. Thank you for taking Larkin to heart, too!
I am In love Once Again with Magnus MacLeish Deep sigh The Visual sealed the deal! And i absolutely Love Lark She is so statuesque!!! Oh Laura this book was and is a place to Live! It was such a deeply personal insight or out sight of Characters that were so real and true! I can let myself sink deeply into such Love Stories wit men and women of integrity and beauty of character and now visually even More ! Also it truly stirred my heart that you knew such and descended from this was so enchanting! These times are special and memorable and bring peace to read!!!!!! Scotland will live more in my heart that I have read this Book because I know I will not get There will I am here !Laura did you get my thank you note? I am fearful I sent it to the wrong Address???? Taste and see that the Lord is Good comes to me now Thank you!!!!!
Dear Mary Jill, So glad this adds to your enjoyment of the story and doesn’t detract from it! Thank you for having the appreciative heart to enjoy ABH so much. That is quite inspiring as I work on novel 12 and get ready to review novel 11 after my editor’s have a go at it 🙂 And I did get your lovely note – thank you! It came over Christmas and I was delighted. Your return address always makes me smile because it reminds me of Barney’s place in the north woods in THE BLUE CASTLE, a favorite book. Blessings on your week! Thank you for the Monday gift!
I think this is pretty close to how I pictures all of these characters in my head! I love the hearts of these characters! I know A Bound Heart is a book I will read more than once!
Oh, love RE-readers like you, Angela. You make writing extra meaningful! I do think taking time to reread means you get every last historical drop from a book, all those little details that authors insert that may be missed on a voracious first reading. You are simply the best, my friend. Thank you for being here!
I love it when authors share pictures of their characters, and Lark, Magnus and Larkin never looked so good! Thanks for posting this, Laura, as it’s a pleasure to “see” them all again.
So glad these character templates ring true for you, Amy. Thank you for stopping by and making time for my books! I feel like I’ve left ABH far behind as I prepare to revisit novel 11 (frontier West Virginia) once my editor’s read it. And I’m writing and am at the 1/3 mark of the Jamestown novel 1634. Scotland is now shrouded in mist lol 🙂 Now if I could only bang out 2 books a year! Maybe empty next will allow for that…
How could anyone resist Larkin’s sweet face? A charmer for sure. Good thing Lark had room in her heart for two men because I think Magnus would have been odd man out. 😉 Scotland was a lovely setting and I hope that sometime in the future you might set another one there. 💗
Oh, you are so insightful about being the odd man out! SO true of men and human nature oftentimes, Stephanie. I think since our hero longed for a child himself that he made room in his heart for Larkin. And I’m really glad it was a win for you with the Scottish setting. That’s hard to pull off being a non-Scot but maybe my auld roots count 🙂 So thankful you’re my reader. You are such a keeper!
Oooh, fun, Laura. Your pictures fit, of course! Though I imagined Magnus a bit heftier ~ similar in build and brawn to Silas. But any difference doesn’t have a negative impact, their story is so powerful.
‘Twas fascinating to learn wee Larkin didn’t appear originally. You certainly adjusted marvelously; he seems to be such an integral part of the story.
Like you, I’m quite visual and usually have character and setting photos around as I write. For my first (set mostly at a cottage on an ocean beach) I also had an ocean wave and wind soundtrack that played many an hour. Love playing with our imaginary worlds. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your photos!
Oh, love that ocean wave and wind soundtrack, Mary Kay! Music and audio like that enhance creativity so much. Reminds me of the nature soundtrack – Woodland Harp – I love, especially for frontier novels. My husband cracks up at all that birdsong but I find it quite charming 🙂 Really appreciate your gracious words about Larkin and ABH. I knew a baby would complicate yet enrich her life greatly. Infants were such a part of the indenture picture back then but often sadly so. Wonderful to start the weekend off with your comments. Hugs and thanks!
Each book you’ve written makes me long for more and this one tops my list! It will be one I read again and again. You have such a beautiful way of making me become a part of each scene as they play out in the story. Your writing creates the vision in my mind and I even see myself sitting on the bank of the river, watching Lark as she splashes into the water. “Bethankit” Laura! ‘s math a rinn thu!
Dear Marta, You really are the very reader I write for! I’m so thankful for your heart for every one of my novels. Love how you can picture yourself sitting on the bank of that river with Lark. My highest hopes realized. Thank you! I pray I can continue to create novels that spring to life for you. I’m very excited about this next frontier novel which we should have a title for any day now. Cover art is just beginning, too. A long process till it releases in January 2020. Thank you for being there and for your time and heart. You inspire me to keep going!
I search for your books all the time, hoping to find a new one! The characters are so layered and filled with depth. I hate when your books end, because they are so well written and beautiful! What a gift you have been given and share with others! I own all your books, and have read them several times over. I eagerly look forward to future books from you!
Dear Beth, Oh, thank you for the gift of your words here! I do try to write as beautifully and well as I can so your appreciation of that means more than words can say. Heartfelt thanks! It is a gift and I’m so happy the Lord is reaching readers like you who find worth and meaning in edifying fiction. Now if I could just write faster 🙂 Thank you for keeping up with the novels I have out there! I can promise you a new novel every January from here till 2022 or so, thanks to Revell. My books used to release in late summer or early fall as you probably already remember but I’ve been changed to a different calendar. Next up is another frontier novel (January 2020) and then I step back a century to set a story in Jamestown, VA 1600s (Jan 2021). Am still pondering what’s after that. Thank you for being here. You inspire me to keep writing!
I’m glad you did this because I didn’t want to keep picturing the folk from Poldark…it was way too easy to do that! But this is a completely different story and the characters should be as well! 🙂
Oh, that Poldark! I know just what you mean, Meghan! Standalone novels are wonderful in that each is its own little world with very different characters and plot lines, thankfully. This next frontier heroine is VERY different. In fact, you could say I have 2 heroines! And I need to sprinkle in a villain for Jamestown which means going back to the beginning and threading that through the novel. But that’s the kind of writing I love and so hope you do, too. So happy you’re here, a true bright spot 🙂
Wonderful image choices!! They mske the characters more real! Would you continue to do this presentation of images with all your future books?
Phyllis, Oh, I’m so delighted to continue sharing these if you like them – thank you for saying so! I do think visuals of characters make them more than one dimensional even if everyone has different ideas while reading the book. You’re a gem for stopping by. I’m already looking for images for novel 11 🙂