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Hello all,
We have the second installment of my Year of Genesis for my new series: The Merci Lanard Files.
Year of Genesis: CHARACTER
Merci Lanard was a bit like Athena in her origin story.
While I was writing Claws and Effect: Book 2 of the Diaries series (author edition out later this year), this investigative journalist just showed up on the page. Because of the situation that main character Violet found herself in, I needed someone who Violet could trust right off the bat to give her some information about her romantic lead. I needed a simple herald archetype.
And Merci Lanard appeared, fully named with her actress already cast. Along with her power. Along with a boyfriend. Along with a backstory that was very strange.
She was an investigative journalist for a newspaper in Philly. She’s dedicated to finding out all the truths in the city that are hurting the underdogs. She’s like their personal Joan of Arc, and Merci doesn’t mind if that means she only has one meaningful relationship with Jack Daniels. As long as the truth comes to light.
Since she was already within the Wandering universe, Merci really got fun to play with because she is not magically powerful. In a world of creatures who can change their shape, fight with psychic power, cast world-altering spells, Merci Lanard has one small, teeny-tiny magical ability that was so minuscule even she missed out on it for the first 30 years of her life.
When she looks at you, you have to tell her the truth. It was simple. Straightforward.
What Merci had in abundance was guts, determination, and a hunger for the truth that nothing can stop. That was her true power.
All I had to do was tear her world apart and rebuild her over the course of the book.
And this boyfriend character?
Rafe MacCallan was a walking oxymoron from the first time he met Violet on the porch. He’s a Scottish professor who specializes in American Lit. He’s a werewolf Primo without a pack. He’s power wrapped up in a tweed jacket with elbow patches. His control is impeccable, but there is something about his unmovable character that explodes when he meets Merci’s unstoppable force.
So much of the paranormal genre is based on alpha males. Rafe is what I have called an Omega male. He’s not going to start the fight, but it is going to end with him. He’s got baggage, but he knows what it is and he guards others against it.
He was exactly the stable force that Merci needed in her life. I just had to prove it to her.
I'm not sure how other authors write, but these two came as a matching pair from day one, with their names, backstories, and arcs just waiting to be written.
Hope you enjoyed this little bit of how THE TRUTH ABOUT NIGHT came into being and we will see you next month!
Amanda Arista
Author and slave to her characters.
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