Help Karen Hawkins Design A Heroine! (please?)

Aug 15th 2007
Karen HawkinsWhen Goddesses Fall To Earth

61 Responses to “Help Karen Hawkins Design A Heroine! (please?)”

1. dbrown3400 on 16 Aug 2007 at 12:49 am #

   I’m going on the premise this is an historical otherwise some of the choices might be different.

   1. Our heroines name is Hermione from the Greek for messenger, the feminine Hermes. (Long I )
   2. She has pale ash brown hair that shines almost silver in sunlight and her eyes are Cerulean blue that sometimes cloud with gray when she is troubled.
   3. Hermione has a small brown mole about one-half inch to the side of her right eyebrow as did her mother and grandmother. None of her sisters have that mark.
   4. At 5′ 7″, she is heading towards tall.
   5. When she speaks, Hermione tends to rest her hand across her mouth because she has a small space between her front teeth she is ashamed of.
   6. She escapes to a quiet retreat and writes in a journal or reads.
   7. And detests doing the household accounts. She is afraid of making an error and putting the family’s wealth in jeopardy. Cont. . .

2. Judy on 16 Aug 2007 at 1:01 am #

   1. Violet (From Shakespeare Twelfth Night)
   2. Dark brown or black hair with purple/blue eyes
   3. No distinguishing marks….
   4. Short…because being short rocks…
   5. Yes, a limp from a carriage accident or any other accident, give her a reason to be sensible and full of responsibility and strong willed
   6. Bluestocking, give our girl a genius IQ, should show the hero a thing or two….
   7. The household accounts, if she’s a genius this poses no real challenge and is beneath her genius IQ
   8. More of a recluse, firstly, she’s a genius, therefore, is hard to relate to anyone her age, secondly if she has a limp, she’d be considered a freak of nature and therefore no one would want to befriend (although there’s always that one girl that seems to have a heart and mind of her own and becomes her friend and confidante)
   9. They’re very close but they can be ninny’s at times…
   10. Not to have so much responsibility, to have someone to share her burden and stress with…

3. dbrown3400 on 16 Aug 2007 at 1:10 am #

   8. Hermione and her sisters enjoy people and visit with friends and neighbors frequently. She has neither “flitted around society” nor stayed at home. She is well liked and admired for her familial accomplishments.
   9. The sisters have always been close and seem to have strengths to fill in for each other’s weaknesses. Hermione finds she is drawn to her youngest sister, Gerrylyn, more as the older two are approaching majority. She feels more protective than toward the older two.
   10. She has kept her wish a secret, to meet that Special Man, from her sisters, although they all know despite her efforts. She wants to see them settled first as the saying goes. But will they go looking for someone for her??
   11. Hermione is very proud of your willpower and ability to avoid the chocolate demon.

   Donna

4. Aspen on 16 Aug 2007 at 1:55 am #

   1. STELLA! I just love to yell that name it always makes me smile. I think she should have an unusual name. But Not Apple or anything!
   2. Dark haired beauty with exotically natural green eyes. Is there such a person?
   3. She has battle scars from rasing her sisters. The faint jagged cut along her forearm, from where one jumped through a glass table and Stella followed suit. A faint mark on her chin easily covered by makeup was the work of the tomeboy sister who celebrated her first homerun by throwing the bat. Ouch! 3 stiches and no celebatory pizza.
   I do like dbrowns heritage marks though. Cool idea
   4. An amazon of course. 6 feet with the aide of stilleto heels
   5. She has great interagation techniques. Sharpened by raising two hellions. She does the raising of the eyebrow thing and the STARE. She may on occassion bite her lower lip in worry.
   More to follow…

5. Aspen on 16 Aug 2007 at 2:12 am #

   6. She knows how to handle herself. an expert in some sort of martal arts. No guns needed. She runs miles every morning. She became a morning person when her parents died and now the morning is the only time she has to herself. It’s sacred!
   7. Shopping. There simply is no time for it. She has comfortable 3 year old sweats she wears when she runs. Her clothing staple is jeans and a tshirt. Her girly sister has taken over this chore.
   8. A recluse. She been hounded by the media since parents died. They revel in the tragedy and can’t help but bring it up whenever she is spotted. “The Shattered Princess” Stella socializes when neccessary but only when neccessary.
   9.Her sisters gave her a reason to keep going. They are oposites but love each other fiercely.
   10. Secret…hmmm She knows who killed her parents? The butler in the ballroom with the, you guessed it, chandelier. No? maybe Uncle?
   Someone is illigitament. Her or one of the sisters. The scandal!

6. Karen Hawkins on 16 Aug 2007 at 7:29 am #

   OOPS! Should have said ‘historical.’ I’ll go and add that.

   My dear goddesses, these are AWESOME. I, and my deprived psyche, thank you! (And yes, it’s fun to yell STELLA!)

7. Caren Crane on 16 Aug 2007 at 7:52 am #

   Karen, I actually know this girl. I worked with a girl who had basically raised her three younger sisters from the time she was 3 - yes, you read that right. One a year younger, then infant twins!

   1. Believe it or not, her name is Karen! No, not historical, I’m afraid. But she would be a lovely Katherine. *g* All the rest of these answers are based on her.

   2. Black hair, very straight and glossy, startlingly blue eyes and white skin (she has that Snow White thing going on).

   3. No distinguishing marks. As a matter of fact, she has that pale, pale flawless skin that is without so much as a freckle (disgusting to us spotty ones!).

   4. She is very tall, about 5′ 10″ and statuesque.

   5. She has a very slight frown, rather more stern and matronly than a girl her age should have, that she uses on the sisters - and occaisionally on a friend!

   6. In her spare time, she decorates cakes, reads and does embroidery.

   7. Her least favorite chore is/was supervising homework. (cont)

8. Caren Crane on 16 Aug 2007 at 7:56 am #

   7. (cont) Close second is cleaning floors, followed by answering correspondence.

   8. In between. Though a homebody by nature, the pressures of being “the mother” drove her to find things to do outside the home. She volunteers A LOT.

   9. The sisters: the oldest one she is least close to. I think resentment over having to be mother to someone a year younger than her, who lacked any sense of responsibility, came into play. The twins she is closer to. One in particular–the one most like her! They all love each other dearly and have grown closer as they have gotten older, married, etc. and she can put the mothering years behind her.

   10. Her secret wish was always to run away and leave it all behind - preferably with a real hero! (She found one, but stayed put. *g*)

   11. We will all feel sorry for her. Especially me!

9. Kasey on 16 Aug 2007 at 8:06 am #

   1. Her name is Kate (short for Katherine).

   2. She has sparkiling blue eyes and straight strawberry blonde hair.

   3. She has a dimple on her left cheek when she smiles.

   4. Medium height with a slender build.

   5. Other physical characteristics? She taps her foot when she gets mad and she has a loud and boisterous laugh.

   6. What’s her favorite thing to do in her spare time? In her spare time she loves to grab a Jane Austen book from the library and go on long walks to find a queit place to read. She sometiems disappears for hours.

   7. She hates getting dolled up for balls.

   8. She preferes staying at home but she does well in society.

   9. She has two younger sisters and they are close but very different in personalities.

   10. Her secret wish is to fall in love and not marry for money.

   11. She has a secret crush on her next door neighbor Adam who will be a Duke one day but who she hasn’t seen in about 3 years.

10. Claudia Dain on 16 Aug 2007 at 8:57 am #

    Karen, this is the best party game EVER.

    1. Emma
    2. Dark brown hair, light hazel eyes, fair skin with faint freckles on her cheekbones.
    3. She has calluses on her fingertips from doing too much sewing.
    4. She’s medium height, medium weight, but perfectly proportioned.
    5. She fusses with those calluses when she’s tense, giving her a fidgety quality.
    6. Take a walk in the woods, enjoying the beauty and the quiet, enjoying the sense of feeling ’small’ in the scheme of things.
    7. Sewing. She hates to do any sort of needlework but feels it’s an essential part of her sisters’ education and will be a productive way for them to pass the time when they’re married.
    8. She’s the exact right degree of sociability to make the best connections, but it’s an effort as she’d rather be taking a long, quiet walk.
    9. She feels very close to her sisters, but in a maternal way. They are sisterly with each other and in that sense she isn’t one of them.
    (cont)

11. Claudia Dain on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:03 am #

    10. Her super secret wish is to be childless; she’s raised her family and doesn’t want to start over with children out of her own womb.
    11. Now, if I give someone my list of ideas, would they write the book for me? That’s my super secret wish!

12. ladydawgfan on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:17 am #

    1. Lady Diamond Jacoby. Her sisters are named Ruby and Emerald. Their father had been a gemologist prior to assuming the Earldom from their late uncle.

    2. Her hair is pale blond with glints of gold in the sunlight. Her eyes are dark blue, almost black.

    3. Other than a smattering of freckles across her nose, she has a heart-shaped birthmark on her inner thigh.

    4. She is petite - 5′1″ at the most, but makes up for it with personality, “small, but mighty,” if you will.

    5. When she was 12, a skittish horse she was training threw her and she landed against a rock jetty. The result is a permanent jagged scar running the length of her lower leg. She is extremely self conscious about it.

    6. Dressage / train horses. She knows that this is not acceptable for ladies to do, so she and her stable master do this in secret, with him taking most of the credit to protect her reputation. She masks her passion for horses by riding a great deal.

    Cont. below . . .

13. AndreaW on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:22 am #

    Karen, I feel your pain. I’m on a diet, too! Okay, now for some answers:

    1. What’s her name? SYLVIA
    2. Hair color? Eye color? BLACK HAIR; LIGHT BLUE EYES
    3. Any distinguishing marks? SMALL BEAUTY MARK ABOVE EYEBROW
    4. Tall? Short? Medium? TALL AND SLIM
    5. Other physical characteristics? SHE BITES HER LOWER LIP WHEN NERVOUS
    6. What’s her favorite thing to do in her spare time? Why? READ; TO ESCAPE EVERYDAY LIFE IF ONLY FOR A LITTLE WHILE
    7. What’s her least favorite chore? Why? CLEANING; NOBODY LIKES TO CLEAN!
    8. Is she a social butterfly or reclusive or in-between? Why? RECLUSIVE; SHE HARBORS A DEEP SECRET
    9. How does she feel about her sisters now? Are they all close? Not so close? Close to some, but not all? Why? THEY ARE CLOSE; THE SECRET INVOLVES THEM ALL
    10. What’s her Secret (or Not So Secret) Wish? TO SEE HER SISTERS HAPPILY MARRIED (Not so secret wish) — TO FIND HAPPINESS FOR HERSELF (Secret wish)
    11. Anything else you want to add?DARK-HAIRED HERO

14. J Perry Stone on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:32 am #

    1. Florinda Weatherby

    2. golden brown hair, smokey blue eyes

    3. she has a scar on the outer edge of her left eyebrow

    4. Medium and luscious

    5. She grinds her teeth at night thinking about all her responsibilities and now can’t open her mouth wide to take a big bite of food (or anything else for that matter)

    6. She weeds … obsessive compulsively. It gives her an odd sense of control and she even has a blister on her finger from yanking them out of her garden all the time.

15. ladydawgfan on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:33 am #

    7. Household accounts. She doesn’t mind doing them, but the task takes time away from her sisters and her horses. She also detests “lady” chores like needlework (boring), music lessons (tedious), and dancing lessons (sore feet), but does them to maintain the illusion.

    8. She is an outward social buttefly, but it is mostly show - false bravado, if you will. She is more concerned with marrying off her sisters than she is in find a husband for herself.

    9. She is extremely close with her sisters, since they are all each other has to rely on.

    Cont. below.

16. ladydawgfan on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:36 am #

    10. She actually has several wishes. She wants to see her sisters happily settled. She wants to be appreciated for who she is as a person. And she wants to be acknowledged for her talent in training horses, without condemnation as being “unladylike.”

    11. Her childhood friend, the younger son of a Viscount, taught her to fence. She has already bested him several times. However, she really wants to skewer his older brother, the Viscount, who, despite the fact that she is 21 and in charge of her own household, still insists on treating her like a child, and antagonizes her just for the pleasure of making her blush.

17. J Perry Stone on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:37 am #

    7. Florinda hates monitoring her sisters’ sleep because they fight her for independence, but she knows that if they don’t sleep enough hours, they get sick and are hell to deal with the next morning.

    8. Florinda is too tired to be a social butterfly, but she wishes she were … just for a little while. Alas, she can’t focus on herself.

    9. She’s stressing because they are fighting her for their independence … and the oldest is going through puberty.

    10. She wishes she could have one night–just one night–where she could only be Florinda, not someone’s “mother” or the steward of the estate

    11. she once caught a groom’sman and the village slut in the hayloft, and watched them go at it.

    And don’t lose weight. you looked perfect to me when i saw you at nationals, karen.

18. MJ on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:51 am #

    Oh - this is fun. And I’m going to do it before I read everybody else’s ’cause they’ll all be better than mine and then I won’t do it….

    1. Her name is Sophia (Sophy for short).

    2. She has dark blonde/golden brown hair that waves back from her forehead. It is smooth and fine/slippery, so tends to escape her bun rather easily….and come tumbling down under stress.
    She has very direct gazing, dark blue eyes.

    3. A very firm, decided chin. A very direct, forceful though quiet manner. She manages people very well unless she becomes upset (and of course the hero immediately sets her off balance). Very mature for her years, surprised at very little due to having to deal with all that responsibility, handles crises with a very cool head.
    She has a lovely little pink birthmark on the upper slope of her right breast (because this would be rather fascinating to the hero) that occasionally shows at her neckline, particularly when it’s been assisted by more than gravity.

19. Caren Crane on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:51 am #

    Claudia, I fear your super secret wish will not come true. But if it does, I’m going to start wishing my heart out!

20. MJ on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:59 am #

    Part 2 - MJ’s heroine
    4. She’s tall and slender, but very fit. Has to be, riding around to manage an estate and from many years of catching those sisters. I’m betting she’d have a shot at outrunning the hero. And she’d certainly try.

    5. Though outwardly calm most of the time, she will quietly drum her fingers when deep in thought, and will tend to look up and to the right when problemsolving. When faced with insubordination or when becoming angry, she’ll first become quieter but her chin firms and is raised….and her eyes become quite compelling. However, if she really loses it to fear or anger (due to the hero, of course), her face finally betrays her upset and she flushes, her voice rises and shakes….. And she bites her bottom lip when searching for control (again our hero, natch).
    6. She reads to lose herself and forget the weight of her responsibilities (and get some peace and quiet). She also walks (she loves riding but does this for work).

    7. She hates sewing.

21. MJ on 16 Aug 2007 at 10:05 am #

    Part 3 - gosh this is getting long, but it’s hard to describe someone you can ’see’. Now you know why I don’t write….
    8. She’s social and at home in the social sphere, but enjoys her solitude. She tends to prefer smaller gatherings of like-minded friends and family than glittering crushes (which she’s had little opportunity to enjoy thus far).
    9. She loves them and is incredibly protective, but they do tend to drive her crazy. She worries about whether she has done enough or the right things.
    10. Her secret wish, being so sensible and in charge, is to be able to just be a woman, adored and funloving. She’d love to travel (in company with the hero). She’d secretly love to be a mother in her own right, but can’t see that she’ll ever marry and doesn’t have a lot of time to worry about it right now.
    11. She LOVES chocolate (secret vice) and the feeling of silk. She’s actually extremely sensitive under her hard shell. I think she’s a Cancer - homebody, loyal & emotional.

22. Karen Hawkins on 16 Aug 2007 at 10:08 am #

    You guys are WAYYYYY too good at this. I may have to toss this in a hat and just draw one, ’cause picking one is going to be TOUGH.

    I looove these names — Sylvia, Florinda, Sophia (which is in my Feb book HOW TO CATCH A HIGHLANDER), Diamond, Hermoine — WOW!

    You guys are definitely clearing away my chocolate-deprived funk. THANKS!

23. SuzyQ on 16 Aug 2007 at 10:42 am #

    1. Gabriella – Brie for short

    2. Dark Chestnut hair with violet eyes

    3. A small beauty mark on her left breast. Can only get a glimpse of it when wearing a very low cut dress.

    4. Medium height

    5. She has a tendency to narrow her eyes a bit before answering a question. She always thinks before she speaks unless she is very angry.

    6. She loves to ride horses with her hair blowing in the wind. It is a way for her to feel free from her everyday obligations.

24. SuzyQ on 16 Aug 2007 at 10:45 am #

    7. Writing correspondence. She would rather talk to someone face to face than write a letter. Besides, she always manages to get ink on her fingers or worse, her dress.

    8. She is an in-between. She loves parties but does not indulge often for her own happiness. She feels her sisters come first

    9. They are all very close as they are all they have. Not only is she the older sister, she is also a mother figure.

    10. Her secret wish is for someone to take care of her for a change.

    11. She has a temper, but does not show it often. It seems our hero has a tendency to bring that out more often.

25. zambonigirl (zambi) on 16 Aug 2007 at 11:21 am #

    1. Flora Fortescue (her parents had a sick sense of humor)

    2. Blonde/brown

    3. Mole right underneath left eye

    4. Medium height/painfully thin (borderline eating disorder)

    5. She’s terrified of making a mistake, so I would think that she would be very stoical and almost dispassionate on the outside.

    6. She’s up on all the latest gossip. In order to be iron-clad, she must know what mistakes others are making in order to not make any herself.

    7. Her chores bring order from chaos. She loves them all and maybe takes on a little too much

    8. She is social as part of the outward shell that she’s created, but she derives little pleasure from any of it.

    9. She holds them at arm’s length, but she really loves them. They have a hard time being close to her because she’s more of a mother figure to them. She wishes she could show them more love, however, and it’s part of her angst. She just can’t seem to take that leap.
    TBC

26. zambonigirl (zambi) on 16 Aug 2007 at 11:23 am #

    10. She wants real security and promises.

    11. She knows that real security and promises are impossible, so she’ll have to decide if living is really worth it, if letting go and taking that leap will bring her what she’s hoping for.

27. Kim on 16 Aug 2007 at 11:58 am #

    Poor Karen! You do know they say one piece of chocolate a day is good for your heart. Or is it your mind. I dunno but they say its good for you!

    I have THE best chocolatier just a couple blocks over. Should I send you an emergency box???

    XO
    Kim

    PS. Waves to J Perry and Andrea! Hey girls!

28. Lisa H on 16 Aug 2007 at 11:59 am #

    1. Her name is Victoria Grace Rockwell.

    2. Hair dark auburn, eyes grey green which turn emerald when she feels passion.
    3. She has a red “angel’s kiss” birthmark on the top of her left breast. Some of her more revealing gowns hint at it.
    4. She is 5′6″ slender with a curvacious bosom.
    5. She often squints at details, looking closely to be certain everything has been done properly. She squints when she is working out a problem in her mind.
    6.She loves to languish in her bath, dreaming of strong arms which will one day lather her over-worked yet supple body.
    7. She hates screening the less desirable Lords who call on her very beautiful sisters. She wishes she could shoot some of them who come calling.
    8. She is in-between, having been hurt once before, she is gun shy, but as the matriarch of the family pushes herself to mingle and find suitable mates for her sisters.
    9. She loves her sisters and they love her deeply.

29. Lisa H on 16 Aug 2007 at 12:01 pm #

    10. Her secret wish is to experience the complete sexual fulfillment she heard spoken of by her dear old married friend.

    11. She is very feminine beneath the tough exterior she dons for others.

    Hope you like these suggestions. Victoria Grace is my daughter and she truly is a beauty!

30. MarthaH on 16 Aug 2007 at 1:14 pm #

    1. Her name is Catriona and only allows her sisters to call her Cat
    2. Has auburn hair (which she tries very hard to hide) and green eyes and light freckles
    3. She is medium build but curvacious
    4. Likes to be in control of all things
    5. Her favorite past time - creating new or trying recipes from the family heirloom cookbook. Each generation contributes. Baking helps her relax/think.
    6. Her least favorite thing to do is disclipline her sisters when they slip away from their tutor (which is often as they can be mishievous). Or, when the sisters take up the game of matchmaking for her (which she hates) as she believes they are only after her money
    7. Catriona is the exact opposite of a social butterfly, she is focused on raising her sisters to be ladies and secure their futures - leaving no time for herself
    8. Catriona loves her sisters very much and her sisters love her just as fiercely.
    9. Her secret wish? For someone to just love her and not her fotune

31. Keri Ford on 16 Aug 2007 at 1:28 pm #

    Sorry, Karen, love to help you out here, but this just isn’t my process I just sit down and write, if I don’t know a hair color, I’ll just type in question marks or a weird color until what seems right comes to me. Usually, another character will comment on hair or eyes and therefore, giving me what I need!

    As for names, I’ll thumb through a baby book until one jumps at me. If that doesn’t work, I’ll substitute my name in until one comes to me that fits.

    Good Luck on your diet!

32. Karen Hawkins on 16 Aug 2007 at 1:38 pm #

    Ohhh Catriona, Victoria Grace, Flora, Gabriela — these are AWESOME! I’m already getting a plot idea . . . hmmmm.

    Kim. Please. Send. Chocolate. I NEED IT!

    Keri, you are a brave woman. I have to make these decisions or they’ll Be Forgotten and I don’t trust a copyeditor to catch everything.

    You guys are incredibly creative! I didn’t expect such complete character sketches! TERRIFIC!

33. Tracy Kay on 16 Aug 2007 at 2:26 pm #

    Part 1

    1. What’s her name? Tessa Hayle

    2. Hair color? Eye color? Light brown, hazel with flecks of gold

    3. Any distinguishing marks? slight dimples when she smiles

    4. Tall? Short? Medium? About average height

    5. Other physical characteristics? Fidgets with a ring that was once her mothers (which she wears on a chain around her neck)

    6. What’s her favorite thing to do in her spare time? She loves the landscape of her estate so she often goes outside to draw or paint.

34. Tracy Kay on 16 Aug 2007 at 2:33 pm #

    7. What’s her least favorite chore? Keeping her sisters out of trouble - with her parents gone, the younger sisters always seem to find ways to get into trouble. She can’t understand her younger sister’s hunger for trouble because she never had a chance to be a teenager. Always the make-shift mother.

    8. Is she a social butterfly or reclusive? She’s in-between. She doesn’t avoid people, but neither does she go out hunting for friends and drama. She has a few close friends that call on her from time to time and she’s happy that way.

    9. How does she feel about her sisters now? She is closest to the second oldest sister. They understand each other and are the only two who have a memory of their parents. The two youngest sisters are closest and often rebel against Tessa (nothing serious, but enough to drive her a little batty!) They are all close in their own way, but like most sisters, they have their bad days.

35. Tracy Kay on 16 Aug 2007 at 2:36 pm #

    10. What’s her Secret (or Not So Secret) Wish? Her known wish is to make her sisters happy - to get them married into good familys with the men that they love. Her secret wish is to find a man of her own. A man she really loves - someone who will take care of her for a change. She doesn’t want to have to worry about everyone else anymore (although she loves her sisters dearly). When her sisters tease her about men, she brushes it off as if she’s not looking to settle down with anyone, but deep down she longs for a timeless love.

    This was my first time doing something like this, but it was pretty fun! Thanks!

36. twolilhahas on 16 Aug 2007 at 3:42 pm #

    1. What’s her name? I like Clarissa June

    2. Hair color? Eye color? Hair the color of dove dark chocolate, eyes are hazel. Really really green when she’s upset or has been crying, more brown when she’s happy, relaxed. No one EVER does hazel-eyed heroines and it’s just not fair! LOL

    3. Any distinguishing marks? No.

    4. Tall? Short? Medium? Short and slender.

    5. Other physical characteristics? She bites her bottom lip when she’s nervous.

    6. What’s her favorite thing to do in her spare time? She likes to read the Gossip mags because she’s very motherly and has an opinion about everyone! She can fix anything, and they give her things to fix.

    7.Chore: Entertaining guests. Such a useless waste of good time!

37. twolilhahas on 16 Aug 2007 at 3:47 pm #

    8. Is she a social butterfly or reclusive or in-between? Why? She’s no recluse, she has one or two close girlfriends she can trust, and that’s it. Huge get-togethers are not her thing. She’d rather be doing something useful. Her sisters love parties, though, so she endures for them.

    9. How does she feel about her sisters now? Are they all close? Not so close? Close to some, but not all? Why? They’re all pretty close. Except the next to oldest one gets tired of being the one NOT in charge. The next to oldest one is very irresponsible and it drives Clarissa crazy. But they’re still basically close.

    10. What’s her Secret (or Not So Secret) Wish? To find a handsome husband, of course. lol One that she can be in love with, not just unite with in a smart match.

    11. Anything else you want add? no

38. J Perry Stone on 16 Aug 2007 at 4:19 pm #

    Karen!!!

    You adorable, adorable woman!

    And you know why!

39. Karen Hawkins on 16 Aug 2007 at 4:42 pm #

    J Perry, you are quite welcome!

    Isn’t it amazing how everyone has such different and rich ideas? Too cool!

40. Brandy on 16 Aug 2007 at 5:49 pm #

    1. I like the name Maura (she’s named after a scandelous Irish relation.)
    2. She has dark, chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes.
    3. She has no distinguishing marks, but wears spectacles when at ease at home
    4. She is tall, considered unfashionable for marriageable purposes, maybe 5″8.
    5. She is not a nervous sort, unless her sisters future is at stake, then she is known to clasp her hands together nervously.
    6. In her spare time she likes to read tomes on history.
    7. Her least favorite chore is answering the mail, it bores her and she would rather not deal with those outside her family.
    8. She is in between as far as socially, she prefers to stay out of the lime-light but knows she must help her younger sisters make good marriage matches.
    9. She adores her sisters, but knows that they can’t stay with her forever, they in turn love her but resent her mothering attitude.
    10. Her secret wish is to write books and be praised for her intelligence.

41. Tal on 16 Aug 2007 at 5:49 pm #

    Karen, I recently re read Lady in Red( I had Hawkins withdrawal) I thought Honoria was a great heroine.. I love the shy/ plain stories.. I scour the blogs, and different websites to get some new books like that to read…I love the more imperfect heroine i.e too tall, too plain, stutters, NOT a size 2
    as long as they are not red heads… I will scream if I see another “fiery”
    redhead…I seriously consider NOT buying a book if its a red head..
    Tal

42. Brandy on 16 Aug 2007 at 5:50 pm #

    And 11. Her secret shame is that as much as she loves her sisters, she is tired of being “in charge”. For once she would like to be the one pursued by a man, though she is leary of marriage herself.

43. twolilhahas on 16 Aug 2007 at 6:11 pm #

    Oh, Tal, I’m with you on the redheads. There’s only so many times you can read “fiery redhead” or “he wondered if she was a redhead further south” without barfing! lol

44. ladydawgfan on 16 Aug 2007 at 6:50 pm #

    LOL, twolilhahas!!! “Does the carpet match the drapes,” he pondered . . .

45. J Perry Stone on 16 Aug 2007 at 7:11 pm #

    roflmao twolilhahas and ladydawgfan.

    My dad once walked in on me watching Two Moon Junction with my girlfriends and remarked, “Hey, her toupees don’t match.”

    I wanted to shrivel up and rot.

    That said, as I’m in the process of writing my first book, you’d be surprised how much cliché crops in without your conscious brain ever being aware of it.

    And my great-grandmother was a fiery redhead. Tomato red actually. And whenever she cooked over a hot stove, she’d sweat bright red streaks down the side of her face. She spoke Russian and couldn’t read the intructions on the back of the dye box (you have to wash dye OUT eventually).

46. Caren Crane on 16 Aug 2007 at 8:57 pm #

    Hi, guys. Just as a reminder, Sabrina Jeffries is blogging today at Romance Bandits (http://romancebandits.blogspot.com). Stop by for a chance to win a free book!

47. Karen Hawkins on 16 Aug 2007 at 9:51 pm #

    Tracy Kay, you did awesome! That’s a great story.

    twolilahs and ladydawg, you guys crack me up! PLEASE put a DON’T DRINK WHILE READING THIS POST notice before you two start handing out zingers!

    Yup, Claudia, I need to just assign chapters. Hmmm. Perhaps THAT’S what I should do. Interesting idea. Veddy interesting!

    Tal, I’m so glad you enjoyed Lady In Red! I love Honoria, too. One day, I’d like to write about her brothers and sisters. They were such fun. I usually write normal women — I’m one, so I want to read about one. Only once in a while do I write about extraordinarily beautiful women. I did it in The Seduction of Sara and in the book coming out in February, How To Catch A Highlander. But they are the exceptions rather than the rule. So I hear you.

    I don’t know many red heads, but the few I do, aren’t really ‘fiery’ so much as they’re auburn or golden-red. Gotta say, J Perry, that your grandmother sounds like a character herself!

48. Santa on 16 Aug 2007 at 10:17 pm #

    Her name is Amanda. No nicknames please.

    She has unruly hair of burnished gold.

    Her eyes are a fathomless blue.

    She has a mole on the upper right hand corner of her mouth.

    She is a tiny taremite according to her sisters who, even though they tower over her, do not dare incur her wrath.

    Her hands are constantly about her head trying to tame her corkscrew locks.

    An avowed on the shelf bluestocking she quotes Mary Wollenstock to her sisters who would rather simper at the dashing Corinthians who grace the assemblies when not running to the hounds.

    She loves to read but hates to do the household accounts because her secret wish, though she has managed remarkably well these past ten years, is not to have to manage anything at all. However, she doesn’t know how to let go enough to let someone else take care of things.

    She adores her sisters though they can be a trial.

    That was fun! I hope I didn’t forget anything. Please forgive any spelling errors.

49. dbrown3400 on 16 Aug 2007 at 10:33 pm #

    I finally got to read everyone elses wonderful stories from today so I thought I would explain my heroine’s name - Hermione. It is a family name. Grandmother Olga’s sister, Hermione, also known as Aunt Hermie, was a hoot and a half. When I was twelve she taught me how to cuss in Czech. wore a fat braid down to her waist and wore paisley house dresses. My mother was Olga Hermione and hated the names so badly she legally condensed both into Penny. Go figure.

    The one sister I attached a name to, Gerrylyn, is a cousins name, a combination of my Uncle Jerry and Lynn. I always utilize family names when I write. We have tons of them.

    Donna

50. Aspen on 16 Aug 2007 at 11:17 pm #

    1. Name: Elizabeth “Lizzy”, or Miranda
    2. Unfasionable long brown hair and startling blue eyes.
    3. She has been marked by fire. Her days as a self appointed cooks apprentice left a thin burn mark along her thumb. She has since known better than to snatch one of her tasty confections out of the oven without a towel.
    4. small… a kitchen elf/ pixie
    5. She sings while she bakes. She makes deserts when something is troubling her. Has a sweet tooth
    6. Baking of course Trying out new recipes and so forth.
    7. Shopping, unless of course its at the market where she disguises herself as a commomer to pick out the best supplies for her pantry. Shopping for clothes or trinkets are a bore.
    8. Shes a recluse. She has already given herself the matron title. Those unfortunate suitors that refuse to leave her alone are welcomed to tea and cakes all of which are lined with ingredients known to make them ill.
    9. Loves her sisters
    10. Secret knows who killed her parents.

51. Nicole Jordan on 16 Aug 2007 at 11:48 pm #

    These are such fun and way too good! I don’t know how you’re gonna choose, Karen!

52. Karen Hawkins on 17 Aug 2007 at 4:41 pm #

    A hat. I’m putting them all in a hat and then I’m gonna draw. I couldn’t possibly pick one myself and they would all work PERFECTLY.

    Man, you guys are too good at this. I’m going to have to think of something TOUGHER!

53. Wendy Lee on 17 Aug 2007 at 5:40 pm #

    1. What’s her name? Everyone calls her Kath. Her real name is Katerina.

    2. Hair color? Eye color? Her hair is usually tightly pulled back, which make it look quite mousy brown and plain. However, at night, when she takes it down and brushes it, you can see that it is a very rich brown with many golden highlights streaming thru out her head of massice curls. She has deep blue eyes.

    3. Any distinguishing marks? She has light freckles over the bridge of her nose.

    4. Tall? Short? Medium? She is of medium height and meduim build, round, looking almost plump underneath her layers of clothing and heavy aprons. It is revealed when she undresses to bath, that she is very full figured with a tiny waist, amble bossom and rounded bottom.

    5. Other physical characteristics? Twist Kath wears a unpolished ruby around her neck that was her mothers. When she is nervous or upset, she unknowly fondels the stone.

    ***MORE NEXT***

54. Wendy Lee on 17 Aug 2007 at 5:50 pm #

    6. What’s her favorite thing to do in her spare time? Embroidery? Ride horses? Read books? Read the society papers? Gossip? Why? She loves to paint. Altho she is busy, she hides from life caring for her sisters. At the end of the day, with the few moments she has to herself, she paints beautiful landscapes, often using colors that she had to make from plants and flowers in her own garden because they don’t have enough money for proper paints. The use of color and texture are fantastic and many of the landscapes of of wild weather. The turmoil she feels inside reveals itself thru her work. She is so

    7. What’s her least favorite chore? She doesn’t really mind chores. She loves her family. It is the lack of personal time and no prospect of future that saddens her yet at the same time terrofies her.

    8. Is she a social butterfly or reclusive or in-between? Why? She is in between; however, caring for her sisters and estate allows her to hide from life while still in plain view.

55. Wendy Lee on 17 Aug 2007 at 5:55 pm #

    9. How does she feel about her sisters now? Are they all close? Not so close? Close to some, but not all? Why? She loves her sisters beyond measure, but that is not to say that they don’t clash. She proclaims that all she does is for the good of the family; but she can be bossy and unyielding. She KNOWS what is best for them. That said, the sisters are a bit tired of yielding to Kath’s will and opinions. She also uses them as an excuse to to live for herself. She is Mistress of the Keep, she is mother/sister/neighbor/friend…. but she has yet to become woman. It is easy to be the controlled organized head of household. Will she have the strength to enter the unchartered terroritory of passion and love?

    10. What’s her Secret (or Not So Secret) Wish? She wants to paint nude portraits.

    11. Anything else you want to add?

56. Dilimis on 17 Aug 2007 at 11:35 pm #

    1. Claire

    2. She has brown hair. When the light hits it just right gleams of red show up in it. Her eyes are brown, and they get lighter or darker depending on her mood.

    3. She has a small heart-shaped birthmark on her left hip.

    4. She’s unusually short — a fact which she detests, but accepts. It is, after all, an inevitable thing. She is very slender.

    5. When she gets frustrated or angry she tends to run her fingers through her hair, which causes a fine mess.

    6. She loves to embroider. She likes creating beautiful things with her needle and thread. It gives her a wonderful sense of satisfaction. She also likes to read because, while embroidering leaves her alone with her thoughts, reading allows her to leave her troubles behind.

    7. She abhors dusting because it seems like such a waste of time. The dust is just going to come back is it not?

    (cont.)

57. Dilimis on 17 Aug 2007 at 11:41 pm #

    8. She is rather reserved. This has resulted in her not having very many friends. Those friends she does have, though, are very close to her, and she tends to be very bright and talkative among them.

    9. She loves her sisters dearly, but she doesn’t like to show emotion. She is close to all of them even though it is hard for her to let them see it.

    10. Her very dearest wish is to find a man that will love her, but she despairs of such a thing ever happening. Nobody knows about this. It lies in the innermost depths of her heart. She is afraid that if she spoke it aloud the conviction she has of it never happening will become all too real.

    11. She works hard for her sisters becuase she wants to do her best by them. At heart she is a housewife, and she is happy with her life. Sometimes, though, in the wee hours of the morning one can’t help wishing for the impossible to happen…

58. Karen Hawkins on 18 Aug 2007 at 12:08 am #

    Ok, I’m printing these up Monday evening, so get your answers in by then. I’ll post the first chapter on TUESDAY, the 21st! So come and see who won.

59. darkshire007 on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:00 am #

    Sorry I’m late; I had to make a trip to Utah and the in-laws have our laptop. Okay, here are my answers. No laughing!
    1. Name: Kyrie Elizabeth (this is part of my daughters middle name).
    2. Hair: Calico (dominant brown with mostly red and some blonde highlights)
    3. Marks: 8 scars; four on each side equally matched. (I have these.)
    4. Tall 5. Left thumb pops at the joint when flexed (like a nervous tick). 6. Clean (this way her mind can wander to any problems at hand and she can still be productive!) and read (of course). 7. Yard work (don’t care for sunlight; skin burns easily). 8. In-between; social with her family and those she’s known all her life; reclusive (standoffish?) to strangers. 9. Close to some; human nature…personality clash. 10. For her sisters to find true love (they date some questionable guys), but inside it’s her secret wish. 11. She’s prior Special Forces with the military, that’s where the scars came from. This one should be a challenge!

60. darkshire007 on 18 Aug 2007 at 10:02 am #

    Also, I hope you don’t mind. We have word of the day at work and I wanted to share this one. The word is: aboulia. Enjoy!

61. darkshire007 on 19 Aug 2007 at 5:58 pm #

    It dawned on me I left off eye color; I think they should be gold. This is the color of my daughters eyes and I was told this is a genetic mutation of hazel.