5-Part WIP Special// Part Four: The SCs + Villain

Here we are, at week four of the 5-Part Writing Special! This week we're talking all about our side characters and villains! Can we agree that an epic cast of characters makes the story? I mean, I just can't wait for you all to learn more about my babies. So, with no further ado, here are my answers to the questions!

~Introduce Your Side Characters, Explain What Makes Them Unique, and Perhaps Include Their Relationship to the MC~

So, we have:

Dr. Jeremy Rhys- the villain. He's an herbalist as well. His daughter was killed because of the drug companies. He dedicated his life to destroy their regime. 

Clary Sage- the best friend. She's a fashion designer, who is on the fast track to New York. She tells me she makes $2M a year. I can't corroborate that. 

Garrett Parker- Annie's bodyguard. Well, he starts off as her bodyguard. Then he becomes one of her best friends. He's a cinnamon roll all the way. 

Sosha Ignis- a girl that Annie rescues. She's an orphan and wants to help heal others as well, so she decides to become her apprentice. 

Rosy Miles- a super cool agent. She can't swim, which I found hysterical. She's actually pretty scared of getting into the water. But her red hair and loyal personality make her one of my favorite characters.

Mitch- also a super cool agent. He is one of those "looks like he could kill you. Is actually a cinnamon roll" type characters. One of the things that endeared him to me was when he informed me that he drinks everything out of the carton. Annie doesn't find this quite as amusing as I do.

Commander Jinna Fortis- the leader of the army. Freakishly awesome person.

~Provide Snippets from Your WIP for Each Side Character (Can Include the Villain)~

As before, these are pretty much untouched and are gloriously first-draftish. So please do enjoy them and feel free to laugh at any ridiculous parts. Know that I am as well. 

Jeremy Rhys:

"The second I walked through the door, I knew I made a mistake. On the other side, in the corner, stood an older man. He had a scruffy, charcoal gray beard that matched his hair. He was more rotund than most of the herbalists in the room. "

Clary Sage:

"A woman stood there, her back to us. 

I squealed. I recognized that head of hair. I’d always been jealous of it: dark brown to her waist with soft, wavy curls. Not a single trace of frizz. The locks bounced as they flipped over her shoulder when she turned around.

Her porcelain colored face broke into a grin. I beamed as I waved to her. “Clary!” I cheered."

Garrett Parker:

"He whipped off his mask, revealing a king-sized grin and twinkling brown eyes. His hair was short, brown, but curly. He seemed like a fun-loving guy. His carefree demeanor aside, there was no doubt in my mind that he was an agent."

Sosha Ignis:

"As I walked down the hallway of the hospital, towards the parking lot, I saw the little girl in the waiting room. She sat in the far corner, all alone. She stared at the floor as she twisted her blonde hair with her fingers. She couldn’t have been much older than eight or nine."

Rosy Miles:

"A flaming redhead stood opposite of me, near the fireplace, her arms crossed over her chest. 

'Annie, I’d like you to meet Rosy Miles.' Garrett said. 'She’s a fellow agent. I called her in to help out.'

Though she wasn’t mean looking, I wasn’t convinced she’d like to meet me."

Mitch:

"Footsteps sounded to my right. I looked in the direction, thinking Garrett was getting something out of the kitchen. Another man stood in the hallway, staring at us. He had a fierce gaze, with blue eyes blazing out from underneath glowering eyebrows. His hair was pretty much shaved off, with a little dark stubble left. The same could be said for his face. He was strong and well built. Clearly a no-nonsense kind of person."

Jinna Fortis:

"A small group of decorated officers and commanders milled about. One, in particular, stood out to me. She stood on the other side of the room, away from the major crowd. Her hair was silver and slight wrinkles decorated her face. She seemed unfazed by her age. Strength and youth burned in her eyes. She observed the rest in silence, calculating. I guessed this was the commander Garrett referred to. If she wanted respect, she’d earned it. Mostly."

~Which of Your Side Characters is Closest to the MC~

That's a close call between Clary, Garrett, and Sosha. They all fill a specific role in her heart. Clary is her lifelong best friend who she knows better than anyone. While she has shortcomings, Annie still cares deeply for her. Garrett, on the other hand, is someone she instantly connected to because he is a fellow Christian and someone who shares her values. While she hasn't known him nearly as long, she feels closer to him because of the connection that they share. And then Sosha is like a daughter to her. She loves her more than life itself. 

~How Do the Good Guys Work Together as a Team~

Well, they're sort of thrown together out of necessity. They fight a lot, especially the team against Clary because she's a 'fashion designer and didn't sign up for this fighting stuff'. They get a little annoyed at her sometimes. But they always find a way to make up with each other, even though it can take a while sometimes.

One of the cool parts about them is that they don't all fit the same role. They all fulfill different purposes inside the team, which makes them closer knit.

~How Do They Clash with Each Other~

As I mentioned before, they often fight. They particularly like to fight against Clary because she brings the least to the table aside from whining. If there's anyone less inclined to fight than an herbalist, it's a fashion designer. She might break a nail.

Sometimes their beliefs clash too. Annie, Garrett, and Sosha are Christians. The rest aren't. So they often come at different situations with a different outlook. They also have different things they are and aren't willing to do. This creates a lot of tension too.

~Describe Your Antagonist/Villain in 3 Words~

Heartbroken, manipulated, lost.

~Why is Your Villain Bad~

He lost his daughter because of the drug companies. His mind snapped and he began to wreak havoc on the drug companies. He was labeled a terrorist when he leaked toxic fumes into a factory, killing everyone inside. He murdered his wife to get to pharmacists. Despite all of these atrocities, he's still hired on by governments because herbalists are so rare.

~Is the Villain an “I Work Alone” Sort of Person or the Kind Who Has a Ton of Minions~

He has an entire country in his back pocket. I think it's safe to say that he has a lot of minions. Though they're pretty awesome too, so I don't know if they'd appreciate me calling them minions. 

~How Does Your Villain Walk and Talk~

He walks with a swagger (though it's fading now that he's older. He'd never admit that, though). He likes to come off as confident. Whether he succeeds or not has not been decided.

He can actually be physically abusive when there aren't witnesses around. Mostly, though, he sticks with emotional/verbal abuse. He's careful with his wording, making sure each word hits its mark.

~What are the Villain’s Main Mannerisms that Define Him/Her~

He's pretty confident in himself. Kind of cocky too. But I think deep down inside, he's pretty broken and scared. His confidence is a mask he uses to protect himself from further pain. I don't think the world's ready for the day when it falls off.

There you have it! My beautiful characters and my hilarious villain. I love them all.

Make sure you check out the rest of the participants as they talk about their characters! Jules, Gray, Faith, Keturah, Evangeline, Lila, Danielle, Jem, and Catherine.

What did you think? Would you like to meet any of these characters? Which one would you like to spend an afternoon with? Which was your favorite snippet?