Enga mellom fjella

Getting to know Bunny.

Dear friends,

I was thinking of Bunny, my friend Meadowlark's mother.

What does she

1a. look like ?

slim as if a breeze could lift her; dainty like a locust leaf.

2a. smell like ?

autumn with a touch of mint.

3a. taste like ?

smart folks don't ask; dumb folks never tell!

4a. sound like ?

door chimes tinkling, slightly off key.

5a. touch like ?

smooth wood that has been polished by generations.

And what does she

1b. see ?

the life source coursing within; exteriors matter little as she's seen them time and again.

2b. smell ?

the scent of flowers in warm summer air; a vase of pine in the winter; the coolness of dew and impending dawn.

3b. taste ?

the diseases of the blood ... it has been centuries since she last tasted plague; her tongue still gags at the memory.

4b. hear ?

the flight of moths and butterflies, the squeaks of her prey.

5b. touch ?

she can see the pulse of life, so touch is almost painful in its intimacy; she prefers long sleeves and gloves.

6. Through what eyes does she see the world ?

As a unit. So much passes with time and time she's had plenty. Don't be surprised if she laughs when you tell you know something new about people. She'd be delighted to hear of something new. It's been decades.

7. And through what eyes do we see her ?

She appears to be 40ish and fit. Petite, bubbly and a party person. Those who know her know she is joyful in a long suffering way and she will party all night long unless honeysuckle is in bloom; then she's out in garden. She is pleasant to look at but not beautiful and nothing that you'd remember the next day.

This is important because Bunny is an LDV (a Latter Day Vampire) who lives in North-by-North-West Kansas City, but she was born outside Pest before it was Pest. A long long time ago. She immigrated on a rat infested boat and came to live along the Missouri because there were plenty of rats brought by the pioneers and her friends could be fed during the uncertain days of Bloody Kansas.

She lives with her husband (the local funeral director at Nightengale's Parlor), her son and her daughter, Meadowlark, who has the quirky hobby of growing garlic, something the rest of the family is allergic to. Bunny loves them all.

Her favorite color is baby blue. She loves the clean taste of sashimi; the spicy vegetarian paprikash

http://superspark.wordpress.com/2007/01/26/cauliflower-paprikash-with-spatzle/

she makes with her grandmother's recipe. The smell of lilacs turns her stomach (May is a rough month all around) but adores datura (angel trumpets). Chimes and bells heard softly through fog mesmerize her. She loves the smooth touch of rabbit fur, silk, the coldness of copper. She avoids silver. She keeps a hutch of rescued pet rabbits and finds them new homes.

Bunny loves to dance the night away table by table, bar by bar. Only the vermin of the garbage dumps and alleyways need fear her.

If I were to introduce her to you?

I think she'd like you too.

paz, tu amigo Ajo, reporter

for Blood of the Garlic

THE CHALLENGE:

A. Take notes about a real life friend of yours by observation and/or interview. Remember to add any quirks and a few of this person's favorite things. (Like what's your favorite time of day? your favorite memory?) Make their life sing through how they interact with the world around them!

B. Or describe one of your story or novel's characters. They too must come alive to you first and then to the reader. The more based in real life (even fantastical life) interactions with their senses (aliens may have a few we don't) the more they will jump off the page and sit next to the reader as the pages turn and the story unfolds.

POST YOUR THOUGHTS or a CHARACTER SKETCH in the comment box below:

Kansas City: 36.3º at 18:00

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