BoM/TWS Message Forum

Okay, obviously, I don't mean the question literally. But which characters -- if any -- feel similar (and how similar) to people you have known in real life?

I'm not sure why I'm asking this. I expect the answer to be something like "none." I like to make characters distinct and idiosyncratic, which makes it less likely that they will resemble real individuals -- especially people I haven't met! At the same time, though, a lot of the characters conform to stereotypes. And because stereotypes exist for a reason, there is a chance that some BoM characters do resemble people that others have run in to.

I suppose I can get this started, because I've got some easy answers I can give. Easy because these are characters based on or inspired by people I have actually known or met.

* Caleb/Carson: These are two variations on someone I knew in high school, but leaning in two slightly different directions. He was a highly intelligent science/math type guy who *might* have been a high functioning sociopath (at least to a slight degree). Caleb is this guy with his energies directed intellectually; Carson is the same guy with his energies directed outward. (And if you've ever wondered about the vague resemblance that Caleb and Carson share, there's your answer.)

* Kelsey Blankenship: Based on a friend's girlfriend in college. Exaggerated, but not my much.

* Justin Roth: Inspired by a college acquaintance. I'm not sure how closely he tracks the actual guy -- most of Justin's details are extrapolated from what I knew about him. Basically a smart, high-functioning drug addict who would have been impressive, period; was more impressive for being so impressive despite the drugs; and would have very impressive without them.

* Charles Hartlein: Friend of a friend in college. Very gay, very theatrical, very cat-like. Charles is both a satire of him, and also an attempt to humanize someone I didn't like very much.

* Christian Knouse: No one I've met in real life, but an amalgam of several personalities I've dealt with online over the years.

* Stephanie Wyatt: This is a girl I knew I in the fifth grade. I have no idea what she turned out to be in high school, but Stephanie is how I imagine her turning out.

* Sydney McGlynn: Personality is drawn from someone I knew in high school/college. Very knowing, very capable, very manipulative when she wanted to be but that wasn't very often. Good-hearted, but she drew some people I knew into some dangerous spirals.

* Andrea Varnsworth: A girl I shared a college class with. I have no idea what she was like, but "Andrea" is what she projected.

* David Kirkham: Guy who made my life miserable in my sophomore PE class for one semester. I doubt the real guy had anything like Kirkham's depth of interests or capabilities, all of which I invented for the character so he wouldn't just be a "hate object" for me.

And the shocking one?

* Joe Durras: Yeah, I actually met this guy. He was utterly terrifying. An F5 tornado in human form. Immensely charismatic; too bad he was also a drug dealer with a reputation for putting people in the hospital.