Tuesday 18 February 2014

Tracy Farrier 'The Evil Stepmother'

Today I have started a couple of new chapter and have found that the character who plays Toby's mum isn't the wicked stepmother I'd planned her to be. Toby has enough enemies in the manuscriot and this character wouldn't let me paint her as evil. I have pasted my character sheet on Tracy below.


Tracy has never got over giving Toby up and has carried the guilt inside her for years. She spent her mid teens and twenties modelling for David Jones Melbourne to help her through University.

Her friend Michelle had married tall and handsome truck mechanic Darren Farrier and they’d drifted apart for a few years after Darren bought the family tucking business from Michelle’s mother’s estate. After Toby was born Michelle contracted the same disease her mother had, Breast Cancer. After a brave fight she too succumbed and Darren was left to look after the baby. He contacted Tracey about taking care of the book work and managed as he could with a baby seat in the truck and the two of them travelled Australia carting stock.
Arthur had his hands full with Lois and her decline during this time but they took Toby when they could. This gave Darren a much needed break and soon he and Tracy became more than friends. Five years after Toby was born Tracy became his step mum. The relationship was strong and they adored each other, only after Toby began school did the trouble start.


NAME:                                               : Tracy Farrier
Position in story:                                 : Secondary

Age:

37

Nationality:

Australian

Socioeconomic level as a child:

Secure

Socioeconomic level as an adult:

Well Off

Hometown:

Kyneton

Current residence:

Kyneton

Occupation:

Mother – Business Partner – Accountant was a catwalk model when younger

Income:

High Earners

Talents/skills:

Multi Tasker very capable mother keeps the business on solid financial footing.

Salary:

Draws a salary of 65,000 per annum Darren has a similar drawing

Relationships:

 

Married to Toby’s father Darren

Birth order:

Third of four girls

Siblings (describe relationship):

 

Spouse/partner (describe relationship):

Darren total commitment to each other, she is his second wife after Toby’s mum died. Both women were friends

Children (describe relationship):

Toby estranged. Adele and Jasmine

Parents (describe relationship):

 

Grandparents (describe relationship):

 

Grandchildren (describe relationship):

 

Significant others (describe relationship):

 

Relationship skills:

Peace maker, doesn’t mind a fight but will find a common purpose to end conflict. Good negotiator

Physical Characteristics

 

 

Height:

160cm

Weight:

56 kg

Race:

Caucasian / English descent

Eye Color:

Green

Hair Color:

Blonde from the bottle tends to change it twice a year

Glasses or contact lenses?

Glasses to read

Skin color:

Fair skinned but will tan easily. Uses fake tan for special occasions

Shape of face:

Angular with high cheekbones, her nose is straight with a bit off a turn up.

Distinguishing features:

There is a dimple /crease in her chin.

How does he/she dress?

Her dress is elegant and expensive. ‘She could wear a bag and make it look good’ was Darren’s claim

Mannerisms:

She tilts her head and screws her nose up when considering her next move

Habits: (smoking, drinking/drugs/addictions etc.)

Nil likes good wine but never in excess

Any physical illnesses?

None

Health:

Very good goes to the gym five days a week

Hobbies:

She likes to ride and does eventing and show jumping

Favourite sayings:

 

Speech patterns:

Her speech is trained and no strine in her voice although she will “go all outback” if the need arises

Disabilities:

None

Style (Elegant, shabby etc.):

Elegant

Greatest flaw:

She lacks self confidence and although successful her fear of failure drives her toward her goals. Tracy never lived up to the expectations her parents put on her. They thought modelling was for Bimbos and accounts couldn’t make it into medicine.

Best quality:

She is empathetic and kind. Which is how she came to marry Darren, she helped him through the dark times after his first wife died of breast cancer. She spends a lot of time working for the Jane McGrath Foundation

Personality Attributes and Attitudes

 

 

Educational Background:

Melbourne Uni

Intelligence Level:

Very high

Any Mental Illnesses?

None

Learning Experiences:

Plenty, losing her friend and Toby’s mum hurt and giving Toby up has left a stain on her self esteem.

Character's short-term goals in life:

Be a good wife and mother

Character's long-term goals in life:

Keep the business successful make their marriage happy till death do they part.

How does Character see himself/herself?

As keeping up a charade of confidence and strength

How does Character believe he/she is perceived by others?

As one tough cookie

How self-confident is the character?

She fakes it till she makes it.

Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof?

She would love to let emotion in but only Darren knows how fragile she can be.

What would most embarrass this character

Failure in her part as wife and mother, losing Toby is her greatest regret and considers it their biggest failure. He didn’t deserve what they did to him

Spiritual Characteristics

 

 

Does the character believe in God?

Would love to but is too pragmatic. She admires her sisters and mother’s complete devotion to the Catholic faith but too many things tell her it’s all bunk.

What are the character's spiritual beliefs?

She doesn’t know

Is religion or spirituality a part of this character's life?

No

If so, what role does it play?

 



 

 

Monday 17 February 2014

Missing Ben

It's been just thirty one years today
at two o'clock you closed your eyes
an angel's arms then lifted you
for in this matter, I had no say

A lot has happened since time
Some good, some bad, some hard
but no a day goes past my son
I forget you in my rhyme

I think of all the stuff you'd do
with family near and far
would you have a wife and kids
or be a keeper in a zoo

I get a little choked up too when
I see your friends now all grown
With children running round
and so I've put paper neath my pen

I've seen a million changes
and done some stupid things
I've written lots of words to you
and told of you to strangers

It's been just thirty one years today
at two o'clock you closed your eyes
an angel's arms then lifted you
for in this matter, I had no say

Friday 14 February 2014

Kundela on Kindle is $0.99 from after Midnight Valentines Day until Friday 21/2/2014

About six weeks ago I tried to organise a Kindle promotion price for my novel KUNDELA as an e-book through Amazon's Kindle Books. Being new to publishing with their format I made a couple of mistakes and when I posted on Facebook and other platforms that the book was available for ninety nine cents, it didn't work that way.

To make up for misleading everyone I have manually adjusted the price to $US 0.99 as of midnight Australian Eastern Time 14/2/2014 and will leave this pricing in place for seven days.

Please advise your friends and fellow readers so they can take advantage of the pricing. Hard copies are priced at $32.95 including postage and are available by e-mailing; kundela@bigpond.com

I am sorry for any inconvenience caused and hope this initiative helps.

Terry

When Satan Took the Wheel.

This is the first rough draft of a set of verses that popped into my head while I was waiting for my wife at the supermarket. I wrote the lines in a journal before I lost them altogether. I'm told that other writers musicians and poets keep something handy to record their ideas and  until now I always maintained I'd remember it, not so. By writing these things down you are able to conjure up the inspiration of that moment, and begin where you left off.

I would like to challenge anyone whose interested to play around with it and make it better.
If you are inclined paste your version in the comments section below. As for the copyright aspect of it, I will surrender that for as far as I'm concerned this is out in the ether now and anyone can have access to it.

Papa was a trucker
and he drove a Bulldog Mack
Mumma rode the sleeper
They would overnight to Sydney
and tomorrow they'd be back

They carted fruit and veg and fridges
The load would never change
And late at night it happened
On the great Dividing Range

Five hundred horses snorting
The load was high and wide
they felt the door swing open
Satan joined them for the ride

Lightning flashed around them
And made the mountains white
Wipers swept swept away the rain
But Satan steered the rig that night

Mumma screamed out tractor
A huge shape without a light
Papa swung the wheel to miss it
But Satan's grip was tight.

Too late they clipped the tractor
and sent it or'e the side
The mack followed like a magnet
When Satan took his ride

On on her deathbed wheezing
Mumma prayed to stop the squeal
Of demons dancing gaily
When Satan took the wheel.