Hobbies and Obsessions
A. Catherine Noon here. Thank you to Delilah Devlin for inviting Rachel Wilder and I back for a guest post. We’re pleased as punch to be back at Chez Delilah for some summer fun!
I got to thinking about summer, and fun, and Delilah (no, no, nothing like that), and on her Facebook page she periodically shares photos of some lovely jewelry that she makes when she’s not writing the books we know and love. I do something similar in terms of my knitting hobby (obsession) and Rachel crochets. But what about our favorite characters?
In our newest release, TIGER TIGER, available now from Samhain Publishing, we gave our main character Sasha the hobby of jogging. Of course, if you know anyone who jogs, you know it’s really more of an obsession – if they don’t get their miles in, they get cranky. In another novel we wrote, EMERALD FIRE, our main character is a textile artist and makes a pair of socks for the hero. Who else do we know that has a real hobby?
Any of you out there NCIS fans? Leroy Jethro Gibbs loves to work with his hands and does carpentry in his basement (the actor actually was a carpenter before he became an actor). Sherlock Holmes plays the violin (which the two current retellings keep faithfully, though no one can eclipse Jeremy Brett’s performance). Something about these hobbies makes these characters more real to the viewer or reader, makes the character more like a human being than a one-dimensional cardboard cutout.
What about you? Who are some of your favorite characters and what are their hobbies?
Chicagoland Shifters, Book 2
Veterinary trauma surgeon and animal empath Sasha Soskoff has found everything he ever wanted with his new partners Neal, Steve and Carlos. Life feels as safe and secure as it can be among a group of ex-Marine tiger shifters. Until a homeless man is found, gruesomely mauled and murdered, near Neal’s BDSM club.
When it’s determined a rogue tiger did the deed, the jaguars’ accusing eyes turn toward Sasha’s lovers. The precarious balance of peace tips dangerously toward war.
Neal knows damned well none of his tigers committed the crime. Someone must be in Chicago without his knowledge or permission, and they’d better find him fast before uncertainty and conflict rip the tight-knit band apart from the inside.
As Sasha struggles to heal the stress fractures forming among his tiger family, he begins to wonder if his dreams of a home, and love, were too good to be true. And it’s precisely that moment the killer strikes at the heart of the tiger clan—Sasha himself.
About the Authors
For author and textile artist A. Catherine Noon, it’s all about the yarn, both metaphorical and literal—spinning a yarn, knitting with yarn, weaving, sewing, painting, sharing stories and good times over a cup of coffee with dark chocolate. She teaches creative writing, creative expression and textile arts.
Author and image consultant Rachel Wilder is passionate about the masks and costumes people wear. She loves exploring that with her characters. Living in Las Vegas gives her an ample backdrop to pursue her curiosity.
Noon and Wilder links:
https://taurusandtaurus.blogspot.com/
https://noonandwilder.com/
https://www.facebook.com/noonandwilder
A. Catherine Noon:
https://acatherinenoon.blogspot.com/
https://acatherinenoon.com/
https://www.facebook.com/acatherinenoon
https://twitter.com/acatherinenoon
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Most of my favorite characters are unfortunately so tortured that they don’t have time for hobbies. I appreciate Elric of Melniboné, Shadowspawn from Thieves’ World, Lloyd Alexander’s Taran, and Gene Wolfe’s iconic Severian who is, ironically, a tortured torturer. 🙄
I seem to savor reading about damaged souls. But this great concept makes me want to give further thought to my own original characters, so thank you.
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Hi, Darla! I know what you mean about tortured characters. But sometimes, even the most angst-ridden have a hobby – Vlad Taltos of Brust’s series, for example, is an avid cook and Elspeth of Mercedes Lackey’s Heralds of Valdemar series is a potter. I like trying to think up just what my character does in spare time – watch television? read? knit? underwater basket weaving? 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to stop by and make a comment; it’s lovely interacting with you!
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Sounds like an intriguing story. I agree that it adds depth to the characters and also gives me a chance to learn new things when they have hobbies. It seems that a lot of my favorite characters like to cook so I end up drooling as I read, lol. I love Misty Lackey’s books and many of those characters are so adept at a myriad of things that it is fascinating to read…but if you are out doing a tour as a Herald or Bard, you definitely have to be versatile. Thanks for visiting.
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Hi, ELF! Thanks for stopping by. You know, you make a really good point about being out on circuit as a Herald or Bard. That’s another reason for having productive hobbies. 🙂
I also think that modern folks are too wedded to television and, ~blush~, internet (I say as I’m typing this ON the internet), but that we’ve lost the capacity to amuse ourselves without being plugged in. Piers Anthony talks about the “hypogourds” in his Xanth series and I love that idea as a metaphor for those gadgets (smart phones, tablets, computers, and television) that inure us to the world around us. I think we’d all have more time for crafts if we unplugged a bit each week. 🙂
I sure appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment. Thank you!