Author Spotlight - Character Interview with Willard from Nutured in Purple

Great stories are driven by great characters. These great characters drive the plot of any great story; plot and characters are finely interwoven.

Get to know your characters intimately with character sketches, biographies or interviews. Take all the time needed to do this. Today, I’m interviewing handsome Willard Wittenberg, main character from Nurtured in Purple. I’d done sketches of Willard for book one, but couldn’t bring myself to like the man, much less love him. Book two changed my mind. Willard’s heart opened and I saw him as a good man needing grace.


JUDE: Willard, what are your fears?

WILLARD: I am afraid of losing Elizabeth. I am afraid, no I feel guilty, about what I did to Seth Orbin and his business.

JUDE: How do you handle frustration?

WILLARD: I flare up and say hateful things. Things have always gone my way and I don’t handle frustration well because of that.

JUDE: Is trust hard for you?

WILLARD: Very hard. Most people are out to get you. The only person I trust is Elizabeth and sometimes I’m not sure about her.

JUDE: What secrets do you have?



WILLARD: Not sure I want to say, but I’ve always felt insecure in my life and haven’t wanted people to know. I had an overpowering father, a successful brother and a needy mother and sister. My biggest secret is I was responsible for the fire in Seth Orbin’s sawmill.

JUDE: What bothers you right now?

WILLARD: This thing in the Men’s Bible Study I’m attending. They say God loves me completely. I can’t understand this, knowing myself as I do. I’m trying to figure this out, but it seems impossible God could love me.

JUDE: Do you wish anything was different?

WILARD: I wish my marriage was better. I wish Elizabeth truly loved me, wanted my child.


***
After this imaginary conversation with Willard, I understood him in fresh ways. Try an interview with your characters.

Find Jude at:
http://www.judeurbanski.com
http://judeurbanski.blogspot.com