April 13, 2023 marked the 7-year anniversary of my dead best friend's death. Her name is Courtney and she was incredible.
I call her my dead best friend because there were three of us, me, Courtney, and Remi--and now there are two. For some reason it seems easier to call Courtney my dead best friend than it is to call Remi my alive best friend. Regardless, I know I'm lucky I can say I have a best friend. Remi is amazing.
My character Remi (featured in Romancing Remi and Overdrive) is loosely based on my real life Remi. The tap out scene Romancing Remi opens with, is stolen from my real Remi's life. Which goes to show just how fucking phenomenal she is.
To coincide, my character Kat (primarily featured in Keeping Kat) is loosely based on Courtney. At least the parts with the cancer and being a total bad ass.
It's not often a writer (and by writer I really just mean me) has real people in their life that are just remarkable enough to base a character on, and I've had two. Three if you count BW - whose quirk and charm inspire the bulk of my male heroes.
Most of my characters are comprised of facets of multiple people I know or meet. I throw a bunch of traits in a brain blender and see what comes out. But it has me wondering if I'm the minority with that.
Do you have someone in your life who would inspire you to base a character or a story on them? Who is it and why?
That said, I hope you enjoy your week!
*This is an excerpt from my newsletter