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note to self: i’ll be there for you, always

written june 6, 2021. Photo by Kristine Cinate on Unsplash I have always looked for myself in other people. I think the idea was that they would somehow hold the pieces of me that I felt were missing. That maybe, if I wrapped my identity up in theirs enough, we would somehow make a whole person. It's not healthy to live like this, but I did it anyway — burning through relationships and searching for something I couldn't quite name. It was never enough, not to be myself, but it was never enough to latch my identity to other people, either. I got close, several times — I thought I had reached the pinnacle of self discovery. I thought I had completed myself. But in the end, relying on other people to help build yourself is never a viable way to do things. It's only recently that I've started to become comfortable with the idea of being enough, as I am, on my own. Several years ago, in this same position, I would have searched for another person to attach my identity onto,

Beautiful People (A Mega-Post): Meet Avary, Part 2

Okay, wow! I asked, you answered! All these questions are AMAZING! Thanks, you guys! I'm sure this will help a lot! I know I said I'd reply in a comment on the post, but it was getting too long so I decided to make a blog post.


This is my post for Beautiful People, hosted by Georgie and I, where we post questions for YOU to answer about your characters. Don't forget, we will be answering ALL these questions, but the questions that are a part of this month's post are highlighted in red. If your question wasn't highlighted, look for them next month. We plan to go through all 40-some questions you posted for me (with exception to duplicates. We also had to change some to fit a group setting). :P When that time comes, I'll probably answer them for any of my other characters. (There are a LOT to choose from.)

So, check out the Beautiful People blog thing, and link up!

Without further ado... be prepared for a lot of scrolling. This is what's called a mega-post. :)

Tarissa @ In the Bookcase

(link to Tarissa's comment)

Tarissa said...
I'll say the first thing that struck me upon seeing the image set you made, was... Nancy Drew.
Now as I look at the images again, I think it was the flashlight that specifically made me think of it, and for some reason I associate green things with Nancy D. Nonetheless, just thought I should mention it to you.

Actually, that made me think of Nancy Drew too! I don't quite know why I included the flashlight - partly because I picture her exploring. I'm not sure what she's searching for - whether she's looking for clues, or something else entirely, but I definitely agree with your observation! She definitely does remind me of Nancy Drew. ;)

So, since Avary likes to be in the woods, with her books & journal, she could be said to have a methodical personality?
(or, Does your character have a methodical or disorganized personality?)
I suppose you could say that she has a methodical personality. I think that she hides in the woods to get away from something. But she definitely does seem to have a methodical personality to some extent. I think she's a mix of disorganization and perfectionism, if that makes sense. (It probably doesn't. :P)

Does she think inside herself more than she talks out loud to her friends? (more importantly, she does actually have friends??)
She definitely does think inside herself - much more than she talks to anyone else. At this point, she doesn't have too many friends - books ARE her main friends, actually. She will end up befriending my other three main characters after being forced into trying circumstances, though. Their names are Brian, Violet, and Sawyer, and they will become her friends eventually. Other than that, I don't think she has many friends.

Does her name have a special meaning? The name Avary might have something to do with flying, birds, or escaping something?
Mm, yes. Actually, I came up with Avary all on my own. It's a variant of Avery, but I wanted her to be able to be nicknamed Ava. I definitely think of birds too, and I think she does try to escape something. What she's trying to escape though, I'm not quite sure.
*laughs* I actually just looked up the meaning of Avery, and it means either elf or counsel. Both of those fit Avary really well! :P

Hannah Grace @ {i will} Walk in Thy Truth

(link to her comment)

Hannah said...
I saw this and thought first off that it had a slight air of mystery around it. Also, the name Avary sounds like flying [okay, that made no sense, hopefully you understand what I meant] Maybe her Dad is in the air force/navy? Or is a flier? Maybe she has an interest in flying or something?
Hey Half-Pint! :) Yes, she definitely is mysterious, isn't she? I definitely like the idea of her Dad being in the air force... since this is a sci/fi-fantasy novel, I'll probably make him a pilot of a spaceship or something. *has a vision of Han Solo and the Millenium Falcon* :P I think she has an interest in flying, too. I'll have to see where that goes!

You said she likes to hide away in the woods, what is she hiding from? Is there something she's afraid of?
I think she may be hiding from a family situation, or her own fears. I'm not quite sure yet. I'm still trying to pinpoint her fear... it's proving to be difficult.

Does she prefer her own company over others?
Oh my word, definitely. I picture her being rather solitary, and one who prefers her own thoughts and ideas over the thoughts of others. That might be one of her flaws too - she's withdrawn, and it takes her a while to get out of her shell. Do you think maybe her preference for solitude stems from selfishness? *ponders that*

Does she write, dream, dance, sing, photograph?
She writes, and she dreams. She's very imaginative and thoughtful. I think she's scared to dance in front of people, but when she's alone in the forest, she dances to music only she can hear. I don't picture her singing, but maybe she does. I'm not sure. I think she definitely does photograph too. She's one of those people that loves to capture beauty, no matter what it is.

Emily Grace @ A Life Worthy of the Lord


Emily said...
Yeah! What a fun idea. =D
From what you've said, I love her character already. =P
Thank you so much! Yes, I love how she's turning out! Answering questions has helped me get to know her a lot more than I did before! :D

What is her favorite book? (or genre of books)
Well, she loves the classics. Probably some Jane Austen, some Dickens, Jules Verne? (I've actually never read any of those books. *blushes*) And definitely The Chronicles of Narnia! However, it's a fantasy world, so I don't know what kind of authors they have there. :P I think those are the books she likes. I think too that deep down, she's a hopeless romantic. Other than that, she likes sci/fi, fantasy, and historical fiction.

Who is her favorite author and the one that inspires her the most(since you've mentioned that she has a journal I assume that she writes)?
Very perceptive! Yes, she does write! C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien are some of her inspirations, as well as the authors I mentioned up there. (She's starting to sound like me! :P)

Favorite flavor of ice cream?
Vanilla, with just the right amount of chocolate syrup. She likes it when it melts together into one giant ice cream soup. (It might sound gross to some of you, but there you have it.)

Favorite season of the year?
Autumn!! Or late summer; when it's warm enough to go outside. She spends a lot of time out there. :P Another favorite time of the year is when the trees are just starting to bloom. She likes pretty much every season except for winter, and even then, it has a beauty all of its own.

What is her middle name?
(or, What is her full name?)
Lea - her full name is Avary Lea Townsend (tentatively, at least).

What does she do with her spare time?
Reads, or writes. She escapes to the forest quite a lot, and for some reason I think she might have horses in the picture. She also does a lot of exploring. She isn't super close to her family, I don't think... which will be a stretch for me to write about, but sometimes she does enjoy spending time with them. It greatly depends on her mood, and how much time she has.

Is she a detailistic person or does she see the big picture?
I think she's kind of skeptical on the whole big picture thing. She's not sure what life's about or what her purpose is, so all she can do is take life one day at a time, and hope for the best. I'm not sure whether that qualifies as detailistic, but there ya go. :P (At this point, I'm pretty sure she hasn't found Jesus yet, but she will by the end of the book, most definitely. If I have any say about it... which, I do. ;)

Is she a perfectionist or a get the job done as fast as you can type of person?
Well, that's the funny thing. She's a perfectionist, but often her head is in the clouds so she doesn't have the patience to 'perfect' the job, if you know what I mean. She's kind of an oxymoron in that respect (just like me... :P). I guess it depends on what she's doing, what she wants to do after she's done, and whether she wants to be perfectionistic or not. :P

What does her handwriting look like? (round, slanted, curly, skinny, sloppy, neat, decorative, etc.)
Ooh, good question! I'd have to say I picture it curly, slanted, neat, round, and decorative. :P Kind of like this font. (I can't endorse any of the other links on that site, but that page is safe to my knowledge. :)

Favorite animal?
Horses, definitely. She can relate to them a lot in terms of their free-spirited nature and independence.

Does she have any pets?
Ooh. That's a hard one. Maybe some horses. And maybe a dog. Or a cat. Uhhh... I don't know! I'll have to think on that one! ;)

How many brothers/sisters does she have(if any)?
I'm pretty sure she doesn't have any. However, an older brother may pop up out of nowhere. I'll let you know if he does. ;)

Is she the oldest, youngest, middle, or only child?
As of now... an only child. But that could change.

Does she have a 'life verse' and if so what is it?
This might sound kind of cliche, but it's this one:

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.[b] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14

I know the part about the exile sounds weird, but Avary seems to be in a bit of an emotional exile. She's detached from anyone and everyone. God is going to have to help bring her out of it, hence this verse.

Favorite writing utensil? (ball point pen, felt tip pen, pencil, mechanical pencil, etc)
Either a mechanical pencil or a ball-point pen. Whatever is on hand at the moment, although she hates switching writing utensils halfway through the page.

Thanks for all the questions, Emily! :)

Lily @ Snatched from the Wind

(link to her comment)

Ahh, hey Lily! *hugs* Glad you stopped by! :)

How old is she?
I'm thinkin' 16...? Yeah, probably 16. :P

What type of laugh does she have?
Soft and quiet. She's reserved most of the time, but sometimes, if she lets herself, she can laugh loud and long. :P

What sort of stuff does she write about?
Ahhh... that's a hard question. Um... fantasy worlds, where everything is different. She uses her writing as a sort of escape {not sure from what}, so she writes about a lot of different things, most of them set in completely different worlds. (Which is ironic, since this story is set in a completely different world... :P)

Who is her best friend?
She doesn't really have one. She and Violet, my other girl main character, become pretty close though, and she becomes really good friends with the other two main characters, Brian & Sawyer.

What is her family like?
See... that's the thing... I don't know. I think her dad is gone a lot of the time, flying planes or spaceships or something. Her mom is pretty supportive but doesn't really understand Avary (or at least that's how Avary feels). I think there may be an older brother in the equation, but how that will play out... I have no idea. :P (There are a lot of things I don't know, but these questions have helped me figure out some of it!)

Is she a Christian, or will she eventually find Jesus?
She's not quite a Christian yet, but she will find Jesus soon. I'm not sure when or how, but I do know that she definitely needs him. Like I said to Emily Grace, she's in a bit of an emotional exile, where she's detached from everyone and everything. God needs to come in and help break down the walls.

And....does she believe in fairies?
HAHA! That made me laugh! You know... I think she kind of does. She doubts that they're actually real, but somewhere deep down she hopes that they are. Ah, that's it! I know what she writes about: fairies! Thanks, Lily! :D

Inna @ Paper Raindrops

(link to her comment)

Inna said...
Btw, I love that outfit! Good work. :) And thanks for the great comment! Made me smile. *High-five for being awesome right back at you* ;)

Hey Inna! I LOVED your questions. *double high five for being awesome*
Ah, thank you so much! I love that outfit. I'd wear it everyday if I could. :P

Does Avary like hedgehogs?
HAHA! This totally made me laugh. Yes, she does. :P Actually, if you want to talk about hedgehogs, talk to my other character, Talryn. She actually has a bodyguard who is a hedgehog. (Long story.)

What is her favorite kind of weather? (Rain, sunshine, windy, starry skies, nippy?)
She likes rainy days, and sunshiny days, in mixed amounts. She likes it right after it's rained, when the smell still lingers in the air, and when it's misty or foggy. She finds that inspiring.

Does she have a good sense of humor, and if so, what kind? (Does she enjoy slapstick, wit, sarcasm, etc.?)
She's sarcastic, very. (Like me. *blush*) She also likes witty people, and puns. She's a bit of a nerd in that respect. :P

Does Avary dance?
Oh my word, ha! I have no idea. When no one's watching, I imagine she does. :P I think she's always wanted to dance in the rain but has never gotten around to it.

iGirl @ iDream

(link to her comment)

iGirl said...
I would like to ask some questions, sorry it's late ;)
Thanks for asking for us to ask questions :)

Ah, you're welcome! It's my pleasure! Thanks for asking them! :) And no, you're not too late! You're just in time! :D

Does she have any siblings?

Possibly an older brother. I'm not sure if she'll be an only child or not. If she does have siblings, she doesn't have many.

What are her grades like/or what were they like?
She gets mostly A's and B's. She's very studious and schoolwork comes naturally to her. (Ha, yeah, I wish I could say the same!)

Does she have any weird hobbies?
Um, she likes polka? *cracks up* Just kidding. She likes to birdwatch.

Is she a fan of popular music?
Some of it. Since it's a different world, I'm not quite sure what kind of music is popular, but yeah, I'd say she likes some of it. She likes stuff with a good beat and violins... sort of like this.

Does she like to go outside?
Oh my word, yes! She's usually always wandering around in the forest by her house, exploring, or writing. Or she'll sit on her porch spring. She doesn't like to be contained.

Is she naturally curious?
Oh, most definitely! She loves to go exploring and learn new things. If she doesn't know something, she'll look it up. And more likely than not, she'll venture into an unknown situation merely for the sake of her curious nature. So that'd be a yes. :)

Charity @ CharityRocks!

(link to her comment)

Charity said...
I have a few basic questions I use when developing characters in theatre . . .These are kind of random but they really help develop a character.

Hi Charity! Thanks so much for asking these... they're random, but amazing!

Is she right or left handed?
Let's say left-handed... just to be different.

What's her favorite color?
Green, as evidenced by her Polyvore set. She also likes brown and green together.

Where is she from?
My magical land...whatever the name might be. :P She's lived in the same place all her life, in a small farmhouse in the country.

Who are her friends/enemies?
Violet, Sawyer, & Brian are her friends (the other main characters). As for her enemies... well, I haven't come up with a villain yet, but he'll be her enemy. :P

What are her quirks?
She likes to birdwatch. She writes. She hangs out in the forest for hours at a time. She is left-handed. She is very shy, and doesn't say too much. And she likes polka dots.

Is she an introvert or an extrovert?
She is the MOST introverted person you will EVER meet.

What kinds of things get on her nerves?
Nails running down a chalkboard. :P Also when people aren't loyal; when she has writer's block; when she has insomnia; when inspiration won't come; and when no one understands her.

Is she independent or does she need others to help her out?

It depends on what she's doing. She often likes to be independent of others, but that's because she's been hurt in the past. Deep down, she does want someone to help her and love her unconditionally.

How does she feel about herself?
She kind of has a low self-esteem, due to wounds of the past (not sure what they are). She's not conceited by any means, and in all honesty, is a lot harder on herself than she really should be.

-- 

Well, that was EXHAUSTING, but you guys totally made it worth it! I'm learning so much about Avary! Thanks for sending in all your questions, you all rock! ♥ And don't forget to check out the Beautiful People blog thing...*wink wink*

Comments

  1. Wow, I almost feel like I know Avary! She sounds pretty real.

    ~ Chy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cool! Thanks for answering the questions! I was wondering how you pronounce Avary, is it the same as Avery?

    P.S-I post about Grace on my blog :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Seriously Samio, she sounds a LOT like me... like, most of those answers you could have been answering about me. Just sayin'. So if you kill Avary, I'll know she was created to get back at me about Exie. ;)

    Awesome post, and great questions. Can't wait till we use them for BP! <3

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glad I could help Sky! Your design looks lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  5. *I meant to say "Posted"

    Typos are so embarrassing :-/

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oooh, I love Avary!!!!! The meaning behind her name is pretty cool. (:

    *hugs back* Im' sooooo glad you and Georgie came up with this character thing!!! I cannot WAIT to answer next month's questions. =D

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for including my question in your post! It was a surprise to see it here. I also don't believe that anyone has ever piece-by-piece investigated each part of a comment of mine before. LOL! You describe Avary so vividly... I don't even think I could do that with one of my own.

    ReplyDelete

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