OH MY GOODNESS, IT'S ADORABLE

I may be A LITTLE EXCITED RIGHT NOW.

(ahem...)

I have been tagged (*squeal*) by the wonderful, fearless, and every-lovely....

BELLE ANNE
(who resides at the Worlds of Ink and Paper. PLEASE GO DROP BY, she's a super duper awesome author, a fellow Catholic <3 and SHE'S ALSO THE CREATOR OF THIS LOVELY TAG)

(*more squealing and fangirling*)

As my brothers can safely attest (*pats brother's heads*) I have a mothering streak a gazillion miles long and a country mile wide. So, when it came time to answer the Evil Writer Award, I had a teeny tiny identity crisis. As I explained in that post:

I don't endorse sadistically killing and torturing characters. I'm too much of an empathetic person. If there is torture and killing in my stories, there is a just reason or it's used as a stumbling block for the hero. It's not as "fun" but I've seen the dark side and I'm not going back *shudders*. I'm a mommy to my characters - respected (mostly), stern (to my bad children) and supportive (to my good children).

Since then, I've discovered other writers that felt the same way that I did, one of which was Belle Anne. She got the idea to make a tag that was similar to the Evil Writer Award, but was for motherly writers.

Which I thank her very much for tagging me with!!!!! 

(*bounces around the room throwing confetti and setting off fireworks*)

(*plops into a heap on the floor*)

Okay, okay, I'll calm down now *assumes a more ladylike demeanor*. I have to state the rules anyway:

1. Thank the person who tagged you, and link to Belle's original post (Which is HERE!!!)
2. Use the tag picture (which is above, and it is the most adorable thing in the world!!!!!)
3. Answer the motherly writer questions (which is coming up!!!)
4. Tag at least three bloggers at the end (which is, of course, at the end :) )


1. How motherly are you to your characters? What sort of a mother? Strict but attentive? Spoiling and soft? Tender but cautious? Or perhaps you are one of those writer mothers who is not so motherly? 

Ummm.....VERY.

I tend to be a rather strict but attentive mother to my characters. There are multiple times when they come and interrupt me while I'm trying to do "actual" work and I get upset at them. But I always make sure I come back and play with them later on. If they still speak to me, that is.

They are not afraid to tell me when I get their story wrong though...*rubs ears from last conversation with Ceinwen*

I have my tender side though....especially when it comes time for an injury or death *sobs*.


2. Do you fret about your characters' fates? Their dates? Whether or not they get kids of their own? 

Definitely if they have kids or not. That is super important to me, and a lot of books don't really go much beyond the romance *humph*.

Their fates I know, at least for the most part. Sometimes they threw a few surprises at me, but most of the time, it's how I predicted that they would (*cue motherly smirk*)

Dates, I'm normally present for. Yes, I'm that kind of mommy. *peeks over the wall to watch Gareth and Eirwen clear a hedge on horseback* After all, they need chaperones, obviously!!!!


3. Are you sad when your characters are hurt? How sad on a level from one to ten are you when one of your characters is injured - physically or emotionally? How about spiritually? What about if they die? 

I have to contain myself in order not to shudder or scream when I hear that one of my characters is hurting physically in any way. So I would be a 7-8 there.

Though I have been guilty of guilt-tripping and giving out emotional trauma. So I'm a 3-4 there.

Spiritually? I'd say I'm in the middle - 5.

When they die, at least according to my answers to the Evil Writer Tag:

"I get the sinking feeling, the watering eyes, the works. I feel pity for the rest of the characters, really. I mourn with them. Unless it's a villain. Then it's "serves you right" and move on."

I tend to avoid that though. So that would be a 9.



4. Are you aggressive or do you retaliate when someone insults or doesn't like your characters/book? To what extent? 

*draws sword and garbs myself with armor* WHO DARES TO INSULT MY BABIES??? COME AND FIGHT ME LIKE A.....

*pauses for calming breath*

In reality, I tend to take it hard inside if someone insults my characters or they criticize my book. I can accept a lot of constructive criticism, and a lot of times I'm grateful for it later. I do have a high streak of prideful perfectionism. As my sister can attest, sometimes a lot of compliments at once go to my head. (And I don't need that!!!!!!)


5. Which of your characters do you "baby" the most? 

Oh heavens, that's an easy question to answer.

It's Gail.

I haven't bound her to paper yet. She's still running around loose in my muse.

Yeah, that's right.

I haven't written any prose for her story yet.

I've been working on this WIP for 3 YEARS and I still haven't written any prose.

She's a spoiled brat, that's what. Every single other character that I've written pages of notes on has at least a DRAFT started. NOT THIS ONE.



6.  Which one of your characters do you let fend for themselves the most? 

Ummm.... actually almost all of my male characters tend to fend for themselves.

My boys are tough, what can I say?

Though they know that Mother's here when they need her :).





7. Do you tend to cling more to your older children and stories, or your youngest ones? 

I cling to all of them, let's be honest. I tend to cling to my older ones the most though (*cough* Gail *cough*). I'm not totally sure why....I guess cause mommies don't usually look forward to their first kid growing up, I suppose.


8. Do your characters have any habits or styles that you disapprove of? 

Um....yes. *cue motherly embarrasment*

Eirwen attempts to swear all the time. I think she's been hanging around the liverymen too much *glares*


See what I mean......*shakes head*. Bad Eirwen.





9. Which of your characters are you most proud of? 

can I say all of them????? LOL. 


10. How many of your main characters have actual mothers? 

Well....all of them have "actual" mothers, if you think about it.

Oh, I'm sorry...did you mean actual as in present in the story?

Hang on a second.....*searches through the character records*

Gail from Caoimhe has an actual mother who's present for a third of the book.

Ciara and Grace from Fair Winds have a mother as well, but she's only briefly mentioned.

Eirwen from Seeds from an Orchard Invisible has a mother, but she's only mentioned as well. Technically Lilliwen is a mother-figure, so I guess she counts.


11. How many of your main characters are mothers? 

Well, as of right now, none of them are.

That may change later on....*wink*




12. Have you ever had pressure to kill off a character? Have you ever downright refused? 

Oh my goodness, YES.

The one that I was really divided about was Aneirin, Eirwen's father. I decided to have it be a mortal wound instead of an outright killing because...

Well, Eirwen was telling me the story and she INSISTS that's how it happened. So that's the way it's going to be.

(My characters can't stand me writing a lie, it seems. Though I did raise them to be honest and truthful in all things, so I guess I should give them credit....)


13. How many of your characters are children? 

A lot of them are actually teenagers/young adults. The only one that could be safely considered a child is Grace Arlen from Fair Winds.


14. Are you loath to kill characters? How much so? 

(Didn't I answer a similar question a minute ago?)

To quote (again???) from my other award post:

"Mother can't help it if her children fight, but she often has to help clean up the mess." 

And dead bodies are the worst things to clean up. I can't STAND dead bodies. Doesn't matter if it's a character or a spider. They are DISGUSTING. *shudders* 

I prefer my characters to be alive and thriving, please and thank you very much. 




15. Are you biased for your own characters? 

Me, biased?

Nahhhhhh.

In all seriousness, I know my characters are just as flawed as every other writers are. In fact, I actually like reading about other writers characters. It's like a group of moms exchanging parenting advice!!


16. How well do you care for your characters?

Very well, thank you! I make sure that all of them are fed, clothed, sheltered...even found when lost. Can't guarantee against injury though.  

17. And do you intend to be more motherly, or less motherly with your characters in the future?

MORE MOTHERLY.

They will always be my babies. Nothing will change that, not even if they go off with a publisher, they are MY BABIES FIRST AND ALWAYS.





I tag: 

Christine @ Musings of an Elf
Lilah @ The Singing Writer
MovieCritic @ Movies Meet Their Match

And any other motherly author that is out there!!

GO! Spread the motherly love of all authors everywhere!!!

Scribblingly yours,

Catherine