Meet five fascinating book characters
Pick the character you'd like to read more about at the bottom of the page,
and you might win the book.
Authors know that making a character relatable is crucial for readers to invest in the story fully. They must strike a delicate balance between making the characters too perfect and unattainable or too flawed and unlikable. Creating characters that readers can truly connect with is a daunting task. Characters that they could see themselves in, inspired by, and root for until the very end. The authors had given the characters flaws and strengths, fears and dreams, quirks and insecurities. They had carefully constructed the backstory, their motivations, and their journey throughout the story.
Did the authors succeed?
From the short descriptions and pictures of how the authors
imagined the characters, which character would you want to know more about in
the book?
Scroll down to choose your favorite character, you might win a signed paperback of the story.
Meet the characters
My name is Major Sam Mattingley of the Merriam County Sheriff’s Department, a place I’ve called home my entire life. I enjoy my job and think I'm good at it, but the recent kidnapping of Gwen Love is the biggest story here in decades. Things like that don’t happen here in our sleepy rural county, or didn’t…
There’s something puzzling about Gwen's marriage to Emma's brother, Daniel, that I can’t put my finger on. If I were a betting man, I’d give odds that it is all tied up in her disappearance—and perhaps Emma’s all those years ago. The Love family guards their secrets well and always has. It isn’t the best time for Emma's return, but she's wrapped herself up in the case to find her sister-in-law. I don’t know what drove the wedge between Emma and me years ago or why she left without saying goodbye. It may take my best detective skills to uncover what happened while pursuing leads in Gwen’s case. I’ll have to tread lightly if there’s any chance to find a way back to what we once were… Sad to say, I've never gotten over her! As Assistant Sheriff to recently elected John Wathen, I didn’t envision myself as a sidekick in any investigation—then Emma came back into my life. Nothing will ever be the same.
Ema plays a
supporting role as the sister of Ilona, the strong and honorable protagonist.
Ema was an outgoing and lively child until a selfish boy from her school took
advantage of her. This experience shattered Ema's confidence, causing her to
withdraw into herself and blame herself for being foolish and too weak to
protect herself. She felt like an outsider, unable to find peace or a sense of
belonging. Despite putting up a facade for others, her family knew the depth of
her emotional turmoil and felt helpless, not being able to comfort her. To cope
with her pain, Ema turned to her passion for art and created stunning paintings
that evoked music in people's minds.
Ignoring the
numerous attempts of young men to win her over with their admiration, she
didn’t trust anyone besides her close family. However, as her sister reached
maturity and her powers strengthened, they discovered that not only Ilona, but
Ema was in grave danger as well. Using her abilities to manipulate time, Ilona
transported Ema to the past, where she found solace with their ancestors in the
400s. Instantly feeling a sense of belonging and purpose, Ema's life finally
fell into place. And when she met a handsome warrior in the ancient tribe, love
not only made her lips curve into a smile, but it also lit up her sad eyes with
genuine joy.
Daniella Reyes, affectionately called Dani, is a woman whose story is defined by resilience. Raised in the shadow of an abusive father and a sickly mother, her life could have unraveled if not for the unwavering support of Aunt Miranda. Strong-willed and enigmatic, Miranda took Dani in, instilling values of strength, self-worth, and pride in their Hispanic heritage. Despite this foundation, Dani stumbled after high school, drawn to the wrong crowd and the harsh realities of street life. But Miranda wouldn’t let her fall. She reminded Dani of her beauty—not just in her striking features but in her inner strength—and helped her rebuild her life. Yet, Miranda’s mysterious past always lingered in whispers.
Determined to rise above, Dani earned a degree in elementary education and found love in a steady boyfriend who helped her confidence blossom. Her journey reached a milestone when she landed her dream job as a third-grade teacher at Mesa Luna Elementary. Though she bonded with colleagues, the aloof principal exuded an unsettling darkness she couldn’t ignore. When her empathic instincts, long hinted at by Miranda, revealed troubling truths about him and some students, Dani sought guidance from her aunt. Miranda introduced Dani to a secret circle of Empaths in Albuquerque—women who had long awaited her arrival. Skeptical but intrigued, Dani discovered her gifts could do more than help her students; they tied her to a far greater purpose. Embracing this path, Dani prepared to uncover secrets and face her destiny.
Helen, had a privileged upbringing. Being the only child of wealthy parents, she had more material things than she ever needed, yet what she wished for more than anything was…a friend. Her private schooling, however, didn’t bring what Helen hoped for. Her beauty and stunning figure only served to attract a significant amount of male attention and the other girls, being overtly jealous, bullied Helen relentlessly. Despite all that was thrown at her, it didn’t affect Helen’s intelligence or her ability to gain excellent exam results and achieve a place in the University of her choice, the London School of Economics. During her second year at university, Helen is faced with heartbreak when she is betrayed by Gavin, her boyfriend, and her newly found best friend, Bobbie. In anger, and a rather reckless moment, she quits school and returns home to her parents, broken-hearted. In a matter of a few weeks, it becomes clear that Helen has a serious mental health issue, and her parents encourage her to see a therapist.
Seeking an alternative route to achieve her goal of becoming a chartered
accountant, she secures a position with the Hopkins Partnership where she
excels and eventually becomes a partner. After several more heart-breaking
events, the impulsiveness from her childhood returns, and she makes some
colossal, life-changing mistakes as she finds herself involved in a sordid
world of sleaze. Helen’s instinct is to run, yet her despair seems to follow
her to wherever she seeks solace.
In Rapier, and the in-progress sequel Razor, we
first encounter Lien when she and her family are
captured during a raid and brought onboard the spaceship, Rapier. During
the auction of Lien and her older brothers, she is purchased
by Kathy Masters at the insistence of her adopted daughter Cindy. From this difficult
beginning, Cindy and Lien forge an unbreakable bond of sisterhood, and Kathy
takes her on as her second adopted daughter. During her time aboard the Rapier,
Lien must learn how to navigate the intense hatred the crew has toward the
Chinese Prefecture and Chinese royalty. Before long, the crew becomes so
accustomed to being in her care as she helps the ship’s doctor that when Cindy petitions
the crew to free her from slavery they unanimously agree. From then on, she is treated as an equal by all.
But her course is not a smooth one. She comes to love her
adopted mother and sister, and to care for and respect the captain and his
crew. She falls madly in love with the captain’s nephew, Jim Gibb. All of this
is at odds with her station in life. These raiders are the enemies of the
emperor and the empire, and the enemies of her grandfather, Prince Chou Yen Yi.
They are also the people who sold them into slavery. Despite these conflicts
when the survivors of the Rapier are kept as
prisoners on Earth, she helps Cindy orchestrate their escape. When they arrive
on Mars, she must bid her adopted family goodbye, leave with her grandfather,
and return to the Chinese Prefecture, and the imperial court.
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