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Some authors say their characters take over. Some authors say that’s rubbish. The writer is the boss! Well, yes?

While I wouldn’t say my characters take over, at times, when I’m contemplating the plot, I write the plot a certain way and it just keeps not working. It feels wrong. The dialogue is stilted or boring. Frustration builds.

It really does feel as if I’m wrangling characters into the wrong place. If I wait, the light often shines. Of course! I know what the characters were meant to do all along!

Now we come to my two main characters in The Book of Astrophilia–Miracle June Delphine and Tasanko Fray. If you read my previous post, you know they started off as my answer to Doctor Who. Tasanko, or Tas, was my over-the-top Doctor from another planet. Miracle June my sidekick from Earth.

Except my story isn’t in the universe. This universe is like ours, but also not like ours. And I’m not writing fan fiction because, well, it isn’t. There’s no time travel (not yet anyway). There’s no TARDIS (though there is a starship). And Tas…well…she might be a bit more Captain Jack Harkness than Doctor, but really, she’s Tas. She shook off those origins and became herself. (Apologies to you non-Whovians! My cultural references are few!)

I didn’t know who my characters were going to fall for even as I thought I knew who they wouldn’t fall for. I was wrong. They insisted. And in my universe, that’s okay!

Thanks for reading.

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The Book of Astrophilia begins its serialization on Patreon, April 18th with weekly installments. Come read! (The first three installments are open to everyone.) Thank you!