Writer's Sketchbook 9

    As I said in my last post, I'm taking a break from my work on Rose.  Trying to balance all the different characters and all their different plots became overwhelming and upsetting.  I'm definitely going to keep working on the Magique Trilogy, but I needed a break so badly.  I was dying for some traditional fantasy writing.  I tried reading some of my old favorite books, but it wasn't enough.
    So I switched focus for a brief period of time to Powerful.  I posted the first chapter here, but it's clearly not going to be the first chapter of the novel.  As I sat down to write the next chapter (which will most likely become the actual first chapter), I realized I hadn't done character sketches, and this book has a lot of characters.  I will be working on developing all the characters over the next little while, and posting them here for you to see.  Here is the first of those sketches.

Crown Princess Kylanore (Kyla) Tykranne

Role In Story: Narrator and protagonist.

Occupation: Crown Princess of Tykra, and Queen in training.
Physical Description: Fair skin completely unblemished except for the fleshy pink scar down that extends from her right fingers down to her elbow. Light blonde hair down to her waist, she likes it pulled back but her handmaid insists she wear it long. Striking dark blue eyes that complement her dark and confused personality but contradict her fair complexion.
Personality: Protected, quiet, defensive, sarcastic, and a little bitter.  She knows that she is unique and dangerous, and this makes her self-conscious.
Habits/Mannerisms: Snark and sarcasm, pacing, flexing her burned fingers, gets sick and sometimes passes out when she uses her powers.
Background: She is burned by her older brother and best friend, Eli, when she is 6, and is left with a scar.  When she is 7, Eli runs away.  Shortly after, her parents are dragged away by Council soldiers and she is abandoned in the castle overnight until Captain Gavick finds her and takes her in.  She lives in his room until she is put on trial by the council and taken home by her uncle, the new king. She lives with her cousins, Nio, Brinlea, and Jadie until she is sent to attend school at Floures in Central City. While there, her powers are discovered and it causes problems with the Council of Four who maintain balance between the kingdoms.
Conflicts: The story focuses on her overcoming her distrust of other people while struggling with others judging her and whispering about her because of her power and her parents.  Kyla discovers the four kingdoms used to interact, but the Council slowly stopped that everywhere except Central City. Eli leads her to discover unrest within each kingdom, and within the Council. He wants to put a rest to it, but she doesn’t agree with his methods.