We’re getting close to the end of Rubicon Ranch: Necropieces, the second book in the Rubicon series. As I wrap up my deeply flawed characters, I have time to reflect on their behavior.
They’re bad. Bad to the bone. Bad in ninety-five percent of their molecular makeup. If an ice-cream flavor was named after them, it would be “Vinegar and Vinegar” and it would taste just as sour as it sounds.
They are evil, narcissistic, self-centered, selfish and plain mean. Both characters think nothing of climbing over the living and dying bodies of anyone in their way. They are Bad Wasps.
So, why did I write them this way? It’s not a reflection of me. I’m fairly mild, with only a bit of flair once in a while. And I’ve never wanted to murder my parents
or my brother, although he did chase me down the street one time when I ran away in protest of a nap. It was terrifying for a four-year old to hear the thwump, thwump of an angry sibling’s running feet hitting the sidewalk as he raced to catch me.
Even though I write from the view of a soldier in some of my books, I’ve never shot anyone or fired a cannon at an approaching enemy (although I’ve thought about it from time to time).
Of course, part of my heredity includes the lawmen and the lawless. I can pull from both sides although I, myself, am fairly law-abiding (except when I get in my car – speed “limits” limit my ability to go faaaaaaast).
My characters don’t reflect the true me or, for the most part, the me I fantasize I am at times. Without a qualm, I can make a bad-asp character who behaves like an asp. After all, it’s all in my mind.
And what a kaleidoscope my mind can be. In the next installment of Rubicon Ranch, I’ll introduce a new emotion to one of my Sinclair characters – love. But, love with a twist because when you look up “dysfunctional” in the dictionary, you find the entire Sinclair family tree.
As I’ve said before, writing a straight line is boring. I’ll always choose the zig-zagged, crooked path because it’s infinitely more interesting.
J J Dare is the author of two published books, several short stories and triple digit works-in-progress.
Current enthusiasm is sharpening intangible knives and co-authoring at Rubicon Ranch