How Do You Create Your Characters?

Characters of Heir of Scars

I get asked this question often: “How do you create the characters for your novels?”

It's a great question that I usually answer in a wonky way. Some of the time, it's just conversation. Someone in a coffee shop, if it's sufficiently
crowded and they're particularly prone to conversation, might get so far after the initial “Is this seat taken?” and “There's weather where I live also.” and “Is that seriously an iced white
latte? Your facial hair says anachroni...