We are the sum of our parts

Part of an author's job is recognizing traits and patterns in behavior.  Everyone is different, obviously, but the sixteen personality types of Meyers/Briggs personality test have been one of my greatest tools in my toolbox when it comes to nailing down the hard-wired responses of my characters. (If you write and haven't found Meyers/Briggs, do some research and be prepared to spend hours.  It is AMAZING.  Most successful dating site use a modified version of it, but M/B came first, and you really need the original to correctly identify the rare personality types.)

My M/B file is seriously about a ream of paper, and though I used to use it extensively, I now refer to it only when something isn't quite gelling on the page.  Most people have a good grasp on what's in there anyway.  You know how your friend is going to react to any given situation before it happens, but this is after a lifetime of interaction.  It's harder with a character, brand new and shiny, and knowing their personality type helps give you the bones to shape your character.  When they break out of their M/B accustomed patterns, it's even better.  No one always follows their personality traits, and when we deviate, it's because something extraordinary has impinged upon us.

Why am I bringing it up?  Because I saw one of my own character traits poke its head out this week and remind me that I'm a creature of the sum of my parts as well.  I have been sitting on pleasant news since Monday, afraid that if I mentioned it, it would go poof in the sun and disappear.  But after taking it in, digesting it, and analyzing it to death, I'm braver now.

PALE DEMON was the recipient of a starred review in Publisher's Weekly, and it has me doing the happy author dance, scaring my dogs.  I've gotten decent reviews from publishing's top industry magazine before, but getting that starred review in genre fiction means they thought it was outstanding in what it accomplished.  Which is a very fine thing to know indeed.  -grin-

 

P.S.  I "ran" very well yesterday.  I have 21 pages of messy, ugly text, and am aiming for the same today.