character lists
Ever wonder how historical series writers keep it all lined up? Character lists provide help for those of us without amazing logistical skills where tons of facts can be instantly attained at a moment of need. Character lists are helpful even when there is only one book.
Once in awhile I have even given my hero and heroine a birth month based on the characteristics portrayed and which astrology sign makes that most likely. For those of you with no interest or knowledge of astrology, you might be surprised how often the time when one is born can tell a lot about natural traits. The reason for that is not clear to me, but just I have often seen it to be so. Do not confuse a birth chart with horoscopes.
Below is an example of one from my Arizona historical character lists. It has been added onto as books were written and characters added. When I start writing any book, I add in the new characters and their births-- maybe even deaths of some older people-- death is part of life unwilling as we are to see it come to those we love.
I have had some reservations about sharing with readers these character lists mainly because if a reader hasn't read the books, the list gives away what will happen. Of course, romance readers already know a HEA is guaranteed. For those of you who don't read my books, this is mostly to give you an idea of what you can do if you ever decide to write stories that follow a family through many years. As the little image says, these books go from 1883 to 1906 or will go to 1906 when the last one is out.
On this list, some of these characters never became more than secondary ones but when putting together a character list, it's better to add them in case somewhere down the line, they get their own book. It happens. I do a second such list that has the basics of each major character in any book I am writing. This doesn't require birth dates but personalities and interactions. Some call this kind of information the bible as such are done for screen plays.
CHARACTER LIST FOR ARIZONA HISTORICALS
1837 Charles Provo (exact date and place uncertain)
1838 Jeremiah Taggert b. Illinois; James Redman b. Iowa1839 -1840 Rose Jarred b. Missouri1841 --1842 --1843 Roman Alexander Oliver b. Kansas1844 Raul Cordova b. Mexico1845 Robert Mitchell b. New York1846 –1847 Delbert Sicilla b. West Virginia1848 –1849 Maria Jacinta b. Mexico1850 Constance Banyon b. Maryland1851 Wei Song b. California1852 Samuel Ryker (O’Brian) b. Kansas1853 --1854 Cordell O’Brian b. Kansas1855 Joseph Coburn b. Missouri1856 ---1857 James Redman m. Rose Jarrod Missouri; Clint Adams b. Nebraska1858 Abigail Spenser b. Illinois1859 --1860 Vincent Coburn b. Kansas; Frances Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas1861 Priscilla Wesley b. Georgia1862 --1863 Ellen Buchanan b. Texas1864 --1865 --1866 Asa Taggert b. Utah; Rafael Cordova b. Mexico1867 Cole Taggert b. Utah1868 Jesse Taggert b. Utah1869 Juan Cordova b. Mexico m. Josita; 1870 Raquel Cordova b. Mexico d. 18691871 –1872 James Angus b. Illinois 1873 Felipe Valencia b. Arizona1874 Clint Madison b. Illinois1875 Eliza Wallace b. California1876 Gabriel Cordova b. Arizona; Holly Jacobs b. Illinois1877 Grace O’Brian b. Kansas1878 Anita Cordova b. Arizona1879 Alexa Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas; Lily Jacobs b. Illinois1880 Wei Zian b. Arizona1881 –1882 Sam & Abigail meet June and m. June and Nov. Tombstone1883 –1884 David Ryker b. Circle R Ranch1885 Priscilla & Cord talk; Grace arrives in Tucson1886 cabin—Jan; earthquake May 3; marriage—July1887 Alice Ryker b. Circle R Ranch1888 Jesse O’Brian b. Circle O Ranch; Raquel Valencia b. Tucson1889 Daniel Cordova b. Circle O Ranch Jan.1890 Ellen m. Robert Mitchell; Jose Valencia b. Tucson1891 Alica O’Brian b. August Circle O1892 Roberto Cordova b. December Tucson1893 Grace leaves for back East; Royce Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas1894 –1895 James Redman dies Feb. Tucson; James O’Brian b. Circle O, July1896 –1897 Rafe Joins Rough Riders; Margarita Valencia b. Tucson1898 Rafe mustered out Feb. 15; Grace returns to Tucson June; Marries Rafe Sept.1899 Donovan Cordova b. November Tucson on the Cordova Ranch; Rose Redman m.Roman Oliver. Tucson 1900 Holly Jacobs meets Vince Coburn in April – marries in July.1901 Jesse marries Lily1902 Tyler Taggert b. March- son of Vincent: Joshua Taggert b. April- son of Jesse1903 -1904 -1905 -
Once in awhile I have even given my hero and heroine a birth month based on the characteristics portrayed and which astrology sign makes that most likely. For those of you with no interest or knowledge of astrology, you might be surprised how often the time when one is born can tell a lot about natural traits. The reason for that is not clear to me, but just I have often seen it to be so. Do not confuse a birth chart with horoscopes.
Below is an example of one from my Arizona historical character lists. It has been added onto as books were written and characters added. When I start writing any book, I add in the new characters and their births-- maybe even deaths of some older people-- death is part of life unwilling as we are to see it come to those we love.
I have had some reservations about sharing with readers these character lists mainly because if a reader hasn't read the books, the list gives away what will happen. Of course, romance readers already know a HEA is guaranteed. For those of you who don't read my books, this is mostly to give you an idea of what you can do if you ever decide to write stories that follow a family through many years. As the little image says, these books go from 1883 to 1906 or will go to 1906 when the last one is out.
On this list, some of these characters never became more than secondary ones but when putting together a character list, it's better to add them in case somewhere down the line, they get their own book. It happens. I do a second such list that has the basics of each major character in any book I am writing. This doesn't require birth dates but personalities and interactions. Some call this kind of information the bible as such are done for screen plays.
CHARACTER LIST FOR ARIZONA HISTORICALS
1837 Charles Provo (exact date and place uncertain)
1838 Jeremiah Taggert b. Illinois; James Redman b. Iowa1839 -1840 Rose Jarred b. Missouri1841 --1842 --1843 Roman Alexander Oliver b. Kansas1844 Raul Cordova b. Mexico1845 Robert Mitchell b. New York1846 –1847 Delbert Sicilla b. West Virginia1848 –1849 Maria Jacinta b. Mexico1850 Constance Banyon b. Maryland1851 Wei Song b. California1852 Samuel Ryker (O’Brian) b. Kansas1853 --1854 Cordell O’Brian b. Kansas1855 Joseph Coburn b. Missouri1856 ---1857 James Redman m. Rose Jarrod Missouri; Clint Adams b. Nebraska1858 Abigail Spenser b. Illinois1859 --1860 Vincent Coburn b. Kansas; Frances Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas1861 Priscilla Wesley b. Georgia1862 --1863 Ellen Buchanan b. Texas1864 --1865 --1866 Asa Taggert b. Utah; Rafael Cordova b. Mexico1867 Cole Taggert b. Utah1868 Jesse Taggert b. Utah1869 Juan Cordova b. Mexico m. Josita; 1870 Raquel Cordova b. Mexico d. 18691871 –1872 James Angus b. Illinois 1873 Felipe Valencia b. Arizona1874 Clint Madison b. Illinois1875 Eliza Wallace b. California1876 Gabriel Cordova b. Arizona; Holly Jacobs b. Illinois1877 Grace O’Brian b. Kansas1878 Anita Cordova b. Arizona1879 Alexa Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas; Lily Jacobs b. Illinois1880 Wei Zian b. Arizona1881 –1882 Sam & Abigail meet June and m. June and Nov. Tombstone1883 –1884 David Ryker b. Circle R Ranch1885 Priscilla & Cord talk; Grace arrives in Tucson1886 cabin—Jan; earthquake May 3; marriage—July1887 Alice Ryker b. Circle R Ranch1888 Jesse O’Brian b. Circle O Ranch; Raquel Valencia b. Tucson1889 Daniel Cordova b. Circle O Ranch Jan.1890 Ellen m. Robert Mitchell; Jose Valencia b. Tucson1891 Alica O’Brian b. August Circle O1892 Roberto Cordova b. December Tucson1893 Grace leaves for back East; Royce Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas1894 –1895 James Redman dies Feb. Tucson; James O’Brian b. Circle O, July1896 –1897 Rafe Joins Rough Riders; Margarita Valencia b. Tucson1898 Rafe mustered out Feb. 15; Grace returns to Tucson June; Marries Rafe Sept.1899 Donovan Cordova b. November Tucson on the Cordova Ranch; Rose Redman m.Roman Oliver. Tucson 1900 Holly Jacobs meets Vince Coburn in April – marries in July.1901 Jesse marries Lily1902 Tyler Taggert b. March- son of Vincent: Joshua Taggert b. April- son of Jesse1903 -1904 -1905 -
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