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People often ask me where I find my characters, and the honest answer is: absolutely everywhere. This time, it was on a flight to Vienna.
Somewhere over the clouds, I found myself rather distracted by one of the air stewards. Tall. Muscular. Blond. A jawline you could sharpen a pencil on. Honestly, he looked like he’d wandered straight off a longship and into a smart uniform. A Viking, unmistakably, just very well turned out and serving me a drink.
Naturally, I told my children and grandchildren about him the moment I landed. Naturally, I got the eye rolls. Apparently, there comes an age at which a woman is meant to stop noticing a fine jawline when it walks past with a drinks trolley. I have decided I disagree with this rule entirely, and I’d encourage you to do the same.
A few days later, over tea and rather a lot of cake with a fellow author friend, I was still talking about him. As these conversations tend to go, “wasn’t he handsome” slowly turned into “wouldn’t he make a wonderful character,” and by the time the pot had gone cold, an idea had well and truly hatched.
Back home, I couldn’t let it go. I gave him a name, a history, a reason for turning up in a Cornish fishing village of all places, and a whole back story that I am, for now, keeping firmly to myself. He’s already making his way into the new Cornish mystery series I’m working on.
The only question left is what role he’ll play. Charming newcomer? Prime suspect? Someone’s inconvenient ex? I genuinely haven’t decided yet, and I rather like keeping you guessing along with me. Keep an eye out for him.
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