Anyone here a fan of tormented characters? *sheepishly raises hand* Yep. I am. While I cannot stand drama and angst for drama and angst’s sake, I do love a character who wrestles with deep moral questions, with their calling, with their past, with choices they’ve made, and with their gifts. Because as a deeply introspective person, I can really relate to that character. I can see myself wrestling with the same thing if I were in their shoes, and man, don’t those characters and their stories just tear your heart out?
Today’s post is a peek behind the scenes at one such tormented character, Haydn (from Shadows of the Hersweald), and we have the author herself coming to spill all of poor Haydn’s deepest, darkest secrets.
Excited yet?
Okay, first though, let’s address the elephant in the room. (Greetings, oh thou of long trunk and baggy trousers.) I know there have been a lot of guest posts lately (awesome guest posts!) because I’ve had a lot of exciting authors to share with you guys! Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to balance out all those awesome guest posts with original content because it’s been a bit of a hectic season. Good hectic. But hectic. Deets later, I promise!
In the mean time, make sure you tune in because one is a really fun post from a fellow fantasy fan and author, Hope Ann!
Burning Rose is a compilation of fairy-tale retellings in novella form.
A forbidden rose and deadly sacrifice.
A glittering sword and living melody.
A stolen stormestone and detestable pardon.
The war in Aslaria, founded in ancient legends, changes the lives of those it touches forever.
Sound fascinating? Shadows of the Hersweald is one of those novellas and the one we’re focusing on today!
A battered soldier from a defeated army, Haydn knows the only end to the arrival of the Prince’s governor is chains, followed by punishment and possible execution. Except he hasn’t counted on the Prince himself. Or the pardon which his recent foe has declared to acquit all those who fought against him. A pardon Haydn detests. A pardon that refuses to punish the rebels now threatening his own village. And his sister.
Guilt-ridden from his own actions during the war, Haydn knows there are others who have no conscience at all. Others who are using the freedom of the pardon to forward their own desperate schemes. With enemies closing in on all sides, a pardon that refuses punishment, and nightmares of murder and fire haunting his every thought, will Haydn recognize the truth or will his fear condemn everything he loves to destruction?
FIND A COPY OF BURNING ROSE ON AMAZON
MEET THE AUTHOR: HOPE ANN
Hope Ann is a speculative fiction writer who lives on a small farm in northern Indiana. She has self-published three Legends of Light novellas and writes regular articles for Kingdom Pen as the Writing Team Captain. Reading since the age of five, and introducing herself to writing at age eight, she never had a question that the author’s life was the life for her. Her goal is to write thrilling Christian fantasy and futuristic fiction — stories she longed for while growing up. After graduating from homeschool, Hope now teaches writing to several of her eight younger siblings. She loves climbing trees, archery, photography, Lord of the Rings, chocolate, and collecting shiny things she claims are useful for story inspiration.
Find out more at: authorhopeann.com
Welcome, Hope!
Meet Haydn: brother, rebel, outlaw
Haydn was the first really tormented character I wrote, and I probably enjoyed writing him too much. He almost didn’t happen. In the first draft of Shadows of the Hersweald, Haydn was a nice, gentle, faithful (and somewhat boring) side character in a story about his sister. But after writing the whole novella once, I knew I was missing something. Turns out I was missing the real Haydn. The story wasn’t about his sister at all; rather it was about a young, battle-scarred soldier struggling to come to terms with his own actions during the war that tore Aslaria apart for two years.
Source: Pinterest (character from the 100 show)
He was wrong; it’s easy for him to see that now. But the fact he fought alongside the rebels against the king, or even the fact that he lost, is hardly the worst of it.
The worst part is the pardon.
He knows what he did to the helpless. He knows that others are worse than him. And he knows none of them deserve forgiveness.
Haydn stilled the trembling of his hand as he took the parchment, but fury reverberated through his voice. “What do you know of security? Of how the Prince protects his own? You understand nothing, for all your time in the Prince’s army.” His voice was hoarse. “There are some who don’t deserve a pardon.” With a quick flick of his wrist, he tore the parchment in two, ignoring Gorawen’s soft gasp. “If the Prince wants peace to follow his victory, this is not the way to go about it.”
It doesn’t help that the son of the returning governor of the Prince was once a close friend. Nearly the same age, Haydn and Traveon used to sneak their way into all sorts of scrapes. They were rarely caught … until the last time. Haydn still bears the scars that even his friend’s tears were unable to stop.
Traveon sighed. “That is all I get? Two years at war on opposite sides, and you won’t give me more than two words?”
Haydn dragged his gaze upward.
Traveon raised one eyebrow. “Come now. I don’t look that bad.”
Haydn snorted, but his lips curved into a faint smile. “You look like you spent the last year scrounging for food in the Hersweald. Didn’t the Prince’s army feed you?”
“More than they fed you, apparently.” Traveon took a step forward, holding out a hand. “As for sleep, however…”
Haydn clasped his comrade’s sinewy forearm. “We kept you busy?” He smirked.
“Oh, no. It was trying to figure out how to deal with blockheads like you once the war was over that kept us around the fires.” Traveon shook his head, but his smile faded. “What were you thinking? I mean, I’ve seen you do foolish things—”
“Most of which you helped me with,” Haydn reminded him.
“So you liked to claim.” Traveon scowled. “But the Prince’s pardon? Really? Do you know how hard it will be to keep my father from arresting you just for that?”
With Haydn’s step-sister, Gorawen, betrothed to Traveon from before the war, it doesn’t take long for conflicting emotions to spiral out in all directions. The Prince’s sacrifice and pardon is nothing but foolishness. Haydn deserves chains. He deserves death. And he’s quite ready to surrender to them so long as he knows the world will be swept clean of all who served the enemy. Except Haydn was there when the Prince died. The Prince’s gaze still pierces his dreams. The man had been no fool.
Struggling against rogue rebels roaming the mountains, a governor who is only there because it is his duty, and a murderer disguised as a legendary protector, Haydn only has one goal: keep those he loves safe even if it means his own destruction.
FIND A COPY OF BURNING ROSE ON AMAZON
Thanks, Hope! Haydn sounds like a fascinating conflicted character! I’m looking forward to reading about him.
Now, I’d love to hear from you guys! (And this time, I’m going to answer too in the comments below!)
- Do you enjoy reading about tormented or conflicted characters?
- Do you have a favorite example of a conflicted character?
- And, if you’re a writer, have you ever had a similar experience with a side character who demanded a deeper look and a larger part of the story?
Gillian Bronte Adams says
My answers:
I do indeed love a good conflicted character. Some of my favorite examples include Kaladin Stormblessed and Dalinar Kholin, both from Brandon Sanderson’s Way of Kings. Also Amos McElhenny from my Songkeeper Chronicles. Because even though he strives to keep it under wraps – the great Amos McElhenny doesn’t show weakness, after all – he is definitely conflicted about Songkeepers and the Song and his wee lass being caught up in it all! :)
And as for side characters demanding a larger part, well, Migdon was only supposed to be in that one first scene in Songkeeper when he tells Ky about what has happened in Kerby. But after that one scene, I just couldn’t get rid of him!
Kate Flournoy says
*has more feelz over her precious Haydn than she knows what to do with*
*cough*
Now that I’m done embarrassing you in public, Hope… XD
Conflicted and tormented characters are always a win. Since Gillian brought up Brandon Sanderson, I’ll throw Zane Venture from The Well of Ascension in the mix. Also, more subtly, Captain Nemo from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
As for tormented or unexpected characters of my own… heh. One of my most unexpected has become also one of my most tormented (in his past, at least), but I have more tormented than I have unexpected… at this point at least. Most of the tormented ones belong to future stories however, so I won’t know until I get there if there are any unexpecteds hiding in the woodwork. XD
Gillian Bronte Adams says
Ooh good ones! Zane is a great example. I do feel sorry for the poor fellow. Really, I do. And so is Captain Nemo!
Haha, well, good luck dealing with any unexpected characters that come crawling out of the woodwork. Those are the ones you have to watch out for! They catch you off guard and are downright dangerous to anything resembling an outline or plan. Beware! :)
Jane Maree says
Ooh yes I loved hearing more about Haydn. He’s such a great character. <3
Yesss, I love reading tormented/conflicted characters. They always bring such an interesting side to the story that normally wouldn't be shown. Haydn is a great example. Jace from Resistance (Jaye L Knight) was so precious and I think he's probably one of my most favourites ever.
For myself…I have had several characters that were never planned at all, but when they appeared on the page (much to my confusion) they had a whole well of backstory to be delved into and, in one case, so much so that I actually turned my planned standalone into a trilogy.
Hope Ann says
*coughs* Cadoc *coughs* yeah… that happened to me too. A random guard and then suddenly he had a whole backstory and arc and a short story… They’re so much fun.
Gillian Bronte Adams says
@Jane Maree: I am excited to learn more about Haydn! Looking forward to diving into his story. Wow! A standalone into a trilogy? That unexpected character sure amped things up to a new level!
@Hope Ann: Haha. That really is the best!
Sarai says
Man, I LOVE conflicted characters. Crime and Punishment is one of my favorite books, despite the fact I’m not usually a fan of works that take place almost completely inside the main character’s head. Watching Raskolnikov struggle and torment himself throughout the book just felt so human to me, and I found everything about him to be so genuine and interesting.
In the story I’m writing now, the main character was added on a whim because I decided my heroine needed a friend to join her on her adventures. When I actually went back to flesh out his backstory, I realized I actually really loved him as a character, and before I knew it, he’d moved in as primary main character. His character arc even matched the story’s theme!
Gillian Bronte Adams says
Conflicted characters are so good, aren’t they?
Now that is cool! I love hearing how those unexpected characters take over and become awesome. And how cool is it that his character arc matched the story’s theme! So did he replace your heroine as the main protagonist? Or did he become a second main character?
Sarai says
Oh dear, I though I replied to this, but apparently not because I am a Forgetful College Student.
I used to go out of my way to insist both my hero (really anti-hero – gotta love those conflicted characters) and heroine shared the spot of ‘main character’, but now I’ve decided not to be so strict about it. I think at this point they’re “main characters 1&2”, but I haven’t completely written out their story, so I don’t know exactly who will end up on top, so to speak.
Elizabeth says
Conflicted characters are great. Since we’re on a Brandon Sanderson kick, I’ll add TenSoon and Marsh from Mistborn. Both of them had great character arcs. I’m still feeling conflicted about Marsh. He reminds me of Snape from Harry Potter a bit…another great conflicted character.
In one of my stories, I have this character Caden whose main feature used to be that he dies. I know, haha. The story needs major reworking and I don’t have much of it written yet for that reason, but I’m considering making him the second main character at this point (I think he’s still going to die, though…it has a purpose, trust me). So…spoilers, I guess.
Gillian Bronte Adams says
Brandon Sanderson just has too many wonderful examples! Snape is also a great one, although I feel like you don’t really see or understand a lot of his “conflictedness” since it’s all seen through Harry’s eyes.
Killing off your second main character? Whew. That takes guts. The reader in me ALWAYS hates when a character dies. The author in me writes the cruelest outlines, (i.e. and then Character A dies, and in chapter thirty three, Character B dies, and then EVERYONE dies!) Thankfully, that usually gets trimmed down a bit in the writing process. Lol.
Happy writing!
Elizabeth says
Yep, I actually cried a little while writing the death scene. We’ll see, he may yet pull through depending on what changes I have to make :)
I’m thankful your outlines get trimmed down, haha. I like your characters too much.
Speaking of which, I can’t wait for Songkeeper Chronicles book 3 because I need to know if *ahem* a certain beloved character *ahem* is alive!!
Gillian Bronte Adams says
*evil author chuckle*