CHARACTER INTERVIEW Matthew David Jarreau Conflict with heroine: Internal: The all out tragedy of what happened to his wife. She died. He can't trust anyone not to die on him. He can't trust God to keep his love alive. He can't trust himself to live through that again. He lost 80% of who he was the last time. If he looses someone else, there won't be anything left to keep functioning on. The pain of losing his wife is still so breathtakingly acute. On top of everything else, he was a failure as a husband and he's never been one to fail. Most outstanding physical feature: He has a hard, handsome face and great athletic body, but it's his eyes that stand out. They're dark dark dark brown – wounded, thoughtful, shielded, almost (but not quite) hesitant. They're eyes that melt hearts. Why character stays or leaves home: He left home years before, to play hockey. He was always self-assured and driven and he left home like a cannon shot out of a rocket without looking back. He worked his way up the ranks and was successful right from the start. Surely, nothing would ever go wrong in his life. It was all so easy: the sport, the money, the women. He met Beth at a benefit. She had –literally—been Miss America. Her sweetness coupled with her beauty knocked his socks off. They fell madly in love and married just as soon as her southern family could put together a suitably grand, ornate, high society wedding. They lived in New York and for a year and a half she worked for her charities while he played hockey. And then she was diagnosed with brain cancer. And the wheels came off. She insisted that he continue playing and so he was only with her day in and day out the last month. It was only then that he realized she was actually going to die from this thing. In a daze, he went through the motions and then, before he could grasp her memories to him tightly enough, she was gone. Gone. He lived in an absolute trance of unending pain for the long months before practices started again, doing little, waiting for that time when he could play again and something in his life would be okay. But when hockey started again, it wasn't okay. It was meaningless. Racing around the ice, hitting each other, striking a puck. Instead of easing his agony with the sweat and mind-occupying rigor of it all he felt like the worst kind of fraud. It felt like a bad joke it was so empty. Beth had known what was important in life, and suddenly it was clear to him that this wasn't it. Or even close. He had to force himself to play, but he found no enjoyment in it, only discipline and obligation. One day (nothing special had happened, he was performing fine and everything was ostensibly normal) he simply walked off the ice. He didn't want to do this and didn't have to. He moved out of his New York apartment taking only their wedding album with him, and moved into the county house (the house he'd grown up in) that he'd purchased from his parents a few years before. He worked on it, restoring it, teaching himself how to heal old homes as he went. In that, he finally found some sense of peace. The work was worthwhile and it occupied his mind and hands. That was five years ago. When he finished his own house, he had several offers to work on homes. His "business" has grown to include two other men and a couple of pick up trucks. The money they earn goes to expenses and the pay of the two men. He's no longer involved in hockey at ALL. It's dully painful to be reminded of his old life that he'd once loved, been good at, had such hope in, and was continuing on somehow even without him. Spiritually, his Mom took him to church as a child/teen. Then, when he moved away he wasn't a regular churchgoer, but he did believe. Beth had faith, and together they attended church and prayed. Still, his relationship didn't go all that deep until she was diagnosed. Then Matt had long, serious, pleading discussions with God. He'd thought between the doctors and God that she'd be healed. Character’s deepest dream: For a kid who grew up dreaming and accomplishing such very very big dreams, he's now a blank slate. He's careful not to dream… not even that, he's just devoid of them. It's as much as he can ask for simply to get through the day. He hopes/expects nothing more than a hot cup of coffee, work, a little bit of football on TV, and to be left alone. Whereas he used to love feeling as if he was being talked about behind menus, noticed, and gossiped over, he now hates it. He doesn't want people speculating about him or having pity on him. He just wants to be regarded like anybody else. If he does have a secret, very secret, painful dream it's to have a son. His dad was great to him and he'd like to be that to his own flesh and blood. Character’s story goal: Externally: To fix what need's fixing about Kate's house. Internally: Kate is searching for meaning through her work. Matt is searching for meaning through relationships (though he doesn't know that. He NEEDS to love and be loved in order to find the significance God intended his life to have.) So when he meets Beverly and Kate, he's drawn to them and can't turn up their invitations. He needs to be drawn in by someone. To be inside the circle again. Best thing that has happened to character: Meeting Kate. She will be used by God to bring Matt back. To God. To life. Worst thing that has happened to character: His wife's illness and death. The fear, cruelty, helplessness, deep sadness, and unfairness of it. Because of it, he's estranged from not only everyone in his life and his old career, but God. He believed God could have saved her and he can't understand why He wouldn't have. He can't trust a God that would let that happen to such a person. How character sees themselves: As functioning. He's not prideful or hard on himself. He's just doing what he needs to get by. That's enough. He's very simple about his perspective on life. How others see character: As sad, distant, heartbroken. Puzzling, intriguing, sympathetic. Simple. Private. Quiet. The women see him as gorgeous and they wish that they could be the one to soothe his pain and make him love again. The men see him as crazy for leaving his sport and respectable for having gotten to that level. Who has influenced character most: Beth. She made him into a boyfriend and then a husband and then a widow. Her character was partly responsible for his decision to leave the ice. He and his course were changed so drastically by her.. he hardly needs her clothing or her furnishings or her pictures around. Not only would that be painful, but unnecessary. Perhaps he does have just one picture of her, a candid of her laughing. How does this character differ from other characters: He's sadder, simpler, deader than most. He's estranged from God. Without a driving goal. Character’s amount of self-control, self-discipline, judgment: His self-control and self-discipline are high. Almost too high. He might be punishing himself for his failures by remaining so alone. The other part of his isolation is his reluctance to put himself out there to be talked about. His judgment about work-related things is excellent, so is his judgment about what's really important and what's crap. Although even here he's off, because close relationships with people are important and he's hasn't opened himself up to them. But his judgment about himself and about what's best for him is wrong. His judgment about God is wrong. Do you like Character? Why? Will readers? I like him because he loved his wife so well and is in pain. Because he's hurt. Because he's true and because he recognizes the value in things. Because he's so handsome and strong. Is character based on a real person? A 30 year old Matt Dillon wearing a baseball hat and a flannel shirt. Character’s secret: He bitterly regrets not quitting hockey sooner to be with Beth. He feels that God betrayed him. That, he can live with. But he can't get over the fact that God betrayed Beth, who trusted Him so well. Character’s handicap: His closed-ness. He has no trust in God or others, no hope in the future. Character’s needs: Time, attention, careful love. Confrontation. Discussion about God. Study of the Bible. Breaking down of defensive barriers so that he can love and be loved. One true thing: Living without hypocrisy. Values. Secondary character: Grizzled guy that works with him. Soft-spoken and as true and trustworthy as they come. Symbol that expresses character’s personality: Hat low --- guarded. Flannel shirts – casual and unpretentious… reinforces that he has nobody and nothing to get dressed up for, he's exactly as he appears, uninfluenced by trying to dress to impress. Scars: hockey scars all over his body. A small one on his jaw, a nose that's been broken but expertly reset. Safe Place: Sitting on the couch, eating dinner and watching TV at the end of a long day. When he gets into his bed and it's dark and silent – that's another story. He tries to go to bed only when he can be pretty sure he'll fall right to sleep. Several nights a week he's up and staring at the ceiling. Favorite Color: brown wood. Green trees. Favorite Music: Country, but with some rock or heavy guitar thrown in. Favorite Food: Steak. Hamburgers. Bacon, eggs, and pancakes at the little family joint in town he goes to often. Favorite Literature: Doesn't read. Once in his life he'd liked spy stuff – Tom Clancy. Favorite Expression: What you see is what you get. Why do bad things happen to good people? Favorite Expletive: sh\� Perfume: dryer sheets. If a character passes the initial “interview” above, imagine them sitting across the desk from you. Take time to notice the details of their appearance, their gestures, their nervous ticks, the subtleties of their body language. Then begin asking them questions of your own – whatever comes to mind. Type your question. Listen and watch as they reply. Record both their words and the feel you get from their responses. Notice the sound of their voice, their speech pattern. Notice which questions they fidget over, which they answer with lies, which they face head on. Continue the interview until you feel very comfortable with the character, comfortable enough to let them live and talk and interact on your pages.

CHARACTER INTERVIEW

Matthew David Jarreau

Conflict with heroine:

Internal: The all out tragedy of what happened to his wife. She died. He can't trust anyone not to die on him. He can't trust God to keep his love alive. He can't trust himself to live through that again. He lost 80% of who he was the last time. If he looses someone else, there won't be anything left to keep functioning on. The pain of losing his wife is still so breathtakingly acute. On top of everything else, he was a failure as a husband and he's never been one to fail.

Most outstanding physical feature: He has a hard, handsome face and great athletic body, but it's his eyes that stand out. They're dark dark dark brown – wounded, thoughtful, shielded, almost (but not quite) hesitant. They're eyes that melt hearts.

Why character stays or leaves home: He left home years before, to play hockey. He was always self-assured and driven and he left home like a cannon shot out of a rocket without looking back. He worked his way up the ranks and was successful right from the start. Surely, nothing would ever go wrong in his life. It was all so easy: the sport, the money, the women. He met Beth at a benefit. She had –literally—been Miss America. Her sweetness coupled with her beauty knocked his socks off. They fell madly in love and married just as soon as her southern family could put together a suitably grand, ornate, high society wedding. They lived in New York and for a year and a half she worked for her charities while he played hockey. And then she was diagnosed with brain cancer. And the wheels came off. She insisted that he continue playing and so he was only with her day in and day out the last month. It was only then that he realized she was actually going to die from this thing. In a daze, he went through the motions and then, before he could grasp her memories to him tightly enough, she was gone. Gone. He lived in an absolute trance of unending pain for the long months before practices started again, doing little, waiting for that time when he could play again and something in his life would be okay. But when hockey started again, it wasn't okay. It was meaningless. Racing around the ice, hitting each other, striking a puck. Instead of easing his agony with the sweat and mind-occupying rigor of it all he felt like the worst kind of fraud. It felt like a bad joke it was so empty. Beth had known what was important in life, and suddenly it was clear to him that this wasn't it. Or even close. He had to force himself to play, but he found no enjoyment in it, only discipline and obligation. One day (nothing special had happened, he was performing fine and everything was ostensibly normal) he simply walked off the ice. He didn't want to do this and didn't have to. He moved out of his New York apartment taking only their wedding album with him, and moved into the county house (the house he'd grown up in) that he'd purchased from his parents a few years before. He worked on it, restoring it, teaching himself how to heal old homes as he went. In that, he finally found some sense of peace. The work was worthwhile and it occupied his mind and hands. That was five years ago. When he finished his own house, he had several offers to work on homes. His "business" has grown to include two other men and a couple of pick up trucks. The money they earn goes to expenses and the pay of the two men. He's no longer involved in hockey at ALL. It's dully painful to be reminded of his old life that he'd once loved, been good at, had such hope in, and was continuing on somehow even without him.

Spiritually, his Mom took him to church as a child/teen. Then, when he moved away he wasn't a regular churchgoer, but he did believe. Beth had faith, and together they attended church and prayed. Still, his relationship didn't go all that deep until she was diagnosed. Then Matt had long, serious, pleading discussions with God. He'd thought between the doctors and God that she'd be healed.

Character’s deepest dream: For a kid who grew up dreaming and accomplishing such very very big dreams, he's now a blank slate. He's careful not to dream… not even that, he's just devoid of them. It's as much as he can ask for simply to get through the day. He hopes/expects nothing more than a hot cup of coffee, work, a little bit of football on TV, and to be left alone.

Whereas he used to love feeling as if he was being talked about behind menus, noticed, and gossiped over, he now hates it. He doesn't want people speculating about him or having pity on him. He just wants to be regarded like anybody else. If he does have a secret, very secret, painful dream it's to have a son. His dad was great to him and he'd like to be that to his own flesh and blood.

Character’s story goal:

Externally: To fix what need's fixing about Kate's house.

Internally: Kate is searching for meaning through her work. Matt is searching for meaning through relationships (though he doesn't know that. He NEEDS to love and be loved in order to find the significance God intended his life to have.) So when he meets Beverly and Kate, he's drawn to them and can't turn up their invitations. He needs to be drawn in by someone. To be inside the circle again.

Best thing that has happened to character: Meeting Kate. She will be used by God to bring Matt back. To God. To life.

Worst thing that has happened to character: His wife's illness and death. The fear, cruelty, helplessness, deep sadness, and unfairness of it. Because of it, he's estranged from not only everyone in his life and his old career, but God. He believed God could have saved her and he can't understand why He wouldn't have. He can't trust a God that would let that happen to such a person.

How character sees themselves: As functioning. He's not prideful or hard on himself. He's just doing what he needs to get by. That's enough. He's very simple about his perspective on life.

How others see character: As sad, distant, heartbroken. Puzzling, intriguing, sympathetic. Simple. Private. Quiet. The women see him as gorgeous and they wish that they could be the one to soothe his pain and make him love again. The men see him as crazy for leaving his sport and respectable for having gotten to that level.

Who has influenced character most: Beth. She made him into a boyfriend and then a husband and then a widow. Her character was partly responsible for his decision to leave the ice. He and his course were changed so drastically by her.. he hardly needs her clothing or her furnishings or her pictures around. Not only would that be painful, but unnecessary. Perhaps he does have just one picture of her, a candid of her laughing.

How does this character differ from other characters: He's sadder, simpler, deader than most. He's estranged from God. Without a driving goal.

Character’s amount of self-control, self-discipline, judgment: His self-control and self-discipline are high. Almost too high. He might be punishing himself for his failures by remaining so alone. The other part of his isolation is his reluctance to put himself out there to be talked about. His judgment about work-related things is excellent, so is his judgment about what's really important and what's crap. Although even here he's off, because close relationships with people are important and he's hasn't opened himself up to them. But his judgment about himself and about what's best for him is wrong. His judgment about God is wrong.

Do you like Character? Why? Will readers? I like him because he loved his wife so well and is in pain. Because he's hurt. Because he's true and because he recognizes the value in things. Because he's so handsome and strong.

Is character based on a real person? A 30 year old Matt Dillon wearing a baseball hat and a flannel shirt.

Character’s secret: He bitterly regrets not quitting hockey sooner to be with Beth. He feels that God betrayed him. That, he can live with. But he can't get over the fact that God betrayed Beth, who trusted Him so well.

Character’s handicap: His closed-ness. He has no trust in God or others, no hope in the future.

Character’s needs: Time, attention, careful love. Confrontation. Discussion about God. Study of the Bible. Breaking down of defensive barriers so that he can love and be loved.

One true thing: Living without hypocrisy. Values.

Secondary character: Grizzled guy that works with him. Soft-spoken and as true and trustworthy as they come.

Symbol that expresses character’s personality: Hat low --- guarded. Flannel shirts – casual and unpretentious… reinforces that he has nobody and nothing to get dressed up for, he's exactly as he appears, uninfluenced by trying to dress to impress.

Scars: hockey scars all over his body. A small one on his jaw, a nose that's been broken but expertly reset.

Safe Place: Sitting on the couch, eating dinner and watching TV at the end of a long day. When he gets into his bed and it's dark and silent – that's another story. He tries to go to bed only when he can be pretty sure he'll fall right to sleep. Several nights a week he's up and staring at the ceiling.

Favorite Color: brown wood. Green trees.

Favorite Music: Country, but with some rock or heavy guitar thrown in.

Favorite Food: Steak. Hamburgers. Bacon, eggs, and pancakes at the little family joint in town he goes to often.

Favorite Literature: Doesn't read. Once in his life he'd liked spy stuff – Tom Clancy.

Favorite Expression: What you see is what you get. Why do bad things happen to good people?

Favorite Expletive: sh$#

Perfume: dryer sheets.

If a character passes the initial “interview” above, imagine them sitting across the desk from you. Take time to notice the details of their appearance, their gestures, their nervous ticks, the subtleties of their body language. Then begin asking them questions of your own – whatever comes to mind. Type your question. Listen and watch as they reply. Record both their words and the feel you get from their responses. Notice the sound of their voice, their speech pattern. Notice which questions they fidget over, which they answer with lies, which they face head on. Continue the interview until you feel very comfortable with the character, comfortable enough to let them live and talk and interact on your pages.