It occurred to me that I had written a post about Graham but not about the main character of #WheelerNovel, Loren Mackenzie.
I made a rookie mistake when developing my main character, Loren Mackenzie. While every character a writer creates is an extension of themselves, Loren is more like me than I should have allowed. Her traumatic childhood is not mine – compared to her, mine was idyllic, but in order to describe her state of mind, her emotions, I had to marinate in her experiences and turmoil. Her reactions are mine, both in her rising above the struggle and wallowing in the depths of depression and anxiety.
The background I dreamed up for her is not based on anyone’s story, but sadly, it is not an uncommon one.
NFL player, Jon Dorenbos’ childhood was similar, in that his father killed his mother when he was young. Jon used magic (and football) to deal with the horrible confusion and emotional trauma he experienced.
Loren Mackenzie is an enigma, wrapped in a conundrum and shrouded in mystery. She hides her true self from the outside world behind rusted and dented armor. It’s difficult for her to take the walls down. She is a mix of vulnerability and strength. Her gaze is measured, piercing; you can see the old soul that resides there. Her smile is as rare as a sunny day in England, but when it shines, you cannot help but answer it. Her humor is dry, and her laugh is rich and colorful.
My main inspiration for Loren is the bootylicious and fit Jessica Biel. She is beautiful, but not in the typical Hollywood sort of way and by golly, she’s fit, as all pro cyclists are.
She is passionate yet detached. She has a romantic heart but also is a realist. She is sociable but prefers to be alone. She appears confident and determined but self doubt plagues her.
Loren has a sea of different expressions, but unless you know her well, you will have a hard time deciphering them. She tends to ramble when nervous or excited. She is sometimes selfish and thinks her way is the best and only way. She can be overconfident, stubborn, and a wee bit controlling. She has a nasty right hook and a bit of a potty mouth.
She is a fighter, a survivor. You can see it in her body language: shoulders back, head up, chin down slightly. Her eyes take in everything around her, and she often sees what others miss.
Loren and Graham’s personalities mesh well. As water signs (he’s a Pisces, and she’s a Scorpio) he has a natural defense against her unconscious manipulation. They are passionate together and have an immediate emotional connection. She gives him emotional sustenance; he loves without judgment or conditions.
He is her shelter from the storm.
The bond between these two is special. They are two powerful and sensitive energies but have the ability to forgive. They communicate subtly, reading each other’s mannerisms; they understand each other’s silences better than some people understand one another’s conversations. They communicate subtly, reading each other’s mannerisms; they understand each other’s silences better than some people understand one another’s conversations.
They are two powerful and sensitive energies and can be a love of a lifetime if they can overcome the obstacles they put in the way of the relationship.
Wheeler 