Thursday, November 24, 2011

Author Spotlight: Iris Blobel


Growing up, I loved reading about people in faraway places and wondered what they were like. In the movies, I watched actors like Paul Hogan and Olivia Newton-John, listened to singers like the BeeGees and Dame Joan Sutherland, and cheered on athletes like Evonne Goolagong Cawley. I devoured every article I could find about their fascinating country. I'd still love to visit Australia someday, but for now I'm thrilled to make the acquaintance of a real live Aussie, Iris Blobel. She's a fellow Astraea Press author, and she has a brand new novel called Journey to her Dreams. Iris is here today to share with us a little about how she creates her characters,
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Thanks, Patty, for having me today on your blog.

Patty had a wonderful post on her blog a few weeks back called “What a Character” where she had asked fellow Astraea Press authors “If you could become any one of your characters, which one would it be, and why?". It was a great post and you should hop over and have a read ... not now though!
Anyway, the post made me think about how we/you/authors choose their characters, their personalities, faults, looks etc. Do they have a certain person in mind?  Or is it indeed all a “creation”?
I sat back and thought about how I “shape” my characters. I wondered whether they were part of me or whether they were something I’d like to be. After considering and thinking and head scratching – no, they’re not like me. Would I like to be like them? Probably a little bit. I suppose deep down inside I’m hoping for the readers to be able to relate to my characters because “they’re real”. They should have flaws, yet know the right from wrong. 
In my latest book “Hollie” is my main character. I really like her. She’s loving, loyal and strong inside, but she gets easily hurt and takes the safe road.  My male characters are usually (and hopefully) sexy and charming and the counterpart sexy as well, yet with a flaw I don’t like in a man at all. It usually is an interesting balance.
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Thanks Iris!
         Here's the cover, blurb and order information:

Would you travel around the world to uncover the reason for your dreams? 
Hollie, a young woman from Tasmania does, and during her journey to Ireland, she is determined to find out what is behind those dreams about “the other woman”. Yet, during her quest for answers, Hollie finds more than just the reason for it.
Journey to Her Dreams is now available at every major online book store or here:





4 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for having me, Patty!

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  2. I always like my characters, even the bad ones. I think it would be hard to write about people I don't like.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  3. Love it! Interesting to look at characters from different angles.

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  4. Good point, Joselyn - it *is* hard to write about the villains/murderers (trust me on that.) But all characters should be interesting and real - we don't want readers falling asleep! Your story of Hollie sounds intriguing, Iris - and the setting too.

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