Happy Publication Day everyone!
Our tenth Publication Day of 2026 brings a whole new collection of exciting stories, from a wonderful collective of talented authors!
To introduce them, we are continuing a fun feature for the year – Ask Our Authors – where we send all our newly published writers the same simple question to see how different each answer is…
The question for October 2026: Which character do you relate to the most, and why?
It can be a character from their own story, their favourite book, or from any other piece of media!
R L Glover — More Than a Meet and Greet
If I had to choose a book character I relate to most, I think I’d say Lara Jean Covey from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, although I’m probably a slightly more chaotic, darker and sarcastic version of her. ????
I relate to the way Lara Jean feels things deeply and sometimes finds it easier to put those feelings into words than to say them out loud. I think that’s probably one of the reasons writing has always felt so natural to me. There are feelings and thoughts that are difficult to explain in real life, but somehow become easier when you turn them into a story.
I’m also incredibly sentimental. I hold onto memories, traditions and little moments because they mean so much to me. I don’t just remember what happened, I remember how it made me feel. I think that’s something I bring into my writing too.
And then there’s the hopeless romantic side of me… which I like to pretend is hidden beneath sarcasm and humour, but probably really isn’t. ????
I love stories about connection, unexpected romance, complicated feelings and those little moments that stay with you.
There’s definitely a bit of Jo March in me too. The part that desperately wants to write, create something that is mine and put my stories out into the world.
And then, obviously, there’s Wednesday Addams. The dark humour, the slightly gothic side, the fascination with the unusual and the tendency to find humour in things that probably shouldn't be funny.
So maybe I’m not really one character. I’m a strange combination of Lara Jean’s sentimental romanticism, Jo March’s need to write, Wednesday’s dark humour… with a healthy dose of chaos thrown in for good measure.
And honestly, I think I quite like that combination.
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Luke McPherson — An Addict’s Dogma
Ray.
That might seem an unusual choice because Ray is deeply flawed. He can be rough, dangerous and, at times, difficult to defend. But I never wanted the characters in An Addict’s Dogma to be easily divided into heroes and villains.
I relate to Ray because, despite his many faults, he is a survivor. He is fiercely loyal to the people he considers his own. He exists on the outside of conventional society, yet somehow still emerges as a leader within the world he inhabits.
What interests me most about Ray is the contradiction. He can be strong without necessarily being good, loyal while still being destructive, and capable of leading others while struggling to control himself. There is something very human in that contradiction.
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B.C. Moore — Dear Victoria, Love Brigitte
Elphaba Thropp from Wicked. Her outward appearance does not meet conventional beauty standards, and time and circumstance cast her in a role she never intended to play. Also she was forced to be strong at a young age and most people thought she came off as calloused or rude when in reality she had a huge heart she just didn't know how to be vulnerable.
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Preben Christensen — Sosu Sekundaware
My main character, Sosu Sekundaware, has a companion called Tomi Tagetagen. He is a cunning swordsman, who learns Sosu all the tricks in the book and a lot, which is decidedly NOT in the book! A grinning and likeable rogue, whose hand you can shake, as long as you remember to count your fingers afterwards!!! I have a weak spot for such fellows, and it was with a heavy heart that I had to let Tomi die during some heavy fighting in the Korean Wars.
He had a lance stuckt so deep down his throat, that it could not be dragged out but had to be sawed off at his mouth before the funeral.
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David Burrell — Marc
I have always identified with Hornblower from C. S. Forester's books. He is a man who is told by others he has a lot to offer and a good deal of intelligence, although he does not fit most of the accepted moulds of the day. I feel like that; I doubt myself. I never seemed to be on the same page culturally as my peers. But my friends, teachers, and family all seem to think I am more capable than I allow.
You can play it safe, keep your head down, and live a quiet life, untroubled and untested. But you will never answer that question: can I do more? Could I create something that others would enjoy? Well, you don't know until you try. What have you got to lose?
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AS Ghattaure — The Kali Cell
I’ve always thought of myself as a Larry David type as seen in curb your enthusiasm. There’s moments in my life, mostly of my own making, where I seem to get myself into misunderstandings that lead to confusion and sometimes accidentally upsetting people.
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Marie Hughes — My Little Greek Escapade (Or How To Expand the Consciousness)
When I first read Jane Eyre, I couldn’t believe the similarities between her early life and mine. I too am an orphan brought up in a spartan orphanage. One supervisor in particular was beyond cruel and brutal. One evening after supper, she made us all stand up in the refectory. She then singled me out and ordered me to stand in the aisle. In front of everyone, she proceeded to insult me with all sorts of humiliating names, finishing by calling me a pagan. That, for me, was the worst insult she could have thrown at me. I was eight years old.
After secondary school, I went to university and subsequently became a teacher, just like Jane Eyre.
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Glen Oglaza — The Rubicon
Odysseus, because all life is a quest to find home.
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Michael Stone, D.M.A. — The Sagan Law
Of all the characters in The Sagan Law, I would say that I relate most closely to Dr. Elsa Hertz. Interestingly, that connection was recognized almost immediately by my middle daughter, Mei, who does much of the editing for my literary work. She pointed out that Elsa seemed to possess many of the qualities she recognized in her mother, my wife, Sugako. She was absolutely right.
Elsa was, in fact, modeled almost entirely after Sugako, who is Japanese by nationality and whose strength of character has profoundly influenced my own life. Although Elsa is a German national, the similarities between the two women are unmistakable. Like Sugako, Elsa is deeply loving, compassionate, and devoted to the people she cares about, yet she is also remarkably courageous and possesses an inner strength that allows her to become a fierce fighter when circumstances demand it.
That combination of tenderness and strength is precisely what I have admired in my wife throughout our marriage. Sugako has always been both my source of love and one of the strongest people I have ever known. Consequently, when I look at Elsa, I see much more than a fictional character—I see many of the qualities that have made my wife such an extraordinary presence in my life.
And perhaps that is why my answer is so easy. I love my wife with all my heart, and on October 20th we will celebrate 36 years of marriage together. So, among all the characters I created in The Sagan Law, there is no one with whom I identify more deeply, or whom I love more dearly, than Dr. Elsa Hertz.
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James E. Harris III — The Boy that Wanted to Fly
I relate to a lot of characters. LOL. But to save time, I will go with my top three—Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spider-Man, and Superman. I relate to Leonardo because he is the leader with the awesome double katanas, who is trying to lead his brothers and team in the right direction. I relate to Spider-Man because he owns the responsibility that comes with his power; I try to as well. Writing, reading, and imagination are incredible powers, gifted by God, and I take on the responsibility of using them to influence people in positive ways. And last but not least, Superman, he stands for good; I want to stand for good too.
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Lithoniel Franksson — Saga of the Oakenkin: The First Thread of Fate
I relate most to Sanemi Shinazugawa from Demon Slayer the manga. I came from a 7 siblings total, really big, very dysfunctional family where everyone had a role. The best words to describe him that I relate to? Grumpy. A bit rough around the edges, but well meaning. Protective of family. A lot of responsibilities placed upon him. Funny enough though; he's the oldest sibling in his family, but I'm the youngest in mine.
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Rachel Ann — Inner Divinity; Shadows & Light
Because Inner Divinity: Shadows & Light is a collection of poetry, there isn’t one traditional character I relate to most. Instead, I relate to the inner voice that lives within the poems—the part of us that has known grief, fear, love, heartbreak, surrender, and the longing to heal.
These poems are a reflection of the human journey through both darkness and light. They invite us to sit with the emotions we sometimes try to escape, listen to what they are teaching us, and discover what may be waiting on the other side of them.
In many ways, the “character” is all of us. It is the wounded part, the searching part, the loving part, and ultimately the part that realizes we were never as lost as we thought we were.
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Gordon Harris — The Ark in Somerset
Well, I might have answered this differently at different times of my life. Now it would be Colonel Francis Wyndham for his maturity, loyalty and sense of duty. As a younger man I would definitely have related to Lord Wilmot. He enjoys the high life, being connected and is definitely his own man, but fiercely loyal to the cause.
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Kua Ee Heok — The Hospital Porter
The porter for his sense of quiet empathy for psychiatric patients, the schoolgirl and staff at the lower level of the hospital hierarchy. He went beyond his call of duty to find the patient who absconded from the hospital at night. He is a good listener and non-judgemental leader. He harbours a lofty dream to save the rainforest and prevent global warming.
He represents some parts of all of us - people who care for the disadvantaged and want a better world but are frustrated by prejudice, bigotry and indifference.
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John Lally — The Punch and Judy Mystery
I suppose I identify mostly with Sgt. Detective Chuck Cooper, the main character. We both grew up in Louisville, albeit 70 years apart. A lot of what he has observed in Louisville comes from my own recollection. Although he is a cop and I am an attorney, some of my experience in criminal law has informed his character. The culture and politics of his time shaped the world that I grew up in. I also identify a little with Lucy Shaughnessy a little. She is a bit nutty, and comes from a large Irish-American family, like me.
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Carl Malmgren — Paris Metro: The Diver Case.
The character I most identify with is clearly Nick Edwards, who in many ways (but not all!) stands in for me. I was lucky enough to live in Paris from 1980-1981 and my experience parallels Nick's. Unfortunately, I did not get to sleep with a Hollywood starlet, but so it goes. I, like Nick, tend to be a disinterested (but not uninteresated!) observer of life and wish I could rid myself of that stigma. My dark horse characters would be Harvey Stone and Harold Stearns, meant to be confused since they are versaions of the same character, one real (Stearns, 1891-1943), the other fictional (Stone, from The Sun Also Rises).
I might mention that many of my characters have been purloined from the two great expatriate novels, Hemingway's Sun and Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night. Maybe to show just how close fiction and reality get. Sometimes they meet!
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Stacy Graven — Apricot Flats: The Silver Satchel
One from my own book that I relate to so well is Jillian Reed from Apricot Flats: The Silver Satchel! She is bubbly, friendly, and tries her best to lift others up. She is intelligent and tries to wield that for the benefit of the community. Jillian also carries a heavy weight of responsibility to be revealed throughout this story (more to come) and she has an underlying fear of messing up or not being enough. She is a fairy, but if I liken it to humanity, she feels like she doesn't measure up. I often feel like that, but find joy in being human and recognizing error is part of our journey in becoming our best selves. Don't let failure or error stop you! Jillian certainly doesn't and I hope to live up to that, too.
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Dana Kelly — Nightstalker Academy: The Gathering Storm
Without a doubt, I relate most to my character Aoife. She’s an autistic young woman, and I drew heavily on my own experiences of being autistic when writing her, so there are definitely a lot of little pieces of me woven into her character. We both experience some of the same challenges, but we also share plenty of the fun stuff, including a love of music! We both play guitar and sing, which was something I really enjoyed giving Aoife because it’s such a personal part of me.
I think the biggest connection between us, though, is that I wanted Aoife to show that being autistic doesn’t define everything about who you are. She can struggle, need support and become overwhelmed, but she’s also strong, stubborn, loving, funny and capable. In many ways, writing Aoife was my way of creating the kind of character I would have loved to read about. In my opinion, there just aren’t enough positive and authentic representations of autistic characters in books and films, and I wanted Aoife to be one of them.
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Sabrina Carboni — The Wrong Kind of White
For October, I would have to choose Wednesday Addams.
I relate to her because she is observant, independent, and unapologetically herself. She does not feel the need to fit neatly into what other people expect of her, and she tends to notice things that others overlook. She is curious about people, comfortable asking difficult questions, and rarely accepts something simply because “that is the way it has always been done.”
I think those qualities show up in both my writing and my work as a psychologist. I am naturally drawn to what exists beneath the surface — the experiences, emotions, and histories that shape the way people move through the world. I also appreciate Wednesday’s dry humor and her ability to remain herself even when she is surrounded by people who do not quite understand her.
So, while I may be a little warmer than Wednesday Addams, I definitely relate to her curiosity, independence, and willingness to embrace being different.
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Ricardo L. Garcia — Time of the Phoenix Man
Oh well--that would be my Jack Gutierrez. Since I wanted to give him a personality, i borrowed from my own (the Galician ancestry, the zest for real coffee, the being clueless most of the time). Other details were added as necessary for his profession. I actually hate math, but he was an astronomer, and as a kid I wanted to be an astronomer, so whatever.
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Rosanna Pittella — The Story Of Madrika
The character I relate to most is, of course, Madrika herself.
Madrika embodies the female warrior child of the universe—someone who believes that one person, armed with courage, compassion, and love, really can bring joy to others and help heal the world.
What connects me most deeply to Madrika is her belief in unconditional love and inclusion. She sees diversity not simply as something to tolerate or accept, but as something precious—a beautiful and essential part of nature itself. Our differences are part of what makes the world extraordinary.
Madrika also carries something very personal from my own childhood: she is a bully slayer. Like me as a child, she cannot simply stand by when someone is being diminished, excluded, frightened, or made to feel that they do not belong. Her instinct is to protect, to include, and to stand beside those who need someone in their corner.
But Madrika's greatest strength isn't a weapon or a magical power. It is love without conditions. She reminds us that being a warrior doesn't always mean fighting. Sometimes it means having the courage to choose kindness, to defend another person's right to belong, and to bring light into places where fear and division have taken hold.
That is the part of Madrika that comes most directly from me—and perhaps the part of her I hope readers will discover within themselves.
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Lisa Crispin — Janus. Beginnings and Endings
Miss Marple! Without a doubt. Like her, I have an inquisitive mind. I need to know how and why things happened. I think logically, most of the time. But sometimes I approach a challenge by thinking outside the box. Being able to find an answer to a problem gives me a sense of accomplishment.
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Dr. Stanley Allen — Nanites
I relate most to the main character, Arthur Adams. In spite of his natural pessimism and glass half empty propensities, hiding underneath all that is the belief that he will never be defeated by hard times. His loneliness, and loss of physical prowess does not deter him from finding ways to enjoy life.
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Danielle Schloss — High Flyers and other erotica
Nighteyes is one of my favourite characters, a savvy wolf in Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy. He is wild and wise, and at the same time free and bound by his ties to Fitz, the king's assassin. Both characters have been scarred, and both mature together, in characterisations that are amazingly well crafted.
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Nikki Bunce — Giggling Through Grief
I could choose many characters from many books, however, I have to be true to myself and my obsession! Catherine Cawood from Happy Valley, she’s my heterosexual addiction, her strength, her sarcasm and occasionally her vulnerability through her heartache, often fearless and often feared, she puts people carefully in their place and has a certain lovable way about her, she has a tough exterior that can be broken in certain circumstances.
As for Sarah Lancashire, the actress herself, she’s a private lady, holds herself beautifully in media circumstances, I have no doubt that she is very different from the many characters that she plays.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be feared or have quite such a tough exterior however, the escapism with watching her character in Happy Valley, does often make one think, I could be like her, in my dreams, of course!
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Salvatore A. Croce MD — Existential Threat
The character in this book I identify most strongly with Is CIA agent Suozzo for many reasons. His absolute integrity and passion for justice, despite so many opposing forces is what drives him (and me). In every situation, real or fictional there is a just path. There is a right thing to do. Never black and white or polar, there are always shades of gray, but there is also a pathway that leans in that direction. He is not a superhero, not a perfect person, not even satisfied with his own performance, but he knows what he expects of himself. As long as he keeps moving in that positive direction he knows it all works out.
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Pouspa.B.Thompson — The Flow and the Flurry
Evette evolved as I wrote the story. She'd had a tough life, yet she didn't let pessimism stop her progress, no matter the situation. She helped her friend Dora, who was badly let down by her lover. Using her psychic gift, Evette uncovered unexpected, harrowing information. Dora wasn't easily convinced. Evette didn't give up hope of helping her despite the challenging circumstances.
When Evette had to fight for a case, she became an ironclad lady, and she didn't let petty criticism dampen her enthusiasm or let anything hinder her path. For her, friendship meant loyalty. And loyalty meant doing anything possible.
The story starts with one character and gradually introduces more people with complex issues. Eventually, Evette became the warrior of social righteousness. She was hell-bent on getting to the root cause of the problems to prove that Dora's lover was not who she thought he was. His identity was sinister. She stood alone and strong not only against humanity but also against demonic forces.
What I like most about Evette is that, despite her resilience and strong self-belief, she exhibits moments of doubt and emotionality. She isn't that all-powerful ethereal being. She shifts between worlds. When it comes to safeguarding her peace, she doesn't hesitate to guard her boundaries ferociously like a lioness, as she doesn't want to repeat the same cycle of life.
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Gretchen Klotz— Revolution
I relate most to the character Gretchen. Probably because my name is Gretchen. I don't relate to her because she was brave, or could move people, or could get her ideas across to lots of people. Maybe, in fact, it's because she couldn't do that, at least not as she might have imagined was possible. She admired Rudi, who is actually the main character in the book "Revolution". He was able to do those things successfully. And he certainly had a penetrating effect on the people of Germany, both positively, creating one of the most interesting countries from a democratic viewpoint, but also negatively, reawakening hatred against every new idea.
In time, more people forgot the positive side; more people began to think it was OK to hate; more people supported the dangerous extreme right wing, whose ideals resembled those of fascism; more of those who belonged to the ruling right wing talked about hating the others instead of doing anything positive.
I guess that is why I wanted to write about the period of the 1960's in Germany, when a difficult, conflicting, hopeful, huge, and lasting attempt was made to make people think about what their country could be - the opposite of the values the 1930's and 1940's had proclaimed and what so many people then had believed, the horror of Nazism.
And now - Germany is getting closer and closer to that point where Nazism is somehow seen as good. But it's not only Germany; it's also England, it's the USA, it's Israel and Russia and on and on. Where are those who can again make an attempt to get people to think about what can be the best possible outcome for all of us, those who are willing to fight for it, who do not tell us who to hate, but instead struggle for a society where human rights, freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition, and an increase in human rights rather than the reduction of the past years become a reality?
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Tony Oliver — The Traffickers
The character to whom I relate most in my new book The Traffickers is Jim. He is an Englishman who, while living and working in Syria endured a number of setbacks - firstly through the loss of his sweetheart and subsequently suffering captivity in very harsh conditions. In spite of his own negative experiences he takes risks for his friends.
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B. H. Lewis — Among the Twisted Roots
One thing we can all agree on is that we are all scared of something. Maybe it’s monsters under the bed, spiders crawling up our leg, or a shark lurking in the pool. Maybe it’s the dark. Terran, the main character from my debut novel, Among the Twisted Roots, exists in a world entirely cast in complete darkness, night and day. And his people are entirely governed by fear. How many of us have felt consumed by fear? What did that do to you? I wrote Terran because I wanted to explore how it feels be so scared you freeze, because that’s what I do. I wrote my own fear response into Terran because so often we see heroes and heroines who fight, who defend, who make the right choice in the face of fear. But realistically, like me, most of us freeze, we process, we’re just scared. That’s something that has driven so much of my life, and I wanted to write a character who not only responded the same, but show readers that fear is not a weakness, and that there are ways that you can be scared and brave at the same time, just like Terran.
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Ruth A Lawrence — The Blue Line
This is such a big question! I feel like I’m made up of so much ‘stuff’ that it’s a bit of a task to relate to just one character. However, I’ll try!
I can certainly relate to my main character, Ebony Williams from Greenwich. Life was really going well for her until it wasn’t. You see, when life goes as you’ve hoped or planned, it can feel like the stars have all aligned, and you can breathe that big sigh of relief: “Ahhh!” But when a curveball is thrown your way, it can make you question what, why and how you’re doing in life. Then, like Ebony, I have to adjust and make changes—even uncomfortable but necessary ones.
Like this week, for example. Sense and Sensibility came to our cinema screens, and I’m the only person in my circle I know who loves period dramas. So, for the first time ever, I went to the cinema on my own—and I loved the film, by the way!
It also made me think about how much I relate to the Dashwood sisters. I’m probably a little bit Elinor and a little bit Marianne: sensible but emotional in equal measure. I think it’s healthy to be a bit of one thing and a bit of another. People are complicated; we can be sensible and emotional, brave and frightened, confident and uncertain.
In some ways, that’s how I see Ebony too. Change can sometimes be harrowing, but it’s what you do with that change that can determine where it takes you.
And, in the wider scope of things, sending my book out into the world is pretty scary. But it’s a journey I’m thoroughly loving—and perhaps, like Ebony, I’m learning to stretch myself, take a few chances and see where the road leads.
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Paul Chappel — Curtain Call
Growing up I always admired James Adams from the CHERUB series. A character who had enormous potential (when applied positively), incredibly intelligent and has a real sense for adventure and espionage. He's also a highly flawed character, who throughout the series worked hard to improve and be better. This is what I reckon made him relatable.
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BB Short — It's Not Polite to Fan the Flames
I relate the most to Bela because when I started writing this series, I kept thinking about write what you know so I fashioned her after my history, career and life in general. I have since helped to develop her more as an energetic sleuth but the surrounding characters often have a similarity to people around me although I have embellished them all. For example, the temperament of Sam, Bela's husband is similar to my husband. He is aware the he is favored and is fine with it. I don't admit to any other characters except my father but in real life, he died at 98 years old, ten years ago. He was very much like dad in the books. I agree with Bela that people do something they shouldn't, they should pay for it but she is much braver than I am and perhaps a bit more foolish.
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Loring J — In Them There Woods
I find parts of myself are reflected in two characters from my novel ‘In Them There Woods.’ Maggie represents a younger version of me, especially since my family and I lived for years in a small coastal town in Virginia. During my daughters' childhood, we experienced financial hardships similar to those faced by Maggie’s family. Maggie's free-spirited, hippie vibe is often how my daughters describe me. I also feel a strong connection with Emma, especially in her emotional response to her husband's passing. I was able to share Emma’s emotional journey by recalling my own feelings when my mother passed away.
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Mario Dasan — Tropical fruits of Sri Lanka
Asterix who is funny, intelligent and cunning and have a social conscience
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Suzanne Turbitt — Risborough Hall-A Ghost Story
The character that l relate to the most is Emma. I had written Risborough Hall long before my husband died. Sometimes when l walk through the cemetery the loneliness and despair hits me. Darkness wraps itself around you and you transcend to another place and another time. The coldness seeps deep inside you. It is almost as if you are not there. But then you realise where you are and the truth hits you.
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Joanne Waters — Tattoos & Triumphs
The character I relate to most is the woman I had to become—the woman at the heart of my own memoir, Tattoos & Triumphs.
She was once a child searching for safety in places that often felt unsafe. As a state ward, she experienced neglect, violence, abuse and homelessness—things no child should ever have to endure. She learned far too early that life could leave scars, both visible and hidden.
But she became more than what happened to her.
I relate to her because she is not a perfect hero. She breaks, doubts, grieves and struggles, yet she keeps choosing to rise. Her strength is not that she never falls; it is that she refuses to stay down.
In Tattoos & Triumphs, every tattoo carries a chapter of survival. Each one represents pain transformed into identity, trauma transformed into testimony, and hardship transformed into purpose. The tattoos are reminders of where she has been, but they do not control where she is going.
Her healing happens through small but powerful choices: speaking the truth, setting boundaries, accepting support, choosing love, and believing she deserves a better future. She learns that her past may explain her, but it does not have to define her.
One affirmation that captures her spirit is:
“I am a warrior rising from the shadows of my past.”
To me, being a warrior does not always mean fighting loudly. Sometimes it means surviving quietly, choosing kindness after experiencing cruelty, and finding the courage to imagine a different life.
Her story is a reminder that our scars can become symbols of strength. I hope readers—especially young people—understand that their circumstances do not determine their worth. Even in the darkest chapter, the story is not over.
My story began with survival, but it is becoming a story of strength, healing, purpose and triumph.
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Stephen R. Hartnell — Arthur, the Scourge of Kings.
Throughout my writing journey I have changed and thus the character I started relating to, the star of the book obviously, has become less so. Many of my own characteristics are in the Arthur character but there are also bits in some of the other characters such as Drystan and Bedwyr. Even one of “baddies,” Hussa. The joy of writing historical fiction, for me, is that I can channel my desires, hopes and dreams through a variety of characters and the people they interact with, whether through romance, friendship, enmity and even hero worship. I will admit too, that I fell in love with two of my female characters, Crierwy and Muirgein who, too, are based loosely on people I know and care for.
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Laura Roybal — The Patriarch: Diego Baca
This was a tough question. I couldn't think of any characters off-hand that I could really relate to, until I recalled that that my latest book, The Patriarch: Diego Baca, started out as the middle of a single, very long work, too long to be published in one piece, so it was broken into five sections. "Diego" is the third book the The Patriarch series. And, recalling that, I guess the character I relate to the most is the title character of the whole series: the patriarch himself, Devlin Lachlan.
I have noticed that persons who apparently are unable to use a dictionary have decided that the word "patriarch" is an epithet for a misogynistic bully. That is not what a patriarch is. A patriarch or, for that matter, a matriarch, is the head of an extended family. A true patriarch is not a dictator, but rather the center that holds the family together. This is a very tough job, especially in today's difficult world. It requires a great deal of personal strength, as well as knowledge, understanding, patience, commitment, hard work, sacrifice, and -- yes -- love.
The series was named The Patriarch because it is the story of an extended family, and the head of the family is the center, even when he is not the main character in most of the individual stories. With the deaths of our parents, my husband and I are now the patriarch and matriarch of our own extended family: children, in-laws, grandchildren, grandchildren-in-laws, great-grandchildren. Which makes us, not the most important members of the family, just the link that ties together the siblings and cousins, those born into the family and those added in: the whole family. As Devlin himself says in the second book (The Patriarch: Luke Josiah Sebastien), when he is explaining his family, "Love isn't just a feeling you happen to get. Love is an action. It's something you do. And you choose to perform actions... I never said it was easy. Sometimes love can be the hardest thing in the world. But its something worth fighting to get and well worth fighting to keep." Of course, the character in my books is very nearly perfect, and I most certainly am not. But his life, his handling of family matters, is the ideal I would most like to emulate. So, the character I relate to most is Devlin Lachlan, because he represents what I stive to be. Characters we relate to or admire, in our own works or anyone else's, should represent values that are worth striving for. Idealism, rather than realism, makes a book worth reading.
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Jenny Walker — Jess
I most relate to Jess. She has had to overcome her fears and take her life to difficult levels that she once never even imagined.
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S.G. Mulhlland — Book of Thunder
It's a bit of a cop out but I have one of each. The character I wrote that I identify the most with is my version of Puck aka Robin Goodefellow. I put a lot of myself into that character and he became one of my most popular character while I was writing Book of Thunder. He's a hard drinking, smoking and generally depressive character who still exudes heroic charisma.
The character I identify the most with outside of my own writing is Jean Tannen, from The Lies of Locke Lamora and Clay from King's of the Wild. jean was character who was big and chunky and typically unattractive. But his intellect and physical ability to fight is something his enemies often underestimate. He's kind and gentle and is always trying his best to be better every day.
Clay is a character I feel more relatable to as I've grown older. At the start of the story all he wants is to stay at home with his wife and daughter but is whisked away by his best friend on a wild adventure, but he never stops trying to get home. He's stern and a great swordsman but is an even better husband and father.
These are just some of the characters who have influenced me and I love to read over and over.
Honourable mentions must go to Ged from the Wizard of Earthsea, who helped me cope with my mental health problems as a kid. The Green Man, for being one of the most fascinating characters in mythology. Lugh The Longarm of the Tuatha De Dannan who taught me what true hero is supposed to be. Finally, all mythic pantheons who entertained me so much in my childhood and gave me more as a writer than I ever gave back.
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Steve Hasson — Fiery Resolutions
I believe a little of myself is reflected in several of the characters in my fiction novel Fiery Resolution; however, I most closely identify with the novel's protagonist, LeRoy Meyer. LeRoy is an early Seattle property owner, builder, and devoted family man who finds himself facing a decision with life-or-death consequences.
As a professional land use planner, I see traces of my own background in the way LeRoy approaches problems. My training is evident in his efforts to address Seattle's many development challenges, particularly the city's growing vulnerability to catastrophic fire. These risks emerge because civic leaders have failed to implement appropriate safeguards despite the community's rapid growth and expansion.
I also recognize my public service experience in LeRoy's character. Having served for many years in both elected and appointed public positions, I understand the challenges of balancing competing interests while working toward the public good. Like me, LeRoy adopts both confrontational and compassionate approaches as he attempts to persuade decisionmakers to establish essential development safeguards before it is too late.
My heritage also influences the character. I am of German, Scottish, and Cherokee ancestry, and I see aspects of each reflected in LeRoy's actions and outlook. In his day-to-day affairs, LeRoy primarily relies on what I view as a Germanic mindset: practical, disciplined, fact-driven, and focused on the greater good. Yet, often when least expected, he departs from pure pragmatism and embraces Cherokee values and beliefs, allowing intuition, respect for tradition, and a broader sense of connection to guide his decisions.
For these reasons, LeRoy is the character with whom I most strongly identify, although elements of my experiences, values, and perspective can be found throughout the novel.
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Charlie Webster — Yes...
I especially relate to the character of Miriam Blaylock from the film The Hunger (1983). Icy, reserved and mysterious (but not in a persona sort of way...I feel it too) on the surface...but with an underlying sensitivity and emotionality.
Miriam often says a lot without saying much at all. At one point in the film, she is asked "Are you lonely?" Her response, staring off into space, not engaging, is a simple "No..."
We, as the audience, know the truth.
Not saying I'm lonely! I just feel that my words (in-person) carry weight and power, so I'm selective and specific with how I use them.
Writing, as a result, is a very creative outlet, an opportunity for me to get the words out, so to speak!
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Nicholas Valentine — Nephilim: Casum
This is actually a surprisingly difficult question for me, because I don’t think I relate to just one character. If anything, I tend to scatter different parts of myself throughout an entire cast.
From my own writing, the characters I probably identify with most are Kegs, Callum, Rowan, Peirce and Owen from my Nephilim series. Each represents a different side of my personality.
Kegs is probably the closest to how I am around people I know well. I recognise his humour and leadership style in myself. He can joke around with his friends and be thoroughly irreverent, but underneath that is a genuine sense of responsibility for the people around him. I like the idea that being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean being the most serious person in the room. Sometimes it means being the person who can make everyone laugh while still being the person they trust when things go wrong.
Callum represents my optimism. Not the sort of optimism where I believe everything will magically work out, but the belief that there is probably still something we can try. When a situation looks hopeless, my instinct is often to ask, “Okay, but what haven’t we tried yet?”
Rowan, from the second and third instalments due to be released, represents my ingenuity. I enjoy finding unconventional solutions to problems, particularly when the obvious answer doesn’t work. Rowan embodies that part of me that looks at a difficult situation and thinks, “There has to be another way of doing this.”
Peirce represents my practicality. I can spend plenty of time thinking about a problem, but eventually I want to know what we’re actually going to do. When something needs doing, I tend to become quite action-oriented. Peirce is the part of me that stops analysing and says, “Right. What’s the plan?”
And then there is Owen, who probably represents a very specific part of my sense of humour: being extremely blunt and taking things completely literally. That's the kind of humour I really enjoy. There isn’t necessarily a complicated joke. Sometimes the funniest response is simply answering the question exactly as it was asked and allowing everyone else to realise how ridiculous the situation sounds. He isn’t trying to be particularly witty; he is just being direct. That makes the humour feel very natural to me.
I have noticed tiny parts of me in all the characters I have made, and I see the same pattern in characters from other stories I love. Akiyama Shinichi from Liar Game, Ciaphas Cain from Warhammer 40,000, Squall Leonhart from Final Fantasy VIII and Eddie Dean from The Dark Tower are all characters whose ways of thinking feel particularly familiar to me.
They are very different characters, but they share something I find compelling: they are often thrown into dangerous, absurd, or seemingly impossible situations, and their response is essentially, “Let’s work out what we’re going to do.”
My sense of humour is also reflected in characters like Maes Hughes from Fullmetal Alchemist and Peter Parker/Spider-Man. I particularly enjoy humour that exists alongside serious situations. Making a joke doesn’t mean that something isn’t frightening or painful. Sometimes humour is precisely how people maintain their humanity when things get difficult. I have often been heard saying, “If you don’t laugh, you cry, and I don’t have time for that!”
But there is another side to this that I think is just as important.
I don’t only put parts of myself into my protagonists. I also put parts of myself into my villains. Obviously, I exaggerate them enormously. My main villain represents me at my coldest, most calculating and most ruthless. Another represents my tendency towards compliance taken to an unhealthy extreme. Another reflects my understanding of manipulative behaviours and the ways people can influence or control one another.
That doesn’t mean I agree with these characters; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Writing them gives me a way to take a particular aspect of human behaviour and push it to a monstrous degree before examining what happens.
That is also why I find characters such as Kuja from Final Fantasy IX, the Riddler, and Angron (particularly the version portrayed in Betrayer) so interesting.
I don’t necessarily identify with their actions. I identify with aspects of their thinking and, more importantly, I can understand how they arrived at their conclusions. That distinction matters to me as a writer.
I think one of the most interesting things you can do with a villain is make the reader understand them without necessarily agreeing with them.
I find that particularly fascinating with characters such as Dracula and Victor Frankenstein. I can understand Dracula’s motivations without thinking his actions are justified. I can understand Victor’s moral conflict without thinking he escaped responsibility for what he created.
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is perhaps the clearest literary expression of this idea for me. We have parts of ourselves we like, parts we dislike, and parts we might prefer not to acknowledge at all. Fiction gives us a safe place to examine them.
That’s probably also why I tend to like darker settings. I don’t necessarily like dark stories because I want everything to be miserable. I like them because difficult circumstances reveal character.
When everything is comfortable, being brave doesn’t cost much. When everything has an obvious solution, ingenuity isn’t particularly important. When everything is going well, optimism is easy.
But put someone in a terrible situation and suddenly those qualities matter.
Who keeps their head, and who keeps going when giving up would be easier?
And, on the darker side of that:
What happens when someone stops caring about the consequences?
Those questions interest me just as much.
So if I absolutely had to answer “which character do you relate to the most?”, I would have to say that there isn’t one. I relate to the parts of myself that I have given to all of them. The good and the bad. I think that has become one of the most valuable things I’ve learned as a writer.
You don’t have to put yourself into a story as a single character. You can take your strengths, weaknesses, humour, worries, hopes, instincts and contradictions and give them to completely different people. You can also take the parts of yourself that you’re uncomfortable with and exaggerate them until they become motivations and ideals for villains, using them to ask difficult questions about your own morality, your responsibilities, and human nature.
Sometimes, the most honest version of yourself isn’t just one character.
It’s the whole cast.
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Ronald Huebert — Loving John Donne
Jake Hersh in "St. Urbain's Horseman" by Mordecai Richler. I'm not from Montreal, I'm not Jewish, and yet I feel a kinship with this unlikely protagonist. What I do share with Jake Hersh is a belief in the value of irreverence. Perhaps that's another way of saying that I share his satirical approach to the absurdities and contradictions of everyday life. Jake understands and enjoys exposing the vanities and follies and other fallibilities of the people he works alongside, but he "forgives them for their wit," or at least so he says. He remains forever an outsider, no matter where he goes. He'll never feel that he belongs in London, though that is where he now lives; and when he goes back to Montreal, he resists every attempt of his old community to claim him.
Jake Hersh is the protagonist of a brilliant and extremely funny novel -- a book completely unlike the one I have written myself. The difference doesn't prevent me from wanting to see the world through Jake's eyes. Jake drinks too much brandy, he makes fraudulent entries on his tax returns, and he's obliged to appear at the Old Bailey on a charge of sexual assault. Who would trust this man's judgements about the world he inhabits? I would. I most certainly would.
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Milton Klein — Desperate Measures
It may come as no surprise that the character I relate to the most in my novel, "Desperate Measures," is Dr. Desmond Hamilton. Desmond climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro, hovers at death's edge in coma from high-altitude sickness, recovers, and then has an epiphany: Tanzania needs him more than does California. He leaves his cushy Bay Area practice to build a hospital (CARE) serving the semi-nomadic tribes around the Serengeti. I relate to this man, because I actually KNOW this man. In real life, Dr. Frank Artress, the founder of FAME Hospital in Karatu, Tanzania is my colleague and friend. I have spent some years as a remote cardiology consultant for FAME where I also met the twelve-year-old Maasai girl who suffered from leukemia (Njambi) and whose life was saved by Dr. Frank. Both the "real" and fictional doctors inspire me. And although I feel blessed to have had my own gratifying career in medicine, the heroic life and self-sacrifice of Desmond/Frank make me envious - questioning why I too didn't rise to the challenge and embark on a similar adventure. As I know him, write about him, and reread his story, I can dare to fantasize about how it must feel to be a true hero.
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Julie Asparro — The Vision
I relate to both of my protagonists from The Vision in different ways. Salvatore is quite fiery and impulsive, and Maria is more thoughtful and reflective. She is patient, while her counterpart is less so. I think I have both of these elements in myself, and some days, I relate to one more than the other.
The Vision is a parallel narrative. Salvatore and Maria live in very different times and places-- Renaissance Italy, and present-day Seattle, respectively-- yet they have a lot in common. They are both artists, and are united in their valiant attempts to do something meaningful. Both characters confront loss and hardship, and while they struggle, attempt to live with dignity and devotion. I think they are relatable characters for anyone who seriously attempts any form of art.
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29 October, 2026