The characters in my story are somewhat real. I’ve found that once I am finished with one of my little heroine’s or hero’s, their personalities often take on that of my family, friends and neighbors. Just a few small tidbits, their good qualities—cause of course Kettle Cove is a place of warmth and kindness.
Let me introduce you to Old Salty!
Old Salty is the first character I created, and he holds such a special place in my heart. Each morning when I was working on him, I’d take a walk to Kettle Cove. Walk the beaches, breathe in the salty air and let the waves rush over my feet, while picking up seashells along the way (cause you can never have too many shells). On my way back home, ideas would flood my mind and I’d speed up my journey to rush home and jot them down. This particular day an older gentleman was walking in the other direction, wearing a sea captain’s jacket and a hat with a whale. He looked a little gruff but when I said “Hi!” he answered back in a gruff “hi.” What pleasantly surprised me was the note of his tender heart. This is how I imagined Old Salty, the sea captain who watch’s over the ships coming and going at Portland Head Light. Although he can be a little bit of a curmudgeon, his heart is pure gold.
Fast forward a few months, I was telling a neighbor about the Old Salty I met on the road that morning, and she told me, he really is a sea captain. This only made my heart happier. That right here in Kettle Cove we have our very own sea captain.
These beautiful qualities are what I want my characters made of. My soul just swells with excitement when I think of what is in store for these incredible inhabitants of Kettle Cove.
Check back for more Kettle Cove Introductions!
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