Memphis, Tennessee's Own... Logan Boyd

Today was a writing day for me, and for the first hour and a half, it crawled by. There is nothing more frustrating than nothing your characters, what needs to be accomplished in this chapter, what will cause that development/insight--and not being able to get it out of your head. I admit that I may have spent thirty minutes casting the godly mentor family in this chapter, but after that I just could not get my characters out of the subway and into the house.

So, I stopped and prayed. (Please quit shaking your head at me, I know). Then I jumped ahead a chapter, and guess what? The scenes just flowed. Within three and a half hours, I had six new pages! Praise the Lord. I must tell you that when the scenes are flowing that quickly, I get to know my characters the way that readers do. Who knew my grumpy old men were going to turn into protective white knights? Not me! Until I wrote it that is.

It's one of the things I love most about creating new stories--the surprises your characters throw at you. Or maybe that God throws at you, giving you an even greater insight into who they are and what He wants them to display.

With that in mind, and to make up for leaving you hanging with Abigail, I'd like to introduce you to someone I'm getting to know.

Thirteen Things You Need To Know About Logan Boyd:
1. What is his birthday and age? June 3, 1980; he's 27 at the beginning of the novel.

2. Physical Appearance: He has blond hair that is short on the sides and slightly longer, tousled, and spiky on top. Brown eyes. He has a prominent forehead and oval shaped face with a cleft in his chin and confident smirk. Tall (6'3"), broad shouldered, and lean.

3. Type of clothes most often worn: charcoal suit, white button down, and tie by Gucci.

4. What is his occupation? Attorney--he practices family and estate law. Was this the occupation he'd always desired? Yes, since the day he persuaded his 8th grade English teacher that his efforts were worth at least a C. As he matured, he realized that he could use these skills to smooth the life transitions (marriage, divorce, buying and selling a home/business) of others in a way that his own family lacked.

5. Financial information - how is the character set financially? He's doing well for himself, having already paid off his educational loans and with a down payment for a house already in the savings account. And did I mention the Gucci ties? So yeah, he does alright. His parents scraped by on one income and disability after his father was injured in a work-related incident in 1985; Logan's vowed never to be put in that position.

6. What are his hobbies? He runs marathons, skis in the winter, and is often roped into restoring classic cars with his dad.

7. What are his personal goals? To make partner at--and then run--Harvey and Riddle, the law firm his uncle Lewis Harvey began in 1970 with James Riddle. To travel the world. To be a prominent citizen in Brierwood, NC.

8. What was his childhood upbringing like? He's the youngest of three, the only boy. His sisters dressed him up as their baby doll until he was old enough to hide from them. He'll always be their "baby brother." His mom loves him, but he's never quite been the mechanical son his father wanted. He loves his family, but he's tried to "rise above" their social, educational, and economic status for so long, he doesn't have much in common with them anymore. Except for Jesus--he knows they love Jesus and whenever he's confused about his own relationship with God, his father's the one he calls.

9. Has he ever been in love? He is now--for the first time with Sierra MacKenna. Falling in love with her has been a welcome challenge and enthralling experience. He knows she's the type of woman he's been waiting for all his life, which is why he asked her to marry him.

10. Does he like to watch movies or television? Yes. His favorite movies are Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and A Time To Kill.

11. What kind of car does he drive? A 2005 Black Ford Mustang Convertible.

12. What are his phobias? Peniaphobia (fear of poverty), Atychiphobia (fear of failure), and Raccoonaphobia (fear of raccoons). This last one is the result of being bitten by one when he was 7; the rabies shots solidified his fear.

13. Is he a Christian? Yes. Logan accepted Jesus at a youth camp when he was 13. He attends Gospel Community Church every Sunday and reads his Bible during his lunch hour every weekday. He knows that Jesus is his reconciliation to God the Father and rests in that for eternal life. It's the day to day that's a struggle, especially knowing that God could allow him to fail and end up in the same situation as his father. He's determined to do everything he can to safeguard against it--and prepare for it--in case it happens.

So, what's your first impression of Logan? Are you ready to join him on this new journey with Sierra in Brierwood? Let me know.