Usually when I’m asked to do a guest blog, I write about my book, the process, where I got my ideas, what my life as a writer is like, or something along those lines. This time, I want to focus on something a little bit different. Oh, it ties in with AS YOU WISH (the novel), but not exactly on the novel itself. I want to talk about two special characters in the book, Tommy and Joy.
If you didn’t already know, AS YOU WISH is a tale about the Arcani, magical humans who live among us, and their world. My novel features fairy godmothers, but they aren’t whom I wish to talk about today. Tommy and Joy are Arcani, bakers, and have
special needs. Tommy has Down syndrome and Joy is...well, Joy is just Joy. Reggie, the newest fairy godmother and the heroine of the novel, has set up a bakery for her friends and works beside them, taking care of the business aspects because she doesn’t bake. Tommy and Joy are very capable and talents bakers. And yes, they are realistic. I should know. My daughter was the inspiration for Joy. Give her the rules and instruct her, and my daughter can do most things. Oh, she requires supervision
for her daily life, but she’s fiercely independent—heck she’s a typical teenager in more ways than not—but she makes her own lunches for school, cooks some, and makes all the brownies for the family. In AS YOU WISH, Reggie truly regards Tommy
and Joy as her friends—friends who need perhaps a little more care, but friends first. And this brings me to the point of this blog.
Did you know that fifty-four percent of individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) never receive a phone call from a friend in their lifetimes?
When I first heard this statistic, I was shocked and yet at the same time not shocked. I’d seen it with my own daughter. When she was younger, five or six years old, children didn’t mind including her in their parties or outings. But as she and they aged, she became lonely. She wanted nothing more than a friend—not someone to look after her, just someone to play with. I can’t blame the other children; they were still growing, still in that self-centered phase of life when they don’t think of others;
but it was hurtful. Then, when she reached high school she found a group—Best Buddies, International.
Best Buddies™ is a non-profit organization that pairs up kids and adults with IDD to peer buddies. They have school programs, college programs, community programs and employment programs around the world. My daughter now texts with her buddy just like any other teenager. They have lunch together, go out to events
together, and look for each other at school. She gets phone calls, goes to dances, and also attends special activities. Yes, in a way it is artificial, but my daughter doesn’t see that. She loves her buddy and the sense of normalcy she receives from her Best
Buddies™ chapter.
So in honor of my daughter, Tommy, and Joy, I have pledged ten percent of my royalties to Best Buddies™. I hope you will help me support this group. All you have to do is buy a book. Besides, I happen to think it’s a pretty good book.
This post started out with its focus on two characters I’m sure I will never forget. So a question for you, Readers:
Which characters have stayed with you the longest (books or movies)?
A copy of THE WISH LIST, the first book in the trilogy, goes to one lucky commenter.
--Gabi
*One entry per comment!
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Which characters have stayed with you the longest (books or movies)?
It's obviously Jace Wayland!!! but Adam Wilde is on the running too! as for movies Alex Pettyfer none the less!
I would say Harry Potter!
thegirlonfire
thegirlonfire27 at gmail dot com
One that instantly pops to mind is Odd Thomas (Dean Koontz) which btw will be made into a movie soon (not sure if I like the idea yet, because books are usually alwyas better).
danaan at gmx dot at
For me it's been Daine from Tamora Pierce's the Immortals fantasy quartet. I first read the books when I was ten and I've reread them every year, her character really just grabbed on to me.
Thanks so much for the giveaway
faefever25 at hotmail dot com
Character that's stayed with me the longest...hmm.
Would it be completely embarrassing to say I've always had a thing for Legolas from Lord of the Rings?
venturinhawendy(at)gmail(dot)com
-Mocha from A Cupcake and A Latte.
Great answers.
Birgit, I didn't know they were making an Odd Thomas movie. Like you, I'm not sure whether to be excited or wary.
Thanks for respondin eeryone.
--Gabi
For me, randall flagg in the stand really stuck with me.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
Not entering the giveaway as I'm reading this wonderful book now, but I wanted to thank you for opening our eyes about this disability.
Hi Gabi! Wonderful blog post and equally wonderful cause. I work with special needs teens and of all the jobs I've had in my life, this one is by far the most rewarding. I can imagine how you felt hearing the statistic regarding phone calls. It was probably about the same felling I had when I realized that not one of the teens I worked with would ever read a novel and not because they wouldn't want to, but because they just couldn't.
Some have been harder to love than others, but it's all worth it. And each year when a few graduate, it's a celebration of joy.
Thank you for donating to such a great cause!
A lot of characters have stayed with me long after I have put the book down. The most recent would be J from I Am J by Cris Beam.
rickimc[at]aol[dot]com
I think it's amazing how Gabi is donating a part of her profits to an institution that helped her daughetr (and others).
As for a character that stayed with me the longest, I guess I'll have to say it Sirius Black, from the Harry Potter books. He was my favourite, all along. :)
anacorvonunes[at]gmail[dot]com
What a tough one, let me thing about it...
So hard, oh oh Indiana Jones, honetly all my life he has been there :)
blodeuedd1 at gmail dot com
The Twilight books and movies have stayed with me the longest. Edward and Bella's love for each other. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
So many great characters. Some of my truly unforgettable characters (and I mean unforgettable, not necessarily likeable) are Scarlett O'Hara, Norman Bates, Snape, Encyclopedia Brown, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Harley Quinn,...wait I'd better start now or I'd just keep writing.
A think the characters in Jeanine Frost's Night Huntress series, Keri Arthur's Riley Jensen series, Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series and Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series are all great characters that I loved and that have stayed with me. All but Keri Arthur's are still going strong, so I know I get to read more about them in the future.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
A specific character that I've stayed with the longest is probably Harry Potter. 7 books! I mean Rose and VA were 6 books but from the first HP book till the final movie? That's been years!
rootml1 AT hotmail DOT com
Without a doubt, Katniss Everdeen.
aikychien at yahoo dot com
Defnitely Rachel Morgan and Jenx of The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison. I love her characters.
blazesandbubbles AT gmail DOT com
readingwithbakingoddess.blogspot.com
The longest?!?
Harry Potter, I think he still would have stayed if only I didn't get suck into vampires o_o
For me its Thomas Argeneau from the Argeneau Vampires Series by Lynsay Sands, Zsadist from The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series and Jace Wayland from Mortal Instruments. :D
Thanks for the giveaway. :D
Clarissa Pereira
claroxide@yahoo.co.in
The characters have stayed with me the longest is Dr. Hannibal Lecter. I was a child when I saw The Silence of the Lambs movie and he realy made me impression.
Edward from Twilight because I think he is the dream boy in any girl.
Thanks for the giveaway!
artgiote at gmail dot com
A good character often stayes with me. Some that have been with me for a long time - Ponyboy Curtis, Harriet from Harriet the Spy, Elizabeth Bennett.
Newer loves: Katniss Everdeen, Alice Cullen
i have always been a fan of twilight, so id say that the character/s who have stayed with me for so long would be bella and edward :)
punkme15 at gmail dot com
Oh, there's no doubt about it! It has to be Acheron, by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I've been half in love with him ever since the first time he appeared in her first book... that was about 10 books ago... LOL. He really got to me, his story and his character, I mean. He's so realistic... :)
Now and then I found myself thinking about him! LOL
kah_cherun at hotmail dot com
thanks for the international giveaway!
Which characters have stayed with you the longest (books or movies)?
hmmm after thinking a bit I would have to say Harry Potter bot movies and books. There's a list I could mention but since Harry was one of the firsts, it's him. I love the books and movies (especially the books) and it's so sad that we are so close to the end.
Thank you for the giveaway :D
annemeli89(at)gmail(dot)com
I would have to say Mr Keating from Dead Poets Society.(I know most know the movie, but there is a also a book).
I loved Mr Keating because he was not afraid to walk in the dark, while searching for the light. And he was not afraid to show the light to his students once he found it.
maria.Papadopoulou1977@gmail.com
Book characters stay with me wa longer, Even though the author has given them an outline my mind fills in the blanks to my own liking. BTW As you wish looks freaking amazing!
The two characters that have stayed with me the longest would have to be Elena and Clay from Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series. They have been my favourite characters since 2001 when Bitten first came out and I always eagerly await anything that has them in it.
Thanks for the giveaway!
whitewolfreads AT gmail DOT com
Harry Potter has stayed with me!
great giveaway
follow via gfc
drakebdog@gmail.com
Hee hee... I hate to admit it, but monster movies like King Kong and Godzilla. The old films were the only things that my mom would allow me to watch late night on the weekends. One of the local stations loved those films so I got to see those often.
Longest character that has stayed with me... definitely Harry Potter. I first read the series as a kid, and it's still a part of my life. Harry Potter has definitely been in my life for long and for a good reason. The books were so wonderful!
un3xpectedfate[at]hotmail[dot]com
Han Solo from Star Wars.....
Which characters have stayed with you the longest (books or movies)?
I am so glad that this asked for characters because I cannot choose just one. Two characters that really remain with me are Mercy Thompson and Adam Hauptmann from Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson series; I love them, they are great, realistic characters even with their paranormal setting.
Another character that has truly stayed with me, and that I wish the author had spent more time with is Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice. He is a character that I would have loved to see more of even, or especially, after the story had finished.
The character that sticks with me most is Rilla Blythe. To see her go through a horrible war with life changing events and still manage to keep her sense of fun and wonder inspired me. That's still one of my favorite books ever.
lhoffpauir at gmail
The characters from the book stay longer.I still remember how I fell for Atticus from To Kill Mocking Bird and I was so angry to the main character in The Kite Runner.
aleetha.ally at gmail dot com
All the characters from Firefly/Serenity.
From books? Maybe Rose and Dimitri from Vampire Academy.
jessicamariesutton(at)msn(dot)com
I agree, Rose and Dimitri's tragic story made me think about them and the Vampire Academy novels long after I have finished reading the books.
Thank you for the great giveaway Gabi and congrats on your new release! :-)
stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com
Anne of Green Gables. The series is an old favorite of mine, and no matter how old I get, Anne will always be a favorite!! Another would be Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. They're such strong and memorable characters! I love the playful banter and how they're not afraid to say what's on their minds.
For me its Jace Wayland/Morgenstern/Herondale/Lightwood of The Mortal Instruments series. He is the character that I most care of. Everytime I read his struggle I feel for him. After reading City Of Fallen Angels I almost course the author for what he did to Jace in the book. He suffer so much that I want to hug and comfort him.
blackplum3 AT gmail DOT com
Thanks!
HI LARISSA! THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE. I RARELY WATCH MOVIES SO BOOKS WORK FOR ME AS I READ ONE A DAY!
Mia thermopolis. I've read all 10 books in the princess diariescseries and the half books such as holiday princess and project princess. :)
camilleanne_angel@yahoo.com.ph
So many great characters. OMG!
My favorites are Katniss and Peeta (The Hunger Games trilogy). But If I've had to choose only one it would be Katniss I think.
Katniss is such a strong girl. And the books, the best I've read SO FAR!!
Kisses.
@desapd
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Need I say more?) <3 :)
just one thing.. "who didn't knew Edward Cullen??"
Mr. Darcy in tv and book versions. I love Darcy!
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com