February was a really fun month for me—filled with mountain bike rides, hiking, delicious food, and great family company. But it’s a new month and it is time to get back to work! This week I wanted to share another character profile for my blog, as it has been awhile since we’ve delved deeper into the life of one of our Soul Mender friends.

I chose James Rutherford because I was working on one of his chapters in book three (OMG I’m so excited about where this is going!), and was feeling rather fond of my favorite villain. In almost every movie/book/play that I enjoy, my favorite characters are usually not the good guys, but the villains or antiheroes you so desperately want to pull through.

With my characters, since we meet both their good and bad sides, I find myself really rooting for those bad guys, and wanting them to figure it out, even though I keep making them do worse and worse things. Maybe you haven’t felt that way, as James Rutherford (THE BAD) is a pretty terrible human being. But as you read The Soul Mender and The Peace Keeper, I want you to keep in mind that he too has a good side, and maybe there is more to him than meets the eye. After all, isn’t that why I’m writing this trilogy? To truly explore the duality of man.

Now let’s take a closer look at the split soul of James Rutherford. I’ve rifled though my character notes and have picked out some stuff to share with you on each half of our (mostly) loathsome detective.

James Rutherford (THE GOOD):

Basics

Full Name: James Allen Rutherford
Date of Birth: August 17th
Hometown: Montrose, CO
Alma Mater: Studied Political Science at Colorado State University
Religion: Presbyterian
Occupation: Detective

Personal Life

Marital Status: Married
Kids: Two young sons.
Rent or Own: Owns Two-story house in Grand Junction

Favorites

Favorite Food: Chicken Fried Steak
Favorite Music: Country
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Movie: The Sandlot
Favorite TV Show: The West Wing
Favorite Sport: Basketball
Hobbies: Spending time with family, fishing, working, hiking

Best Qualities

Personality: Passionate, dedicated, honest
Behavior: Hard working, loyal
Habits: Working non-stop until something is complete or finished—be it a case at work, or a project at home.
Relationships: Loves his family more than anything, and also cares deeply for other and their struggles.

Worst Qualities

Personality: Can be too intense during confrontations with friends or family if he is really worked up about something.
Behavior: Obsessed with working
Habits: Swearing and working too much.
Relationships: During an intense case, he puts his job before his family, which causes strain in his marriage.

Looks

Hair Color: Dark Brown, almost black
Hair Type: Short, tousled
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 6’0
Weight: 187 lbs
Features: Extra wrinkles from too much stress


James Rutherford (THE BAD):

Basics

Full Name: James Allen Rutherford
Date of Birth: August 17th
Hometown: Montrose, CO
Alma Mater: Studied Political Science at Colorado State University
Religion: Not practicing
Occupation: Detective, running for mayor

Personal Life

Marital Status: Divorced
Kids: Two young sons whom he doesn’t see. Ex-wife has custody.
Rent or Own: Owns condo in downtown Grand Junction

Favorites

Favorite Food: Spaghetti
Favorite Music: Techno
Favorite Color: Lime Green
Favorite Movie: The Silence of the Lambs
Favorite TV Show: The Apprentice
Favorite Sport: Hockey
Hobbies: Working, schmoozing, going to the gym, spying on other people’s lives

Best Qualities

Personality: N/A
Behavior: Hard working
Habits: N/A
Relationships: N/A

Worst Qualities

Personality: Power-hungry, slimy, mean-spirited,
Behavior: Conniving, manipulative, demanding, uses people
Habits: Smoking and swearing
Relationships: Cares very little about anyone other than himself. Divorced because he was never home, cheated on his wife, and is emotionally abusive. Doesn’t have close relationships with people unless they are willing to submit to him and his way.

Looks

Hair Color: Dark Brown, almost black
Hair Type: Short, slicked back
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 6’0
Weight: 187 lbs
Features: Smooth skin—BOTOX has gotten rid of the wrinkles that his other half has. Yellowed teeth from smoking.

Besides phenotype, there aren’t a whole lot of similarities between these two men. I have a feeling that if they met in dark alley they would despise each other so much that James the good would try to arrest the other, and James the bad would try to kill his other half. I don’t want to give away any spoilers to those who haven’t yet read The Peace Keeper, but the detective’s storyline left off in a pretty precarious spot, for him or for someone else. But just know that I am hard at work making sure that Detective James Rutherford get’s the story he needs—for the man hunting for serial killers to put behind bars, for the man chasing Riley and Oz for his own personal power, for me, the author, who cares deeply for this individual, and for you, the reader, who has entrusted me with your imagination.

Cheers, Mr. Rutherford, may you continue to give us nightmares and hope through the final installment of this trilogy!