I Discovered a Character

 Okay, I wrote a fairly extensive blog earlier about knowing your characters and making them real.  Now, in the name of serendipity, I’m going to argue against myself.

I’m working on my 7th novel, Tequila Boom Boom, writing a few scenes but mostly still outlining.  I’ve been casting around for a new character that could move the story forward, and the other night, when my wife and I were camping along the Colorado River, we walked the beach and saw a guy with a metal detector.  I chatted with him a bit, but to be honest I didn’t give it much thought until a day later when I thought a guy like that could have any kind of a background, and is already interested in discovery, like Taz, Sam and Pete, the main characters in my ">Mayday Salvage and Rescue series.

So I sat down and dashed off what follows.  It’s a first draft only, but you can see how I use this guy to explain the love of discovery.  He will also be a tool to advance the story because I can make him a shaman or satellite imagery expert or anything else I need from him.

Here are my rough working notes on the bit:

(There’s a guy with a metal detector on the beach)

“I see him here first thing every morning.”

“A fellow treasure hunter,” Sam said.

“That’s a nice compliment to give him.”

“I was complimenting us. Shoot, Pete, that guy probably doesn’t find enough things of value to pay for his gas to the beach, but he keeps searching, and will always love the pure element of chance and the extremely long odds.”

“Interesting.”

“That could be Taz right there. If Taz was poor. The guy’s a purist.”

(next day)

Sam shuffled up to Pete, rubbed his big face and scratched at his beard. “How was the sunrise this morning?”

“Not as good as yesterday.”

“Then how come you seem so excited over it.”

“I’m excited about that guy finding the piece of my Tortuga Gold I buried in the sand for him. He’s close.”

Sam stared at Pete, and then looked up at the guy sweeping his metal detector over the sand. He shook his head and reached down to Pete. “Come with me.”

“Hey,” Sam said as they approached the man. “Did you hear about the Tortuga Gold discovery in North Carolina, the United States?”

 The man looked them over and smiled. “Yes, it was very exciting news.”

 ”Yeah, it was. We’re the ones who found it, and my nitwit friend here hid an escudo from that discovery in the sand for you to find. Where, Pete?”

 ”Well, uh…up the beach a few yards.”

 The man grinned big as he stood there and stared. Then he stepped up to Pete and grabbed both of his hands, pressing them warmly between his own.

 ”You hid for me an escudo of Tortuga Gold? You must be a kind and generous man, and I will therefore pray a blessing upon you. Thank you.” Then he stepped back, turned around, and walked off in the other direction, sweeping the detector back and forth over the sand.”

 ”See, Pete. Like I said, he’s a purist, just like Taz. He wants to discover something, not just find something. Your stupid idea was nice and charitable, but do you see how offensive it was?”

Then Sam caught up to the guy. “I get what you’re about, sir. The nitwit will understand some day. He’s kind of new at treasure hunting. You know the big boat in the marina with the blue hull?”

 ”The expedition trawler?”

 ”So you know boats. Yes, that’s the one. How about joining us for dinner tonight?”

Perhaps the guy turns out to be a retired archaeoastronomer who has “the great quest” he’s known about all his life, but hasn’t had the proper equipment to pursue:

 “You know, therefore,” Taz asked, “About the legend of ___.”

“I do, yes. And I know much more.”

Taz grinned. “Now that’s the kind of answer I love.”

There is a good line in the movie “">Rat Race” (which is a terrific remake of “A ">Mad, Mad, Mad World“): “Good things take time. Great things happen all at once.” So although I really believe you should plan and write your outline and characters, sometimes they just happen all at once, and when they do, go with it.

Good writing…Wes