William
asked
Alexander C. Kane:
The writing of the Andrea Vernon novels is so witty, and the characters are extremely endearing. Where do you get the ideas for Miss O's southern metaphors, and what inspired Inspector Well Actually?
Alexander C. Kane
Thanks so much! I'm glad like the books.
Two things about Ms. Oh and AVCUP in general: 1) When I started writing the first book, I had never thought someone publish it and really wasn't sure I'd even finish it. 2) I come from a sketch comedy background. Sketches are short, so you don't have a lot of time to establish character. Also, you want to avoid cliche and find really strong specifics that the audience is going to expect.
So, when I started writing Ms. Oh, I wrote one of her sayings, "The government couldn't run a candy store in Hungry Town" I think. And I thought that seemed like a fun thing to play with and a good way to get details out about her background. Like a mini-challenge within the larger challenge of writing a book. I will say, each book it gets harder because I'm trying not to be repetitive. I always think about who she is and where she's from and how she would express some piece of wisdom. The metaphors and similes have to actually mean something, and they have to say it in a way that no other character would think of. I will be in the flow of writing sometime and then get stuck thinking, "What is the way Ms. Oh would say this is a very difficult situation? Harder than a....Or maybe more annoying than a...some kind of farm animal...with some kind of skin disease...going to...an opera? You know what, I'll come back." So, it's difficult, and sometimes the answer will strike me after I've moved on and I'll go back and replace one that was just kind of okay.
Inspector Well Actually was inspired from many, many people in my own life including me at my worst. I also so a lot of Well Actually-ing on Twitter and I thought, "There's a Captain Obvious, but no Inspector Well Actually? Then I will have to invent him." I originally thought he would be a villain, but it seemed more fun to take a character who starts off being hard to like, but he's on the right side and he means well, he just can't help himself. Similar idea with Glare in Book 2.
Two things about Ms. Oh and AVCUP in general: 1) When I started writing the first book, I had never thought someone publish it and really wasn't sure I'd even finish it. 2) I come from a sketch comedy background. Sketches are short, so you don't have a lot of time to establish character. Also, you want to avoid cliche and find really strong specifics that the audience is going to expect.
So, when I started writing Ms. Oh, I wrote one of her sayings, "The government couldn't run a candy store in Hungry Town" I think. And I thought that seemed like a fun thing to play with and a good way to get details out about her background. Like a mini-challenge within the larger challenge of writing a book. I will say, each book it gets harder because I'm trying not to be repetitive. I always think about who she is and where she's from and how she would express some piece of wisdom. The metaphors and similes have to actually mean something, and they have to say it in a way that no other character would think of. I will be in the flow of writing sometime and then get stuck thinking, "What is the way Ms. Oh would say this is a very difficult situation? Harder than a....Or maybe more annoying than a...some kind of farm animal...with some kind of skin disease...going to...an opera? You know what, I'll come back." So, it's difficult, and sometimes the answer will strike me after I've moved on and I'll go back and replace one that was just kind of okay.
Inspector Well Actually was inspired from many, many people in my own life including me at my worst. I also so a lot of Well Actually-ing on Twitter and I thought, "There's a Captain Obvious, but no Inspector Well Actually? Then I will have to invent him." I originally thought he would be a villain, but it seemed more fun to take a character who starts off being hard to like, but he's on the right side and he means well, he just can't help himself. Similar idea with Glare in Book 2.
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