Thirteen Things - Who Are The Characters

 

This Thursday Thirteen asks the question, "If (Insert title) novel was made into a movie, who would play the role of your hero and heroine? Or the bad guy?" I do want to say that the actors I had in mind for a given role may not be who ended up on the cover. That could be for various reasons such as the publisher or cover artist's choice or which artwork might be available. That doesn't mean that the choices below aren't still in my imagination. After you read the candidates, feel free to look them up in the banner to see the interpretation that appeared on the cover. Just remember, the cover people were restricted by stock photo companies, not open to the entirety of the real world.

1. Lord Branin of Cloud Eyrie (The Dragshi Chronicles)
   
   

   Several men were considered to portray Lord Branin, including James Coburn, Shawn Connory, and Dolphin Lundgren.Some would be fine for the Branin of Dragon Destiny and Hatchlings Curse, but they would definitely be too young for him in Hatchlings Mate and Hatchlings Vengeance. I finally had to put all the names onto a wheel.A spin and the winner is <drum roll, please> Christopher Lambert.

    

2. Anastasia of Clan Miller (The Dragshi Chronicles)
   
   

   Deciding on Anastasia was even more difficult. Part of the issue is that the character is a young woman in Dragon Destiny, but is several decades older by the final book of the series. A recommendation by those who’ve read the Dragshi Chronicles was Lindsay Wagner, who portrayed the Bionic Woman. My own personal choice for Anastasia is Amanda Tapping. Although she rocks blond hair in the Stargate series, the dark hair of the long-lived Helen Magnus of the Sanctuary series sold me that she was a great choice.
   

   
   
3. Talann (The Dragshi Chronicles)
   
   Like Lord Branin Llewlyn, several men to portray him immediately came to mind. They were all perfect--until I realized they were all the leading men of my younger days, and that contemporary readers would consider them too long in the tooth for the role. So I looked around at the leading men of today and like his father there were multiple competitors. One is Chris O’Donnell. While his hair in his current role on NCIS is shorter than the style customarily worn by the dragshi, other character traits, including sense of responsibility and duty, and a great brood, yells to me “Branin.” Then there is Christian Kane of The Librarians, Almost Paradise, and Leverage.
   
   A spin of the wheel and <drum roll, please> the winner is Christian Kane.
    
4. Glynnes (The Dragshi Chronicles)
   
   It was a choice between Hillary Swank and Angelina Jolie. Yes, I know that these beautiful women might be counter-intuitive for a character who hid her own beauty, but they work if you saw them in character in Boys Don't Cry and Salt. And Jolie could definitely handle the martial arts required in Glynnes life. I will leave it up to you, the reader, to choose.
    
5. Lord Dal (The Windmaster Novels)
   
   From the very beginning, there was only one man in my mind when I wrote the Windmaster Novels. From the Highlander series (and a recently watched episode from Relic Hunter, Adrian Paul.
   
   
6. Captain Ellspeth (The Windmaster Novels)
   
   The captain of Sea Falcon and Windmaster was one of my first characters. And as they often say, your first is always special. Who do you think should play her? She is a strong woman, prefers the short sword to the long one, and can play a flute as well as she can wield a sword.
   
   
7. Deneas (Tear Stone Collectors)
   
   Sometimes you can create a character, you don't have a specific individual from the real world in mind. Deneas is such a case. You might have general features such as height, build, hair and eye color, but no actress that you can point to as inspiration or clip and put on the wall above the desk. Unlike Glynnes, Deneas never had to hide either her inner or outer beauty, except to fend off the unwanted advances of the head slayer or his son so that meant I had more options. While doing an online search or turning on the television, sometimes there is the character. She might be a little younger, or a little older. For Deneas, I recommend a Jennifer:   Jennifer Garner (Alias) or Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games) or Katheryn Winnick (Vikings). 
   
   
8. Trelleir (Tear Stone Collectors)
   
   Trelleir is rather new to my world. Fire and Amulet was only published in 2022. It's sequel, Fire and Redemption, is scheduled for release April 2024. His dragon form would be animated. His human form would be portrayed by Tom Ellis or Keanu Reeves. Using the inspiration from his role as Lucifer Morningstar, the winner is Tom Ellis.
   
   
9. Colwynn (Imprisoned In Stone)
   
   Since another actor received the nod for Trelleir, Keanu Reeves gets this role. I think he would also do well as the imprisoned mage, Dylan.
   
   
10. Gareth (Imprisoned in Stone) It took a while to come up with a good man for the role, especially since (spoiler alert) he dies. Finally I decided on <drum roll, please> Patrick Swayze.
    
    
11. Gabha and Geren(Tear Stone Collectors)
    
    There are more than just main characters in a novel turned movie. Gabha and  Geren are a father and son team of blacksmiths. One option was to picture one author at two different ages. Or use a real father-son duo. The casting call goes out to Dan (Bonanza) and Dirk Blocker (Black Sheep Squadron.)
    
    
12. 
    Medraut (Tear Stone Collectors)
    
    Like Trelleir, Medraut is a new addition to my list of characters. His first appearance is in the upcoming Fire and Redemption. Here is Medraut in his dragon form. As far as the humans?  Nicolas Cage, Jack Palance, and Lee VanCleef each have their own contributions.
    
    
13. Honored Old One Llewlyn
    
    Representing both the true dragons and the dragon soul twin half of the dragshi, Honored Old One Llewlyn. No human character is necessary for Llewlyn as Branin of Cloud Eyrie, his human soul twin was already covered. The visualization was easy. LLewlyn was an amber dragon. Among the fun parts of writing the Dragshi Chronicles were seeing how the dragons' personalities were similar to, yet distinct from that of their human soul twins. The gold flecks sparkling in Llewlyn's black eyes give a hint of the part of his nature he shows the special humans he calls, "Friend."
    
    As to the voice behind the personality? Complete with the (at least for this purpose) Highland accent, the voice I hear in my head when Llewlyn speaks is that of Shawn Connery.

I hope you enjoyed this Thursday Thirteen. I hope you will come back again. If any of my published titles intrigue you, click on the cover in the banner or for the series, the pull-down menu for blurbs, excerpts, a free read of the first chapter, and of course, buy links.

~till next time, Helen



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