Dear Diary,

I’m feeling pretty good about what I’ve achieved this week. This morning, put the finishing touches on my Character Profile on protagonist Tonya Meiers. I really know her at this point, and all sorts of valuable details about her are now in one place. It’s kind of amazing to see how much information can be packed into just a couple of pages. Visually blocked out. I like it. I can double check a detail in a quick glimpse.

Especially with chemo affecting my brain, it’s pretty key for me to keep solid, organized notes on this sort of stuff. I will not remember all of it, and I know that.

Her background, her work, her family – I’ve got it all together. She’s interesting and complex, feels like a real person. I know her biggest dream, her biggest fear and the one itch she can’t scratch – the thing she just can’t overcome. It’s what drives her, but also what causes her certain types of problems.

I know her habits, her ticks, her hobbies. I know she loves puns and is shy. She too often thinks of a clever thing to say when it’s too late to say it. She’s incredibly intelligent, reliable and loves what she does for a living. I know her history, her family background, her current life situation.

Even though Tonya’s first story will be happening on a Waikiki vacation – and therefore NOT taking place where she lives, I know that I’m going to write several stories with her. I like her too much to keep this to just one short story – something that comes as a surprise. A happy surprise. So I did some house hunting (actual real estate listings) and found the house I think perfect for her.

Very happy with this.

See you tomorrow,

KC