I may have said this before about creating fictional characters, but this time it came at me unexpectedly, only it was not a plot idea, but a name for a character and the character name was Robert Charles Long III and it was the III that cinched it for me, but this character is not going to be used in a Victorian murder mystery, but in an Arliss Black Gang Western Adventure.
After Jon one of my physical therapists blabbed Rob’s full name it immediately left me intrigued, but when he told me he was Robert Charles the III I was completely interested in using his name in one of my books. I knew I had to put him into one of my books and that he was going to be a villain – he was absolutely thrilled and even more so when I told him he was going to be a member of the Lucifer Jackson Gang – don’t worry Lucifer is not his actual name, but Lloyd is.
At least this time I didn’t have to sort through the baby name book to find the perfect name for a male character. Believe me the first time Jon announced his name I just knew it was perfect for an M.E. Robertson-Hoon villain it certainly saves time for me.
I certainly love this title that I have created “The Devil Came to Yarford City” I think it is one of the best since I thought of “The Good Guys Don’t Always Wear White.” I guess I could have created a Victorian character with the same name, but some people are under the impression that the Victorian era is a bit stuffy, I say it isn’t so, look at James and Iris she is the comic relief and James is the straight man in a comedic sense, but no I decided to travel the western route and for good reason. Since I have been neglecting the Arliss Black Gang for sometime, but I did just complete “The Legend of Frank Richie” and the inspiration came while I was creating a fictional family tree for all of my fictional family – from James and Iris to Arliss Black – and yes he too had a family even a child with Monette, but it was still born, which she was no stranger to heartache.
As you can see I love to create fictional characters and also enjoy creating families for them and they experience the good along with the bad from miscarriages to marital violence and once in a while I like to throw in a happy ending after all I am a writer and when have I ever started a book or short story with the first line that reads once upon a time that is because it is reserved for fairytales.