The next scene I'm rewriting in my novel is a milestone marker for the storyline. The main character sticks her finger into the middle of the villain's pie without knowing it: she goes on a date with one of the villain's henchmen, David--a super hot, super rich 20-something year old. David is supposed to become very close to the main character, so his boss has an advantage later on in the story. (The main character's father is the detective in charge of investigating the villain)
While mentally rewriting this scene in my head, I realized that it would be difficult to rewrite this scene and not feel as though I hadn't written it before. I can play a song on my violin terribly but passionately the first time. By the second time, I've learned most of the notes and can play it well, but lose the passion. This is my goal for the next chapter: play it well, and revitalize the pathos.
Yes, it sounds dramatic, but if you've read my blog past an entry or two, you know that I'm melodramatic, so this shouldn't come as a surprise.
I decided to look into David's character by figuring out who inspired me to write about him.
Usually, my inspiration is an ad I tore out of Teen Vogue. I tape the ads to my wall and give the models a history, and they eventually work their way into my writing. However, I knew that David was a little more than a Patek Philipe ad.
Who WAS my main inspiration for him?
There are 2 people, actually.
The first was a guy named Cody. I worked with him at Vacation Bible School. I was 15. He was 18. I was there to have fun and help out. He was there for court-ordered community service. I thought he acted like a pig but looked like a movie star. I don't know what he thought of me, but I know that my age didn't matter to him. (A major plot point in my storyline)
It didn't turn into anything, of course, except that he gave me a nickel. It's date is 1974. I know this because it's still in my jewelry box.
During the week that I worked with Cody, I had my first observational experience of police work and I decided that I wanted to be a police officer more than anything. This is ironic, seeing as I was "falling" for a guy who was serving community service hours.
After that week, I saw Cody a few times after that: once at the 4th of July parade, and once when my brother took me to play volleyball with his friends. At the parade, I also saw Cody's girlfriend, who I learned was more of a pig than he was. I also learned the true meaning of jealousy. Why would he go out with a girl with no class, when he could go out with ME? I really didn't need to be thinking those thoughts at that time, since I had other issues. I was so thin that my ribcage was all bones. (Most of that was involuntary, since I was very sick, but when I was able to eat something, I'd feel guilty about it. That was a nasty feeling.) As for the second time I saw Cody, it was 2 months later, and suddenly he didn't seem so charming anymore.
The second guy was named Alex. I knew him a year and a half ago. He would come in at the coffee shop where I worked and would hang around, especially when there was no one else around. I didn't suspect him of anything. He was sweet, but still quite a few years older than me. He loved to talk about music and movies, and had dropped out of a bachelor's degree in creative writing. We had a lot to talk about. He told me that he lived with his parents in the house next to the police chief, which was on the wealthiest street in town. The old houses on that street are huge, old, and beautiful. The bay is practically their front yard.
One day Alex stopped coming in. I forget if I knew why, or if there even was an answer. One of the times he was in the coffee shop, he had mentioned that his cousin was in a band, and he knew it was his cousin by the unique last name. Somehow, I ended up doing research and found that last name on familywatchdog.us (a site that shows a map of predators in your vicinity). A young man who had the same last name as Alex, and the same face (though slightly younger and with pink hair) was on the list. As if need be said, his home wasn't listed as being on the wealthy street in town.
I don't know all these facts to be true, but I do know that the face on familywatchdog is a very similar but younger version of Alex's face. And in a town of less than 10,000 people, it seems very likely that my suspicions are correct.
So, these 2 dudes inspired my villain's henchman, David, and in more ways than I think I even consciously know. Hopefully, since I just refreshed on these people, I will be able to rework the scene with all the gusto that I hope it will read.
And even if I don't, I still have my caramelized cookies for company :)
