Story #3: Cast of Characters

Part 2 in my attempt to PLOT the next novel

A contemporary romance in 4 parts

Rough outline of the cast members, what (or who) they resemble, their personalities, and the reasons why they are ready to fall in love.

Iliya

cafe owner

Status: Oldest brother (and his romantic interest)
Occupation: Renovator/Architect
Strengths: Reliable, Fair-minded, Rational, Practical, Quiet/Reserved
Weaknesses: worrier, too responsible, critical, conservative, unable to delegate
Stature: 6'2", 185lb, wavy chocolate hair, mesmerizing hazel eyes, fair skin, sexy voice
Age: 33
DOB: September 9, Virgo

This will probably be the last story in the series since Iliya (pronounced ill'-ee-ya) is a key figure in all three stories as the head of the family.

Right now, I've got him pegged as a loner type with a lot of pent-up aggression on account of his perception of the cards life has dealt him. Not sure, yet, what his aspirations or goals were prior to that life getting in the way, but it begins with the death of his well-off parents, which forces him to have to make the unfavorable decision of moving from Europe to America, where they will live with an uncle until he graduates high school.

The uncle dies in a ship wreck on one of the Great Lakes, leaving Iliya with another hard choice to make: forgo college so that the insurance and inheritance money will help send the others to college instead of him.

The money turns out to be substantial, but Iliya still feels responsible for his siblings; especially his youngest sister and the second oldest brother, Inigo, who is causing problems in and out of school, making Iliya think Inigo will end up on drugs, in jail, or worse. He sticks around the house to keep an eye on things and works to help renovate homes while the siblings are in school.

None of his fears pan out, though, and Iliya eventually realizes he's wasted his efforts and life on the wrong issues.

He's proud, headstrong, and reserved, and with eyes that seem capable of peering into your soul. When he smiles, it lights up his face and any room he's standing in at the time. Rakish sex appeal, a nice face, great head of hair, and a fit body add to his natural charm. He also possesses a smooth, deep voice that commands attention and makes the women smile.

Without giving too much away, when his story is told, it will be about his being on the verge of a nervous breakdown after seeing how well his siblings turned out and that everything he'd worried and agonized over through the years was for naught.

Once a week he goes to a small diner in another town, mainly to get away from life and try to unwind, but mostly because the food served makes him feel like a kid again; back in the old country with his parents seated around a large, ornately shining dining table listening to his parents and feeling good about life.

He never orders the meals - the cook just seems to know what will hit the spot - and eventually, Iliya makes it a point of meeting the cook so that he can thank her for helping him to get over his past and make him feel strong again.

She's older than him by a few years, and while she's happy about his recovery, she's not interested in getting involved with him or any man. She's beautiful and intelligent, and Iliya can't understand why she is working in a diner. It will take time and effort on his part to find out the answer to that question and the dozens more that he keeps thinking up as their relationship starts to unfold.

Inigo

Concert Flutist

Status: 2nd brother (and his romantic interest)
Occupation: former Rugby player
Strengths: Adventurous, Energetic, Courageous, Confident, Enthusiastic, Dynamic, Quick Wit
Weaknesses: Selfish, Quick-tempered, Impulsive, Impatient, Foolhardy, Daredevil
Stature: 6'3", 190lb, wavy light brown hair, soft, honey eyes, fair skin, sexy voice
Age: 31
DOB: April. 7, Aries

Will likely be the first story told.

Inigo is the loose cannon; the guy who acts up and displays aggressive tendencies not only as a way to cope with his inner fears but also to get a deliberate rise out of his oldest brother and sometimes to make his youngest sister cry or complain.

Outwardly, he's fun-loving, easy-going, and adventurous - the life of the party - and that along with his great looks helps win him friends and dates with ease.

He's good in school and a natural at sports, but a lot of the trouble he seems to cause stems from his coming to the rescue of someone with less bravado or guts, though he never explains things to Iliya in a way that would have Inigo come out on top.

Inigo resents the fact that Iliya took on so much responsibility without asking for any help, and the fact that his parents died before he was able to do something that would make them proud weighs heavy on his conscience.

Part of that resentment toward Iliya shows itself when Inigo refuses to attend college and buys a motorcycle instead, taking off the day after his high school graduation to roam America for about a year. Within that time, he tries out for a rugby team and makes the cut. He plays for a Canadian team and travels the globe doing what he really enjoys and never really knows just how proud his oldest brother is with the accomplishment.

After five years, numerous injuries and a final ankle break, Inigo is forced to retire. He's made tons of money, been in the spotlight for years, and had the time of his life with a lot of famous or beautiful women. He returns to the family and decides to push his way back in by confronting Iliya and annoying him by taking his time deciding what he'll do with the rest of his life.

He meets a beautiful woman who is a concert flutist but also a good friend of his little sister when he's asked to pick the woman up at the airport.

She is nothing like Inigo and everything like him. They're both headstrong and determined, they both love a good time, and they both harbor resentment about the past, but they are different in taste, social circles, and attitude.

They'll compliment one another nicely, but it won't be easy for either of them to get cozy right away.

Isaac

Pole Dancer

Status: 3rd brother (and his romantic interest)
Occupation: Professor/Scientist
Strengths: Practical, Prudent, Ambitious, Disciplined, Careful, Reserved
Weaknesses: Patronizing, bossy, interfering, intolerant, dogmatic
Stature: 6'2", 180lb, wavy chocolate hair, serious, hazel eyes, fair skin, sexy voice
Age: 29
DOB: Jan 8, Capricorn

The second story will be about the youngest brother, Isaac, and his seemingly pulled-together life. He's got it all and he's worked hard to obtain it. He hasn't, exactly, gone out of his way to prove himself to anyone, and he jumped at the chance to use Inigo's college tuition to get into a good school and continue to study, which is what he's always liked and wanted to do.

He would argue that Iliya forced him to participate in sports, but in truth, Isaac was just as athletic as his older brothers and excelled at both sports and studies.

He and his little sister are always at odds, and while it seemed as if Isaac never could tolerate her and her female ways, the truth turns out to be that he simply worried that she would end up going nowhere and doing nothing if she continued to place emphasis on her looks and her wardrobe instead of what he deemed more important things like school.

Isaac gave the impression of being a snob and ended up in a small circle of like-minded, nerdy friends, and when he entered college, he had little time to socialize while striving to obtain his goal of a pH.d in science.

When he meets another of his little sister's friends, he's instantly knocked on his ass but refuses to let on that he's even remotely interested. The more he learns about the brunette bombshell with a stunning body and face, the more he figures she's not for him. She is nothing like him and not at all what he imagined his first, real love would be, either.

She's not crazy or even reckless but is perceived to be that way because of her chosen profession. She's intelligent and made the dean's list every year in high school, but once she graduated, the ember of freedom ignited and she set off on her own adventure, wanting to do all of the things her stuffy, rigid parents wouldn't abide by.

Isaac will need to get over himself and his prejudice if he hopes to find true love and finally discover what true happiness really is.

Isabel

Status: youngest/sister (and her romantic interest)
Occupation:
Strengths: Loving, Intuitive, Imaginative, Cautious, Protective, Sympathetic
Weaknesses: Changeable, Moody, Overly Emotional, Touchy, Unable to Let Go
Stature: 5'7", 127lb, highlighted chestnut hair, brown eyes, fair skin, shapely
Age: 27
DOB: July 4, Cancer

Still undecided about her story, but I do know it'll be last.

She'll be the one who has a hand in getting her older brothers hooked up with the right women, or at least it is her goal even though things don't always turn out the way she'd like them to.

She adores her brothers even when they make it a habit to tease her, downplay her moods, and treat her like she's still five.

Secretly, she's especially fond of Iliya because she's always felt sorry for him and wants him to find true happiness so that he can finally relax and enjoy life. She looks up to him and makes a pest of herself sometimes wanting to know how he is doing, what he is thinking and feeling, and what is it that will make him learn how to let go.

She's highly charged in confrontational situations and is prone to tears, but she does mature and learns how to reign in some of that empathy. Her brothers learn early on how to tip-toe around her emotions, but there are still times when tempers flair and she falls apart thinking one or more of them will never speak to each other again.

She's sweet, caring, and love-able, easy to befriend, and reliable as well, but what she longs for is a real family and stability with the promise of there always being people who truly care in her life.

She's the one who brings home stray animals, gets lost in books, acts on impulse, and prefers fantasy to reality. She's also messy and a daydreamer but still works hard to make sure her brothers are well cared for and content with things.

While her brothers do put pressure on her to grow up and decide on her future, she is more apt to want them to do the same thing while not worrying so much about her.

Not sure what her eventual occupation will be, and there is no real love story unfolding for her inside my head yet since I'm still concentrating on Inigo's and Isaac's tales while gathering more stuff for Iliya.

(possible surname: Murin / North / Brézlyn)

Working Title: none
Series: yes
Publication Date: undecided
#NaNoWriMo Ready: likely