To Disneyworld and beyond....

Hey hey! Back from Florida and a weekend in Brighton so raring to go on the novel. Here's the character profiles I wrote on the plane home. They are for my lead, romantic involvement, confidant and opposition - as per the creative writing guidlines on characterisation I picked up at uni. Have also created a novel structure, based around Emily's struggle to save the stables from Dane's evil clutches (he wants to buy it as land to expand his holiday park onto).

Lead: Emily Anne Mitchell

Address: 5 Bank Terrace, Woolacombe.

Date and place of birth: 28/2/1982. NDDH, Barnstaple.

Height and appearance: 5’ 1”. Short blonde hair (cropped); broad shoulders; slight hips; green eyes; button nose; some freckles.

Distinguishing marks: tattoo of flower on right hip; belly button piercing.

Health: partially deaf; low blood pressure; slightly underweight.

Parents’ names and occupations: Mike and Sally Mitchell (teachers).

Other family members: Jason (older brother); Ellie (sister-in-law); Valerie (gran); Hannah (aunt); Chris (uncle); Vicky (cousin).

Friends’ names and occupations: Jo Stanford (best friend from school); Michael Hollister (Jo’s fiancé) – both in PR; Rachel Thomas (co-worker at stables; Josh Sullivan (barman at Red Barn).

Occupation: riding instructor at Woolacombe Riding Stables.

Job-related skills: passion for horses and working with people.

Personal qualities: loyal; trustworthy; determined; strong sense of justice.

Ambitions: to own her own riding school.

Fears/hang-ups: confined spaces.

Philosophy of life: fate decides a lot.


Romantic involvement: Ryan George Harcourt

Address: 7 Bank Terrace, Woolacombe.

Date and place of birth: 31/10/1980. NDDH, Barnstaple.

Height and appearance: 6”. Lanky frame; short black hair; hare lip; green eyes; tendency to hunch shoulders.

Distinguishing marks: mole at base of left ear.

Health: reformed smoker.

Parents’ names and occupations: Mary Tasker (primary school teacher) and Phil Harcourt (runs outdoor education centre).

Other family members: Stuart (older brother).

Friends’ names and occupations: Sam Macdonald (runs take-away); Josh Sullivan (works at Red Barn); Kelly Charters (beautician).

Occupation: photographer.

Job-related skills: Doesn’t mind anti-social hours; gets best out of people.

Personal qualities: tendency to mood swings; can calm turbulent situations; perceptive; reckless; sensitive.

Ambitions: to run a portrait studio.

Fears/hang-ups: failure; being hurt in love.

Philosophy of life: try everything once.



Confidant: Jo Stanford

Address: 6 Fairbank Close, Woolacombe.

Date and place of birth: 10/6/1982. Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.

Height and appearance: 5’9”. Brunette, long hair; slender; hazel eyes.

Distinguishing marks: nose piercing.

Health: n/a

Parents’ names and occupations: Rudy and Christine Stanford (solicitor and editor’s PA).

Other family members: Michael Hollister (fiancé); only child, but has sisterly relationship with Michael’s sister, Trish.

Friends’ names and occupations: Emily Mitchell (riding instructor); Michael Hollister (PR for NHS partnership trust); Josh Sullivan (barman); Cazz Spellman (beautician).

Occupation: PR accounts manager for North Devon Partnership Trust.

Job-related skills: gift of the gab; good communicator of ideas.

Personal qualities: happy-go-lucky; reliable; confident; generous; loving.

Ambitions: to raise a family with Michael.

Fears/hang-ups: time passing her by.

Philosophy of life: life is what you make it.


Opposition: Dane Gilbert Sullivan

Address: Folly Edge, Western Rise, Woolacombe.

Date and place of birth: 13/4/56. Sevenoaks.

Height and appearance: 5’ 11”. Short grey hair; toned physique; chiselled jaw.

Distinguishing marks: slight limp; faint scar on jawline.

Health: recovering alcoholic.

Parents’ names and occupations: Chris Sullivan (dead); Mary (owned stables).

Other family members: Cynthia (younger sister); Stacey (stepdaughter, 18); Jackson (son, 21); Josh Sullivan (nephew); Natalie (wife).

Friends’ names and occupations: Paul Turner (estate agent); Nancy and Bruce Thompson (medical secretary and holiday park manager).

Occupation: Owns Waney Edge Holiday Park.

Job-related skills: good with numbers and knows what holidaymakers want.

Personal qualities: ruthless; charming; keen to prove himself; loves his kids.

Ambitions: to expand Waney Edge.

Fears/hang-ups: that he will lose the business if he doesn’t expand.

Philosophy of life: work hard, play hard.