{"id":317,"date":"2024-01-16T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/?p=317"},"modified":"2024-05-20T22:54:58","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T21:54:58","slug":"softening-cast-of-characters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/2024\/01\/16\/softening-cast-of-characters\/","title":{"rendered":"Cast of Characters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I don\u2019t seriously expect anyone to read this and marvel at the characters in Softening. This post is a list all the characters so I can link back to them from other, more readable, posts. Think of it as reference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a few general points to make before introducing the cast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There are 24 characters in Softening, which is at the upper limit perhaps. Some barely feature, such as Rob\u2019s mum, but all have a significant effect on the story.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I&#8217;d tried to give each character a distinctive name &#8211; ideally each starting with a different letter of the alphabet. That\u2019s technically possible but I don\u2019t fancy wedging in Xavier so I haven\u2019t stuck with that entirely, or at all really.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The characters are described with small details that I repeat &#8211; the part is the whole. Interestingly some minor characters have no physical description applied to them at all. I\u2019m not sure if that is good. Probably not.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some characters are not named in the novel &#8211; Perry\u2019s dad and Rob\u2019s mum. That\u2019s deliberate in some cases and just omitted in others. I give them names in this cast list though. It seems cruel not to.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I\u2019ve half a plan to write a series of linked books with these characters and others passing in and out of them. A pipe dream maybe, but it\u2019s good to dream.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I love all the characters, irrespective of their flaws or perhaps because of them. It\u2019s why I wrote the novel, to spend time with them all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Romantic Leads<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"perry\"><strong>Northern Perry<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Perry is the main point of view character for the story. She works as the finance director of a tech company. From northern England and loves the city of her birth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Impatient and sharp, and has simmering anger issues. Affluent, high competent but lonely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well toned to the point of being too thin. Sharp featured but elegant and contained. Tall and self-assured. Mid 30s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rob\"><strong>Australian Rob<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The object of Perry\u2019s affection (eventually!). Rob also has POV sections, but a lot less than Perry &#8211; it is Perry\u2019s story. Rob is a maths teacher in a generic city school. He does not take job seriously and this attitude bleeds through to other areas in his life. He is originally from Toowoomba, Queensland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Self-depreciating, clumsy, talks too much and doesn\u2019t appear to listen sometimes. Probably has low level ADHD but this is never alluded to in the story. He has a good heart.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shorter but not excessively so. Bright eyes that seem to twinkle on demand. Slightly overlong brown curly hair. Mid 30s but often acts like he is in his 20s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>POV Characters<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"clayton\"><strong>Intense Clayton<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Clayton is one of the two meditation teachers of the \u2018Introduction to Meditation class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very intense to the point where people are unsettled by his presence. Very direct with an atom splitting stare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wiry man of indeterminate age &#8211; could be early 30s but later turns out to be in late 50s. Fond of tight fitting T-shirts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lovely Lovely Vanessa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Vanessa is the second meditation teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clearly a lovely woman who can\u2019t help but see the best in people. Is sometimes oblivious to events and has a high tolerance for embarrassing situations which appear not to phase her in the slightest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Long grey haired, willowy lady, probably in late 50s or early 60s. Wears beads and charms, and is always sporting a voluminous, ethnic style cardigan, which she envelopes other characters in during moments of crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Stressed Dolores<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Busy parent with four children. Her name means suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Constantly tired. Frequently in background searching for coffee which is invariably not there, empty or a chicory substitute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sullen Sophie<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dolores\u2019s difficult eldest daughter. Even her grandmother won\u2019t be alone with her.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sucking negative presence but bonds with Perry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dark clothes, dark looks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rest of Meditation Class<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Community Warden Esteban<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Odd, awkward middle aged man who is a self-appointed community warden in the run down inner city suburb where he lives.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Quiet with unspecified neurodiverse tendencies, probably some form of ASD. Surprisingly diligent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Habitual wearer of a fluorescent workers jacket, even when indoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ryan and Kyle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Borderline criminal youths who constantly hang around outside the meditation class.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Abusive and threatening, but can be friendly and helpful. Rough diamonds &#8211; very rough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan is tiny and looks like a child, whereas Kyle is huge and moose like. They are both the same age, Kyle having grown into his adult body, something which is still a long way off for Ryan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Doggy John and Doggy Julie<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Older middle aged couple who are obsessed with their toy poodle. Frequently slip into talking to each other as if they are the dog and will refer to each other as Mummy and Daddy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Devoted to each other and rarely separated. In the story they are effectively one character in two bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dress in broadly similar, comfortable clothes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"izzy\"><strong>Izzy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very keen on auras and chakras. Izzy is a cipher for a particular kind of person that invariably turns up to meditation classes. Izzy deliberately rhymes with dizzy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Appearance<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beads and charms, just like a younger Vanessa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Models herself on what she imagines a spiritual person to be. This is a cover for a weak sense of self.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"dorothy-and-brenda\"><strong>Dorothy and Brenda<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Older ladies at the meditation class.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Character<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dorthy and Brenda love a particular long running soap opera. They claim they never meditate and don\u2019t know anyone who does. Basically delusional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rob and Perry\u2019s Family<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ama\"><strong>A<\/strong>nna<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Perry\u2019s mother. Doesn\u2019t listen to Perry but very attentive to male opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Harry<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Perry\u2019s father. A certain and authoritarian presence in Perry and Ann\u2019s life. His influence has persisted long after his death, years previously. Unnamed in story.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tom<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rob\u2019s father. An Aussie battler. Unnamed in story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Grace<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rob\u2019s Mother. Maternal and tough as old boots. Unnamed in the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Perry\u2019s workplace<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mitchell<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>CEO at Perry\u2019s company. Reasonable and saintly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>CIO at Perry\u2019s company. Sharp and ultimately treacherous&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sandrine Farrera<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Executive Career Coach. Highly competent but unlikeable. Very similar to Perry and consequently Perry loathes her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Others<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Officer William McCallum<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Clayton\u2019s husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mike<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Grizzled mechanic working in a rough part of the city. Favoured by Rob, as he is cheap and friendly. Deliberately a reference to <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mike_and_the_Mechanics\">Mike and the Mechanics<\/a> &#8211; sorry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Frank<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Concierge at Perry\u2019s apartment and amateur poet. The archetypical neutral person &#8211; someone who Perry sees on a daily basis but doesn\u2019t notice.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@kyleunderscorehead?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash\">Kyle Head<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/silhouette-of-three-performers-on-stage-p6rNTdAPbuk?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash\">Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I don\u2019t seriously expect anyone to read this and marvel at the characters in Softening. This post is a list all the characters so I can link back to them from other, more readable, posts. Think of it as reference. There are a few general points to make before introducing the cast. Romantic Leads Northern [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":324,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diary-of-a-first-novel","entry","has-media"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/kyle-head-p6rNTdAPbuk-unsplash-scaled-e1704747367920.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":721,"href":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317\/revisions\/721"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timothypatrickbrown.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tim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